Northeast Dharma Celebration 2016 Open to everyone, spiritual practitioners from around the Northeast region gather for this special event. This long weekend provides us with an opportunity to relax and nourish ourselves through receiving empowerment, teachings and practical advice, and guided meditations that speak directly to our capacity for improving the lives of ourselves and others. The Northeast Dharma Celebration provides a precious opportunity to study, listen to and practice the special presentation of modern Buddhism taught by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, the Founder of the New Kadampa Tradition.
Kadampa Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist school founded by the greatn Buddhist Master Atisha (AD 982-1054) In the word, ‘Kadampa’, ‘Ka’ refers to Buddha’s teachings , and ‘dam’ to Atisha’s special Lamrim instructions. Kadampas, then, are practitioners who regard Buddha’s teachings as personal instructions and put them into practice by following the instructions of Lamrim. By integrating their understanding of all Buddha’s teachings into their practice of Lamrim, and by integrating their experience of Lamrim into their everyday lives, Kadampas use Buddha’s teachings as practical methods for transforming daily activities into the path to enlightenment.
A Kadampa Buddhist Temple is a special, holy place, where we can receive blessings and powerful imprints on our minds that lead to deep inner peace in the future. Kadampa Buddhist Temples take many forms. Some are custom built according to a special design developed by Geshe Kelsang based on traditional Buddhist architecture, such as the Mother Temple at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in England and the Temples in New York, São Paulo and Sintra. Others are adapted from existing buildings acquired for Kadampa Meditation Centers around the world, such as the Temples in Toronto, Le Mans, Berlin, Zurich, Texas, Florida and Melbourne. Yet others are incorporated, such as Hotel Kadampa Holland in the Netherlands. Whatever form they take, Kadampa Temples are holy places open to everyone to enjoy. They are Pure Lands in our troubled world – offering doorways to inner peace for all who visit them. Many more Temples are planned throughout the world as part of the International Temples Project.