Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I attend the classes if I've never meditated before and am a complete beginner?
YES. The Tuesday, Thursday and weekend classes are introductory and suitable for beginners. People with meditation experience can also benefit from the introductory classes.
- Do I have to wait for the next series of classes to begin?NO. Each class is self-contained. You may attend only one class or the whole series. Come to as many classes as you wish. No previous knowledge is necessary.
- What does it cost?The Joyful Land Buddhist Centre is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving others. In order to help cover our costs of operation we suggest the following donations: Tuesday, Thursday and Weekend Classes, $10; Dharma for Kids, $5 per child. There is a donations basket near the entrance to the meditation room, and you can pay by cash or cheque. TOP
- What happens during a class?Classes vary in size depending on the course or event and take place either in the meditation room at the main centre, which holds a maximum of about 30 people, or at one of our branch locations: Kanata or Ottawa South; so the classes vary in size from 10-30. The Teacher sits at the front of the room and begins with preparatory prayers. Then there is a brief, guided breathing meditation to help us calm our busy minds. This is followed by a review of the previous week's teaching and a new teaching for the evening. There is always lots of time for questions and answers. The Teacher may guide a final meditation at the end of the evening, after which everyone is invited to stay for refreshments and get acquainted. TOP
- What if I already have quite a bit of experience with meditation and Buddhist concepts and wish something more than the introductory classes?
The Centre's programs and classes are broadly structured to present Buddhist thought and practice in ever-increasing depth, from i) the Tuesday, Thursday and weekend classes in the General Program, to ii) the Foundation Program designed for those who wish to follow the Buddhist path in a more systematic manner, to iii) the Teacher Training Program aimed at students who aspire to teach the Dharma. TOP - Do I have to be a Buddhist to benefit from meditation?NO. Anyone can learn basic meditation (see question below) and experience the benefits. Buddhists (see question 8) respect all people and are happy to help anyone whether or not they subscribe to another faith. TOP
- What is meditation?
Meditation is simply a method to calm your mind in order to gain clarity and perspective on your life. There are many different kinds of meditations, all serving different purposes, but the common purpose is to make our mind calm and peaceful. We do this by developing positive states of mind in meditation and integrating this experience into our daily life. You don't need an excessive amount of time or experience to start meditating. All you need is a few minutes every day to settle your mind. Once you learn the basic meditation techniques, you can use these methods for 5 minutes every day to help you improve your life. If we train our mind to become peaceful we can be happy all the time, even in the most adverse conditions. But if our mind is not peaceful, even if we have the most pleasant external conditions we will not be happy. Therefore it is important to train our mind through meditation. TOP
- What is Buddhism?Buddhism is a major world religion that arose from the inspiration and teachings of Buddha. It is a complete way of life concerned with the wholesome development of the individual. Buddhism can be best summarized by the words of Buddha himself:
Learn to do good,
Cease to do harm,
Control the mind,
And benefit others.
Buddhism teaches us how to overcome our problems and difficulties by understanding and preventing their causes. Whereas we usually look to outside circumstances for the causes of our problems, Buddha taught us to look inward instead. He showed how our feelings of dissatisfaction arise from negative states of mind - primarily anger, attachment, and ignorance - and offered methods to eliminate these by developing generosity, compassion, wisdom, and other positive states of mind. Through cultivating these qualities we discover an inner state of peace and strength.
- Who was Buddha?
The founder of Buddhism was Buddha Shakyamuni who lived and taught in India some two and a half thousand years ago. Since then millions of people around the world have followed the pure spiritual path he revealed. As Geshe Kelsang Gyatso explains in Introduction to Buddhism:
In general, 'Buddha' means 'Awakened One', someone who has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and sees things as they really are. A Buddha is a person who is completely free from all faults and mental obstructions. There are many people who have become Buddhas in the past, and many people will become Buddhas in the future.... There is nothing that Buddha does not know. Because he has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and has removed all obstructions from his mind, he knows everything of the past, present, and future, directly and simultaneously.
Moreover, Buddha has great compassion which is completely impartial, embracing all living beings without discrimination. He benefits all living beings without exception by emanating various forms throughout the universe, and by bestowing his blessings on their minds. Through receiving Buddha's blessings, all beings, even the lowliest animals, sometimes develop peaceful and virtuous states of mind. Eventually, through meeting an emanation of Buddha in the form of a Spiritual Guide, everyone will have the opportunity to enter the path to liberation and enlightenment. As the great Indian Buddhist scholar Nagarjuna said, there is no one who has not received help from Buddha. TOP - What relevance does Buddhism have to my life?
Although Buddhism first appeared in India over two and a half thousand years ago, it has a timeless and universal relevance. In a nutshell, Buddha explained that all our problems and suffering arise from confused and negative states of mind, and that all our happiness and good fortune arise from peaceful and positive states of mind. He taught methods for gradually overcoming our negative minds such as anger, jealousy and ignorance, and developing our positive minds such as love, compassion and wisdom. Through this we will come to experience lasting peace and happiness. These methods work for anyone, in any country, in any age. Once we have gained experience of them for ourselves we can pass them on to others so they too can enjoy the same benefits. TOP - Is the NKT part of Tibetan Buddhism?No. The New Kadampa Tradition is global Buddhism. Just as the Tibetans faithfully adopted the practices taught to them by the great Indian masters and adapted them to their own culture, so Geshe Kelsang encourages people from all ethnic backgrounds to adopt the wisdom and compassion of Buddha and put them into practice in ways that suit their particular culture.
Please don't hesitate to call (613) 234-4347 or contact us if you have any questions. TOP