Summer Festival Diaries 2009

Day 3 - Listening to Dharma

On the third morning of the Summer Festival, Gen Kelsang Ananda guided a meditation on the benefits of relying on Dorje Shugden. By relying on our Dharma Protector we will be cared for like a mother cares for her dearest child.

Teaching with Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Today Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso gave an extensive teaching on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment called Kadam Lamrim.

Geshe-la emphasised that Kadam Lamrim is the most precious of all Buddha’s teachings and gave an analogy comparing Lamrim to a body and all other teachings like the parts of the body.

Je Tsongkhapa said that when we have listened to the entire instructions on Lamrim we have listened to all of Buddha’s 84,000 teachings. This implies that when we have practised all of Lamrim we have practised all of Buddha’s teachings.

Review

In the afternoon, Gen Kelsang Thekchen reviewed Venerable Geshe-la’s teaching and emphasised that everyone who wishes to be free from suffering must practise Buddha Dharma. Gen Thekchen reminded us that we don’t practise Dharma because we’re Buddhist, we practise because we’ve got a problem – our delusions of anger, attachment and so forth.

Quote of the day

To attain enlightenment is very simple – all we need to do is change the object of our cherishing from ourself to all living beings.

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso


Today's video review

Festival Facts and Figures

The kitchen at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre is producing over 78,600 meals for the duration of the Summer Festival.

Fresh local produce includes;

Geshe-la is my Spiritual Guide. He teaches Buddha Dharma and that makes me happy. Sometimes at school I share Dharma with my friends and they listen.

Patrick, Penang

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