It is wonderful to imagine that the children who attended this year’s Summer Festival will make up the next generation of the New Kadampa Tradition.
And little Kadampas certainly know their Dharma! Memorising mantras, connecting with a particular Buddha and recalling teachings on love and kindness, they embrace Dharma with open minds, limitless imagination and playful aspects.
It is also beautiful to see how their faces light up when hearing Geshe-la’s voice or seeing Geshe-la’s face. One mother said the first time their child giggled was looking at a picture of Geshe-la.
Over 200 children attended the 2009 Summer Festival.
Parents had the option of taking children into the Kadampa Temple, the designated children’s tent or to one of the main rooms in the Priory allocated for parents and children. All Festival sessions were broadcast in the designated children’s tent and Priory room.
Retreat
On the morning of the second week’s retreat, Gen-la Khyenrab encouraged us to accomplish the ultimate goal of our human life; enlightenment, permanent inner peace.
In the first retreat session Gen-la highlighted Geshe-la’s main point from his teaching the previous day – even though physically we might not be able to see Geshe-la because he’s living somewhere else, his mind is always with us.
In the second retreat session Gen-la guided a meditation on renunciation – the wish to free ourselves from the suffering of sickness, ageing and death by accomplishing a pure mind. This led seamlessly into a third meditation on going for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
In the next session, Gen-la explained the beautiful mind of Bodhichitta – the wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. Gen-la encouraged us to transform all our activities for the benefit of others and echoed Geshe Chekawa’s words ‘Do all Yogas by one’.
In the final retreat session for the day we meditated on faith and contemplated how important it is to keep developing a mind of faith to fufil our goal. Gen-la reminded us of Geshe-la’s beautiful analogy - With the sun of your faith shining on the snow mountain of your Spiritual Guide the water of all Buddha’s blessings will pour into your mental continuum.
Quote of the day
I have explained the paths to enlightenment so that all living beings might attain them.
Condensed Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, Buddha
Review Excerpt
I like being here because I love the place, it’s a very special place. I love the castle the best. Last night I had a dream about Geshe-la, he was telling me I need to love everybody – we were eating rainbow coloured spaghetti.
Ana Sophia, Mexico