Compassion Bootcamp

With Ven. Losang Gendun

The nuclear source of any Buddha’s enlightenment is his or her wish to achieve the welfare of all that lives. A Buddha, having found no solid core in his or her heart, understands that our being is filled with others. Feeling the presence of his fellow beings in every word, act and thought, a Buddha’s gratitude opens the floodgates of unconditional compassion and love.

One may wonder how this relates to our contemporary explosion of identities that while making plights and injustices visible, also tends to polarize rather than connect.

Without proposing fixed answers, we will explore the role of identity both on the Buddhist path and in modern life, reflecting on gender and sex, politics and age, culture and ethnicity.

Our main guide will be a beautiful text by the Indian Master Nāgārjuna: 'Precious Garland of Advice to a King', which we will provide to you.

Our Bootcamps are community days, in which we share the pleasure of each other’s presence, food, meditation, lecture, discussion, and, of course, language. The latter means that the Sundays will be in English or Dutch depending on the participants.

Dates and times: Sunday February 20, March 13, April 17, May 15 and June 26, 2022 from 10:00 – 12:00 hrs and from 13:00 – 14:30 hrs.

Suggested donation to help cover our costs € 35. Students / people with low income € 20 per day.

For online teachings, half of the above donations is applicable (resp. € 17,50 and € 10,00). To help the Maitreya Institute through these difficult times, we appreciate it very much if you adhere to the normal suggested donation. The fixed charges for the building and livelihood for our teachers remain the same.

ATTENTION: If you decide to attend online, but want to donate the regular amount, then please register for online class and donate the extra amount through the other donation buttons (e.g. 'Continuiteit Amsterdam'), so we can keep track of onsite registrations.

More information: amsterdam@maitreya.nl.