We've Become a KMC
We are delighted to share with you the exciting news that Vikatadamshtri Buddhist Center has become a Kadampa Meditation Center and is preparing to establish a temple in Baltimore! A Kadampa Meditation Center (KMC) is a special Kadampa Dharma Center that exists as part of the International Temples Project (ITP).
The Center’s new name, chosen by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, is Kadampa Meditation Center Maryland.
What it means to be a KMC
A KMC serves not only the local community, but also people throughout our country and world, giving methods on how to develop inner peace and happiness to all who seek this. Through the wishes of community members and the kindness of our Spiritual Guide, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the Center will now have the opportunity to contribute to world peace in a most profound way. In addition to offering a full program of courses to the local community, KMCs can host regional gatherings such as Dharma Celebrations and are also home to Kadampa Temples which are special buildings dedicated to world peace.
A Temple in Maryland
Along with the Center’s transformation into a KMC, the Center has also set out to purchase a building in or around Baltimore and transform it into a temple. A Kadampa Buddhist Temple is a special, holy place, where we can receive blessings and powerful imprints on our minds that lead to deep inner peace in the future. Kadampa Buddhist Temples take many forms. Some are custom built according to a special design developed by Geshe Kelsang based on traditional Buddhist architecture, such as the temple in Glen Spey, New York. Others are adapted from existing buildings, like those in Atlanta, Dallas and Seattle.
Our goal is to purchase a building that we can transform into a place of inspiration and refuge for everyone. Our wishes for the building are big! They include a space that can hold at least 100 people in the main meditation hall, a welcoming lounge and perhaps a World Peace Cafe, and a temple filled with precious works of Buddhist art, including an 8-ft Buddha.
See Photos from our KMC Celebration Party
Click here to see a photo newsletter from our KMC celebration party in February 2011.
Thank You Geshe-la
Venerable Geshe-la’s wish is that Kadampa Meditation Centers and Temples appear in every state in this country and in every major city throughout the world. We are profoundly grateful to be a part of this pure and altruistic vision.