INVITATION
Join us for Lama Ole Nydahl’s meditation course, which is now organized in Budapest, Hungary. This is a first-of-its-kind event as it offers all the richness of our typical courses with full day programs but this time in a city setting:
Lama Ole Nydahl’s Teachings: Lama Ole Nydahl gives us an introduction to Mahamudra, teachings on the nature of mind, through texts by realized kagyü masters.
Question and Answer Sessions: In the Q&A with the Lama, we can ask our own questions during the lecture or just listen to what answers and advice our Lama gives to others.
The Lama will give refuge, we can take the bodhisattva promise and meditate with the Lama.
Meditation sessions: We can all enjoy the benefits of meditating together. Experienced meditators (people working on or having already completed their preliminaries) may use their current meditation practice while those new to meditation may use the 16th Karmapa meditation, which is the mediation we do in all of our centers. Please bring your meditation booklets.
Guided 16th Karmapa meditation: We’ll have the opportunity to practice this highly practical and most powerful method together, which is also the most important common meditation of our Diamond Way centers.
Explanations on the preliminary practices: Those just starting to practice Prostrations, Mediation on Diamond Mind, Mandala Offerings or Guru Yoga will get authentic transmission of each practice from travelling teachers, following Lama Ole’s request, as accurate information and clear explanations are highly important for these mediations. These teachings may also inspire those with some experience behind them in a given practice (or doing their preliminaries for the second or third time). In order to deepen our mediation, it is useful to refresh information from time to time.
Travelling teachers’ lectures: Besides our Lama’s Mahamudra teachings, in the evenings our travelling teachers will give panel teachings on basic topics of Diamond Way Buddhism and they will share stories about their travels and experiences with the Lama.
LAMA OLE NYDAHL
Lama Ole Nydahl is one of the few Westerners fully qualified as a lama and meditation teacher in the Karma Kagyu Buddhist tradition. In 1969, Ole Nydahl and his wife Hannah became the first Western students of H.H. the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa.
After completing three years of Buddhist philosophy studies and intensive meditation training – including the transmission for a unique Diamond Way Buddhist practice called Conscious Dying (Tib. Phowa) – Lama Ole began teaching Buddhism in Europe at the request of the 16th Karmapa.
Lama Ole has since transmitted the blessing of the lineage in a different city nearly every day, traveling and teaching worldwide. His depth of knowledge and dynamic teachings inspire thousands of people at his lectures and meditation retreats.
Lama Ole has been a major driving force in bringing Buddhism to the West, and to date has established more than 750 Diamond Way Buddhist centers in 44 countries.
His unique synthesis of modern style and ancient wisdom helped create the largest body of students practicing Diamond Way Buddhist methods in the West. Shamar Rinpoche has said “In 1973 the 16th Karmapa ordered Ole and Hannah to teach and predicted that they would be very successful in spreading the Buddha’s teachings in the West. The 16th Karmapa taught them their main practices, the Guru Yogas on the 8th and 16th Karmapas. They kept their samaya without any doubt, following and fulfilling Karmapa’s wish. Ole is carrying out the activity of the 16th Karmapa.”
Lama Ole is the author of several books including Buddha and Love, The Way Things Are, The Great Seal, Death and Rebirth, Riding the Tiger and Entering the Diamond Way.
MAHAMUDRA
Mahamudra is central spiritual theme in Kagyu tradition. Great Seal, the teaching which leads to full Enlightenment by means of meditation on the mind itself.
Here it is said that Mahamudra is the highest teaching about the unity of bliss and emptiness. Mahamudra doctrine consists of the basis, way and fruit. The basis is Buddha nature, inherent to mind, beginningless and present in any being. The way is the application of special means and opening up of this true nature, thanks to which there achieved the fruit – perfect Enlightenment.
‘Great Seal, or Mahamudra, means full awakening of the mind and in a way fixing it with a seal of the enlightenment. The one, who achieves the goal, continuously recognizes unshakable depth of the sea under its waves”, – writes Lama Ole Nydahl in the book “Great Seal”. According to the 3d Karmapa, “the essence of the basis are two truths, free of extreme views about eternal reality and eternal non-existence. Perfect way consists of two accumulations without the chains of mistaken beliefs and denial. Thus the fruit is achieved – two kinds of benefit beyond extremes of conditioned existence and stagnant peace… Purifying basis is the mind itself, its unity of clarity and emptiness. The art of purification is Mahamudra, diamond-like great yogi practice. What needs to be purified are impermanent illusory things. Let us obtain the fruit of purification – perfectly pure State of Truth!
PROGRAM
26/09 Thursday
20:15 Introductory lecture on Buddhism
by travelling teachers
Location: Budapest Diamond Way Buddhist Center
(1074 Budapest, Rózsák tere 4-5.)
27/09 Friday
11:00 Explanations on basic topics about Buddhism and Foundational Practices (Ngöndro) with travelling teachers
15:00 Mahamudra lecture by Lama Ole Nydahl
20:00 Common meditation on the 16th Karmapa
28/09 Saturday
11:00 Explanations on basic topics about Buddhism and Foundational Practices (Ngöndro) with travelling teachers
15:00 Mahamudra lecture by Lama Ole Nydahl
20:00 Common meditation on the 16th Karmapa and meditations
29/09 Sunday
11:00 Explanations on basic topics about Buddhism and Foundational Practices (Ngöndro) with travelling teachers
15:00 Mahamudra lecture by Lama Ole Nydahl
Please keep in mind that the program may change
Translation
Lama Ole will teach in English, with translations available through FM radio. Please be informed that there will be no radio rental possibility, so bring your own radio and headphones if you would like to have translation.
The Budapest Center during the course
You can visit our center during the course, but we wil have special opening hours, so please check out this detailed description before you visit us.
VENUE
The course will be held at “Jégpalota - Vasas Jégcentrum”, Budapest 1046, Homoktövis u. 1.
Whenvener not giving home to our course, this venue is an ice skating hall. Although for our days, the ice will be covered, temperatures might be lower than expected, so make sure to bring some warm(er) clothes. If you wish to sit on the floor, iso-mats, blankets and cushions are definitely advisable.
How to get there
By car
The venue is easily accessible by car through both Megyeri út (Váci út) and Szilágyi út, if you are driving from downtown Budapest. Arriving from outside of Budapest, it is very close to the M0 ring, exit Dunakeszi-Dél / Káposztásmegyer. The venue has a number of parking places, but in case you would not find any left, parking is free on the streets too.
(Note that in Budapest, parking is free during weekends, with a very few exceptions. Weekday chargeable area starts at Kámfor utca in District 4, so out venue is way outside of that. See details of parking zones here.)
By taxi
Taxi service is highly regulated in Budapest: all drivers should charge the same fees (consisting of a smaller base fee plus the amount per km or per minute if waiting) and have their registration number visibly displayed. There is no price difference between pre-ordering a cab or catching one on the street. A ride from downtown Budapest to the venue should cost about 5500-6000 Forints.
Some of the larger companies you can call (or download their, well, passable apps):
Főtaxi: +36 1 22 22 222
Tele5: +36 1 55 55 555
6x6: +36 1 66 66 666
Or use the app Taxify. Uber is not available in Hungary.
By public transport
Take tram 14 from Lehel tér (and travel till the end of the line or get off one stop before) or Újpest-központ (M3 station). Alternatively, you can take a long, but uncomplicated ride with bus Nr 30 from keleti pályaudvar, until stop Homoktövis utca, then walk about 10 minutes. For up-to-date information, we recommend to consult Google Maps or the app BKK Futar.
Information about tickets: https://bkk.hu/en/tickets-and-passes/prices/ - Please note, that if you use single tickets, you need a new ticket for each and every vehicle. It could be a good idea to get a 72h pass or a block of 10 single tickets.
From the airport
You can choose the cheap and adventurous public transport option (bus Nr 100E or 200E to the M3 station Kőbánya-Kispest, then tram 14), or just catch a cab from the official taxi booth outside the terminal exit.
ACCOMODATION
Unfortunately, accommodation at the course venue or at the Budapest Diamond Way Centre will not be provided.
SLEEPING HALL
We can provide accommodation for 400 people in the gyms of two schools in the neighborhood on Friday (Sept. 27) and Saturday (Sept. 28) night.
Location:
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Gyms (both with heating) in two nearby schools: one is a 5-minute walk, the other is a 15-minute walk from the course site. There are bathrooms in both locations.
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Please bring your own sleeping bags and mats and also indoor shoes or slippers as outdoor shoes are not allowed in the gym.
Registration:
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You can register for the community accommodation at the course site. Please look for the Accommodation Desk.
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Registration opening hours: on Friday and Saturday from 13:00 to 15:00 and after the Lama’s lecture until 20:30.
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Price: 7 EUR/night (2.200 HUF)
Arrival and departure:
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You may arrive at your accommodation from 8 pm on Friday (Sept. 27).
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Please leave the accommodation by 2 pm on Sunday the latest.
You will receive all further details and information upon registration.
Hotels and hostels in Budapest
Although there are not many possibilities around the venue, downtown Budapest offers plenty of options, hotels and Airbnb alike. For easier transportation, you might want to stay close to metro line M2 (Lehet tér, Nyugati pályaudvar, Deák tér etc) but the blocks around Városliget can be a good option too. If you have a car, you can look in any spot you prefer - even outside of Budapest. The riverside areas of Dunakeszi, Göd or (on the other side of the Danube) Budakalász, Szentendre can be very pleasant spots for an indian summer. Szentendre even has a camping, located on the lush island, Pap-sziget. Just be aware that there is often a parking fee in Szentendre, in some (old town) areas even on weekends.
FOOD
The food is not included in the price of the course.
There will be 2 food points with snacks and hot and cold drinks inside the hall and a couple of food trucks in front of it. A SPAR supermarket will be available as well near the course venue. We will also build a big cafeteria tent next to the hall to be able to eat and have fun together.
CHILDREN AT THE COURSE
Families with children are also welcome at the course! There is a playground area with a 250 square meter tent (nearly 2,700 square feet) and a yard around it where kids can play safely without disturbing the program. Play areas are created for three different age groups in the tent and also in the yard. However, there are some conditions for kids to attend the course, so if you come with an underage child, please read this.
Diamond Way Buddhism
tel.: +3620-349-8989 email: info@buddhizmusma.hu
