Gampopa Center

Lama Resumes Teaching

Jinzang — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:15:58 +0000

Lama Phurbu Tashi has returned from a successful teaching tour. His travels took him to Indonesia, Singapore and Tibet. He is well and ready to resume teaching and practice in Annapolis. On Sundays, starting tomorrow March 7th, he will teach at the Epping Forest location at 5PM. On Mondays, starting March 8th, he will teach at the Defense Hwy location at 12:30PM (for details see the “Directions” page on our website.) On Tuesdays, starting March 9th, he will teach at the Epping Forest location at 7PM. All are welcome at any teaching. If you have any questions please call Karen at 410-533-1411.

Back in Town

Jinzang — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:59:50 +0000

Lama has returned from his teaching tour in Indonesia and Tibet and will resume teaching in Annapolis when he is over his illness. He came back from Tibet with a bad cold. We will post a message when he is feeling well enough to teach.

Snow Holiday

Jinzang — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:21:00 +0000

There will be no Dharma practice on Sunday January 31, because of the snow. We will resume Sunday practice on February 7 at 5PM in Epping Forest. Tuesday night Dharma practice resumes on February 2 at 7PM in Epping Forest. All are welcome. Lama called from Chengdu two weeks ago. He has arrived safely and is presently visiting and teaching students in the area. He’ll return to us sometime around the middle of February!

The Measure of Success

Jinzang — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:30:30 +0000

During last Summer’s teaching on Mind Training, Lama explained how to measure success in the practice of mind training. He explained that if your afflictive emotions are weakening, thn your mind training is going well. If they are not, that means you should put more effort into the practice. This is also true of all dharma practices. Suffering is the result of our previous actions committed under the influence of mental afflictions. and these are the result of ego clinging. That is why all the buddhas have taught how to end this clinging. The ego has never existed, it is believed because of our mind’s fixation. Many dharma practitioners look for signs from their practice, but the best sign is reduced mental afflictions.

He also explained how to deal with mental afflictions. The first way to deal with mental afflictions is to abandon them by applying the antidotes. The second is to transform them through compassion. The third is to recognize them as the nature of mind. Just look at them and they will be like a wave on the surface of the ocean. They will be seen as the union of awareness and emptiness. The stronger the emotion, the stronger will be your wisdom.

The Five Forces

Jinzang — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:38:07 +0000

The mind training teachings condense their instructions into what is known as the five forces. Lama gave this explanation of the five forces last summer.

The first is the force of motivation. When you get up in the morning, reestablish your commitment to practice the two bodhicittas. At the end of the day, check to see if your actions have followed this motivation. Whatever you are motivated to do will happen.
The second is the force of familiarization. It is like learning to drive, at first it is difficult, but then it becomes easy. So we should familarize ourselves with the practice of virtue.
The third is the force of virtue. Always strive to accumulate virtue. By practicing virtue the two bodhicittas increase.
The fourth is the force of repudiation. When ego cherishing arises you should immediately abandon it. Since ego does not exist, cherishing it is only self deception.
The fifth is the force of dedication. Have the aspiration to complete enlightenment and dedicate all your merit to it.