Evening Meditation Classes in Pretoria Join these classes for an introduction to Buddhist meditation, and practical solutions to our daily problems.
Classes presented by Buddhist Monk, Kelsang Gyaltsen.
Class topics in May:
Wednesday 12th: Who is a Buddha? – Is it possible for us to become a Buddha?
Monday 17th: Karma - How do our actions determine our experiences?
Wednesday 19th: Love & Compassion - Cherishing Others
Details:
Venue: The Diplomat Guesthouse, 822 Arcadia Street, Arcadia, Pretoria.
Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Cost: R30,00.
The Kadampa Buddhist Perspective
How do the things we see and experience really exist? 
Sunday 23rd May 2010
with Buddhist monk Kelsang Gyaltsen
We normally seek happiness outside of ourselves. We feel like we would be happy if we had lots of friends, money, a big home and the latest luxuries. These objects of desire are deceptive, yet we believe having them will certainly bring us happiness, but often they just attract more problems.
Why is this? How is it that one person can find a given object repulsive and another beautiful? It cannot be both beautiful and ugly.
It is because the way things appear to us is not how they actually exist.
Buddhist Teachings on this are extremely rare and profound, giving us a precious insight into how our world really exists. In this course, we will learn about the dreamlike nature of our reality and how to find real happiness from within the mind.
Details:
Time: 10:00am - 13:30pm
Cost: R150,00 please book as this assists with organising.
Refreshments and light lunch included.
Everyone is welcome.
Centre Cherishing Day 
Sunday 16th May from 10:00am
Helping in a Dharma Centre helps us accumulate great merit, not only because we engage in actions which benefit the Centre directly, but because it also benefits those that attend the Centre, who, in turn, will also benefit others by practically applying the teachings they have learnt there.
Why not spend the morning accumulating good karma, and thereby benefit many living being.
Delicious lunch is free for volunteers.
All are welcome!
Spring Festival It's that time of year again where thousands of Kadampa Buddhists from around the world come together at our "Mother Centre",
Manjushri KMC (Ulverson, United Kingdom), to receive teachings and spiritual advice on how to take the essence of our human lives.
Click
here to read more about this amazing event.
Weekly Meditation Classes
Weekly meditation classes are currently taking place at the Centre, in Blairgowrie on Tuesday Evenings, and Thursday mornings.
Tuesday's topics for May are:
11th : Self-confidence versus self-cherishing
18th : Real love versus desirous attachment
25th: Practice: Offering to the Spiritual Guide – Puja*
*Please note that on the 25th, instead of our usual class, we will be engaging the in Puja of
Offering to the Spiritual Guide. This will take place from 7:00 to approximately 9:15pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Finally, we are on the look-out for venues in the
Rivonia/Bryanston and
Edenvale areas, if you have any ideas, please let us know on 011 326 1982 or
email.
http://daily-meditations.com/ tells you more about meditations for everyday life.
You can find out more about these CD’s from the Centre Shop, open everyday.
Sangha Celebration 
Please Save the Date
Saturday 19th June
We would love to have you join us for some Celebrating & Fundraising Kadampa-style, even if this would be your first time at the Centre - just come along.
Watch this space for more information.
Who is Buddha Shakyamuni? 
In northern India in 624 BC a baby was born to Queen Mayadevi and King Shuddhodana. They called the little boy Siddhartha. The King wanted his son to be a ruler like him, so he kept him very busy in the palace. Prince Siddhartha was kind to everyone, and learned perfectly every subject he studied. When he was grown, he married Yasodhara and had a son.
One day during a visit to the city, Siddhartha saw so much pain and suffering. He passed people who were very old and sick. He saw a human corpse, and finally he saw a monk. The prince wanted desperately to discover how to end suffering for everyone, and begged to leave the palace to try. He said goodbye to his family and began a long, difficult journey.
After training his mind for six years, Siddhartha knew he was very close to his goal. He walked to a place now called Bodh Gaya, sat under a Bodhi tree, and promised not to rise from meditation until he became a Buddha. Many frightening and tempting maras surrounded Siddhartha and tried to stop him. Because of the strength of Siddhartha’s concentration on love, however, even Devaputra, King of Demons, could not succeed. Although he and his armies threw many terrible weapons at Siddhartha, these turned into flowers and fell to the ground.
As the sun rose, Siddhartha’s mind transformed into that of a Conqueror Buddha with immense power to help all living beings. Forty-nine days later, he began to teach others how to follow the path to pure happiness.
OM MUNI MUNI MAHA MUNIYE SÖHA
This brief summary of Buddha Shakyamuni's life story comes from
Meeting the Buddhas, written by
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso *You will find this book, and all others written by Geshe Kelsang, available in our shop at the Centre.
