Public Talk with Gen-la Dekyong
Celebrating 30 Years of Kadampa Buddhism in madrid
We made history for Kadam Dharma in Spain, when nearly one thousand people filled the Gran Teatro CaixaBank Príncipe Pío in Madrid for a very special public talk with Gen-la Dekyong.
30 years of Kadampa Buddhism in Madrid
Peace of Mind in Difficult Times
On the afternoon of 19 September, around one thousand people filled the Gran Teatro CaixaBank Príncipe Pío for a very special public talk, Peace of Mind in Difficult Times, with Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong. Gen-la is one of the closest disciples of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche and served as General Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition for 16 years.
The story...
A Small Seed Comes to Flower: 30 Years in Madrid
The afternoon also marked 30 years of Kadampa Buddhism in Madrid. The story began in a small apartment, with just a handful of people and a heartfelt wish to make Kadam Dharma available in the city. Thirty years later, KMC Madrid(opens in new tab) has a center in the heart of the capital and a retreat center with 50 bedrooms in the beautiful Sierra de Guadarrama. Seeing the theater filled with almost one thousand people was like witnessing that first small seed come into flower.
A Message of Hope for Madrid
Making Dharma Available to Everyone
At a time when the world can feel so uncertain, Gen-la offered a simple yet profound message of hope: although we cannot always change what happens around us, we can change our mind and the way we respond.
Drawing on Venerable Geshe-la’s teachings(opens in new tab), she shared practical meditations for working directly with the mind, showing how even difficult circumstances can become opportunities to develop patience, compassion, wisdom and inner strength. Many people left the theater feeling lighter and encouraged, with practical methods they could take into their daily lives.
None of this happened by chance. For an entire year, KMC Madrid prepared for this special celebration with great care and dedication. For months, members of the Madrid Sangha took to the streets together, distributing flyers one by one with a shared wish: that as many people as possible would have the opportunity to meet Kadam Dharma.
On the day itself, more than 80 volunteers worked side by side in harmony, helping to create a warm and welcoming environment in which every guest could feel cared for and enjoy this precious opportunity.
Continuing the Path to Inner Peace
The Next Chapter Begins
The peace experienced that afternoon did not have to end at the theater doors. Every attendee received a pass for three meditation classes at KMC Madrid’s centers, offering them the opportunity to continue developing inner peace and bringing Buddha’s teachings into their daily lives.
With heartfelt gratitude, KMC Madrid thanks Gen-la for coming to Madrid and sharing these precious teachings with so many people. Above all, we thank Venerable Geshe-la for his extraordinary kindness in making Kadam Dharma available and creating the conditions for so many people to discover the path to inner peace.
Thirty years ago, this began as a heartfelt wish. Today, it is a flourishing Dharma community — and this is only the beginning.
One mind, one path, one direction, one dedication.
"It was a unique event that marked a new chapter for our community."
"We all moved together toward the same goal. Afterwards, you could see it on people's faces: fulfilment, happiness, meaning. Seeing the theater full for someone so special was a wonderful gift."
