National Canadian Festival
The Blessing Empowerment of Buddha Manjushri
September 11 – 15, 2020
Online
with Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab
National Spiritual Director of Canada
Open to everyone, the Canadian National Festival is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a spiritual break with like-minded people from around Canada. During this special Festival, Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab, will grant the blessing empowerment of Buddha Manjushri and give commentary to this wisdom advice from Venerable Geshe-la’s heart.
Advice from Venerable Geshe-la’s heart:
The things that I normally see in dreams do not exist.
This proves that the things that I normally see while awake do not exist,
Since both of these things are equally mistaken appearance.
I will never grasp at the things that I normally see,
But just be satisfied with their mere name.
By doing this I will liberate myself permanently
From the sufferings of this life and countless future lives.
I this way I will be able
To benefit each and every living being every day.
When wisdom is in our hearts, our mind is very clear, confident, and free from disturbing thoughts. Wisdom gives us clarity and insight and, like an inner spiritual guide, helps us to act thoughtfully, skillfully, and meaningfully in daily life. Since all our negative minds are based upon the opposite of wisdom – confusion – everyone needs to develop wisdom.
This wisdom, called “emptiness”, is the profound realization that everything in our world exists as a mere appearance to our mind, like a dream. Through “waking up” to this truth, we will discover that the world is not as real as it appears, and this sacred knowledge of emptiness will liberate us from suffering permanently.
This festival will begin with an Introduction Online on Friday evening, followed by online Empowerment and teachings on Saturday and teachings on Sunday. There will be a short retreat online on Monday and Tuesday. The online classes will be available until the end of September for you to view.
Notice for 2020
Due to the covid-19 pandemic this year, our Canadian National Festival, normally scheduled in June has been postponed until the Fall. The National Festival will now be held online from September 11 – 15. Due to this, the Ontario Dharma Celebration will not take place in 2020. We hope that we will be able to resume our normal schedule and hold the Celebration in the Fall of 2021.
