Summer Festival Day 4

International Summer Festival 2023 diaries

Kadam Lamrim of Sutra & Tantra

July 28 - Aug 12 2023

The Complete Path to Enlightenment

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A vision of a world based on cherishing others

We concluded the Lamrim teachings today with two clear, essential and profound teachings on the third principal aspect of the path, training in the correct view of emptiness. Gen-la Khyenrab’s teachings were essential instructions from Venerable Geshe-la’s presentation of Ultimate Bodhichitta in Modern Buddhism. He reminded us that the Teacher who teaches emptiness unmistakably is superior to any other Teacher, because emptiness is superior to any other knowledge. In Venerable Geshe-la we have found a supreme Teacher of emptiness. In Gen-la’s words, “His writings are so clear. Everyone agrees with this in the world.” What is even more extraordinary is that the practical, concise explanations of Buddha’s most profound teachings on emptiness given in this text are suitable for both beginners and advanced practitioners. For beginners it makes a complex subject accessible, and for advanced practitioners it is a practical method for gaining realisations.

THE TRUTH OF OUR BODY IS IT'S EMPTINESS

feature video ~ The meaning of Lamrim

Day 4 ~ It's fun to Volunteer

Just as Bodhisattvas alternate meditation with actions to benefit others, between sessions a big part of every Kadampa Festival is volunteering. The Festivals are entirely run by those attending with no-one being paid and yet everything runs incredibly smoothly. It is uplifting to see people of all ages and from all countries enjoying working together. You could say instead that the Festivals are run on cherishing others!

Through volunteering we get to put the teachings immediately into action and also to see the possibility of a truly harmonious society where everyone is practising cherishing others and training their minds. We also see just how interdependent we all are. Although we may be working hard in one area, as Gen-la Khyenrab reminded us, we still need everyone else doing all their various jobs for the Festival to function.

“Volunteering is a fantastic way to meet other people and you feel part of the Festival doing it. You get to know people from other parts of the world and to feel part of the Kadampa family.”