Fri, 26 Sep 2008
Lama Gursam Visits
Lama Gursam is visiting Baltimore this week. So far, the members had dinner with him on Monday (thanks, Lance, for the dinner!) and Wednesday he gave a Medicine Buddha empowerment down at Breathe Books. We got a good attendance for the empowerment, probably because we tapped into Breathe Book's publicity network. Tonight will be an introductory talk and the Saturday we'll have the Big Weekend Seminar™. This year it will be on mahamudra, which I understand that Lama has been teaching on at his other stops. Here are a few of Lama Gursam's remarks from the empowerment.
We need a skillful method to see our enlightened nature. We have to be introduced to it. Every enlightened being started out as ordinary and through their training became enlightened. Ordinary does not mean we do not have the enlightened mind, it only means we are not yet realized or awakened. Those who have become completely awakened are called Buddhas We don't have to go to some special place to awaken, we only have to practice. There are many diseases, some which cannot be cured. Whoever is born must die. Naturally aging is a part of life, as is disease. But through Medicine Buddha disease can be healed. His practice can also protect from obstacles such as untimely death
