Entering the New Year with Buddha’s Blessings – Part 2
Jan 7, 2025
In October we reported on the nascent Israeli Sangha forming in Tel Aviv under the leadership of Daniel Koren. The group has thrived during the lockdown period and recently gathered for their first in-person retreat. Here is their update.
Last Saturday special events were held at Kadampa centers worldwide in celebration of the annual NKT Day.
The first Saturday in April is NKT Day, a special occasion on which we celebrate the extraordinary deeds of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche in creating and nourishing the New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union.
On June 4 2021, which was the 90th birthday of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, Kadampa centers around the world joined in a special celebration of retreat and puja based on the recitation of Venerable Geshe-la’s name mantra. This gathering was the first of what has become a new event in the Kadampa calendar that will take place every year on June 4, which is Turning the Wheel of Dharma Day.
As the Opening of the Temple and the beginning of the 2022 Spring Festival approach, preparations are underway at the site to host thousands of people. The Festival will have a distinctive Mediterranean feel. Here we see the team trying out a vegetable paella, one of the dishes offered at the chiringuitos distributed throughout the site, which will also provide tortilla, tapas, salads etc.
At the suggestion of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, yesterday a special Prayers for World Peace was held at Manjushri KMC led by Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong, the General Spiritual Director of NKT-IKBU, to pray for peace in the world at this time.
With the dangerous situation now developing in the world, at Venerable Geshe-la’s suggestion there will be a special Prayers for World Peace on Sunday February 27 at 10.30 am UK time with Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong, General Spiritual Director of NKT-IKBU.
All Kadampa centers are dedicated to all living beings. They belong to them, remaining in their service for all time, and can never be taken over by individuals or organisations and used for other purposes. For this reason, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche says that these centers are very precious and that whenever we engage in an action to benefit a center we are in fact benefitting all living beings.
Kadampa Art Studio is abuzz with activity. Over the last two years they have made well over a thousand objects to adorn the new Temple in Málaga.
In preparation for the opening of the Sixth Kadampa Temple for World Peace in Málaga Spain on June 10, KMC Spain has arranged a special online course celebrating the five existing World Peace Temples. The five Gen-las are teaching the five forces. Here we feature the first teaching given by Gen-la Dekyong. On March 5, the second teaching with Gen-la Khyenrab will be broadcast.