Date/Time
Saturday 19 September 10am – 1pm
with Resident Teacher & Buddhist Nun Gen Kelsang Luma
Venue
Kalpa Bhadra Buddhist Centre, 24 Rugby St, Merivale, Christchurch
There is plenty of parking on the street but please do not park on the neighbours driveways.
About the Half Day Course
How do we protect ourselves from the storm of suffering raging around us and within us?
According to Buddha’s teachings, known as Dharma, suffering arises not from external conditions themselves, but rather from how we respond to them. Suffering arises from the mind and therefore to protect ourselves from suffering we need to understand and transform our mind.
Buddha taught how to examine our mind and see which states produce misery and confusion and which states produce health and happiness. He taught how to overcome the compulsively non-virtuous minds that confine us to states of discontent and unhappiness, and how to cultivate the virtuous minds that liberate us from pain and lead us to the bliss of full enlightenment. By taking Buddha’s teachings – the Dharma – to heart and applying them to our own lives we can gain permanent protection from the suffering of this life and our future lives, and be able to help others do the same.
To accomplish this, we need to trust in the teachings and blessings of Buddha and the support and friendship of Sangha, the spiritual community. This refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, or the Three Jewels, is what characterizes the Buddhist approach to life.
In this workshop, Gen Kelsang Luma will introduce us to the extraordinary qualities of the Three Jewels and explain the practice of going for refuge, known as the gateway to Buddhism. This will then be followed by the opportunity to take Refuge Vows on Saturday afternoon and a weeks unguided Refuge Retreat at the Centre.
The Refuge Vow Ceremony 2 – 3pm
Anyone who is applying Dharma to their lives is implicitly going for refuge. However, there is a special ceremony in which we can formally take Refuge Vows. Doing so creates a powerful bond with the Buddhas, deepens our own commitment to our practice, empowers us with strong positive energy, and bestows upon us spiritually nourishing blessings.
Taking Refuge Vows means that we promise to apply effort to receiving Buddha’s blessings, to putting Dharma into practice, and to receiving help from Sangha throughout our life.
If you wish, you can bring a traditional offering of food or flowers to the refuge vow ceremony.
Cost
$35 – includes morning tea. Free for Centre Members.
Refuge Vow Ceremony is free.
Timetable
9.50 – 10.00am Registration
10.00 – 11.15am Teaching
11.15 – 11.45am Morning tea
11.45 – 1.00pm Teaching
2.00 – 3.00pm Refuge Vow Ceremony
Booking & Cancellations
Booking is essential, so please book online now, or contact the Centre to book your place.
Cancellations: if you cancel your booking more than 24 hours prior to the start of the course or event, we offer a refund (the 25% deposit is non-refundable). If you cancel less than 24 hours before the event begins we regret that we cannot issue refunds. However you can transfer your booking to a future course.
What to expect at a class
These classes are based on Buddha’s teachings on the mind, but you do not need to be a Buddhist to attend, or to benefit from them.
There is no physical exercise involved and you can choose to sit either in a chair or on a cushion.
These classes are suitable for all levels of experience.