World Peace Cafe
We serve a wide range of reasonably priced light refreshments, cakes, lunches, snacks and drinks which you can enjoy outside in our bistro style courtyard, or indoors on comfy sofas or dining tables.
Our Shop
Located within the main building, our delightful new shop stocks gifts and cards as well as the full range of Tharpa Publications’ books written by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche. You will also find qualified, Modern Buddhist statues and essential meditation items.
Ashe Hall
Ashe Hall is an historic listed building that is now entirely occupied by the Buddhist Community as a meditation centre. The gardens and parklands are open to the public from dawn to dusk and dogs on leads are welcome.
School and Group Visits
Special visits by schools or education groups are welcome. Please contact meditate@tarakmc.org for more information.
OUR TRADITION
New Kadampa Tradition
The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU) is an international association of Mahayana Buddhist study and meditation centres founded by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso in 1991 to offer the practical wisdom of Kadampa Buddhism to the people of our modern world.
Through Geshe Kelsang’s tireless activities and kindness there are now over 1100 centres and groups offering Buddha’s wisdom advice to people in 40 countries across the world.
The NKT-IKBU is an international non-profit organization registered in England as a charitable company.
OUR RESIDENT TEACHER
PAUL JENKINS
The main teacher is Paul Jenkins who is a dedicated student of Ven. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and has been studying and teaching Kadampa Buddhism for over 30 years. He is married with 3 children and has practical experience of integrating Modern Buddhism within a busy, professional and family life.
For many years a senior teacher at Manjushri KMC, Paul is well known for the clarity and warmth of his teachings and for his good heart. He has been meditating, studying and teaching Buddhism for many years. His teachings come from deep experience of practicing meditation, and are clear and accessible.
OUR SEASONAL EVENTS
SUMMER AND CHRISTMAS FAYRE
An outstanding local event – bring your stall and join the fun as we throw open the doors to thousands of local visitors. A fun day for all the family.
OUR COMMUNITY
BE PART OF TARA KMC COMMUNITY
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ABOUT BUDDHISM
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Who is Buddha?
The Precious Umbrella
The Precious Fish
The Precious Vase
The Precious Flower
The Precious Conch
The Precious Knot
The Victory Banner
The Precious WheelBUDDHA
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.
THE PRECIOUS UMBRELLA
The umbrella symbolizes the umbrella of the Buddhist community and teaches us that those who have the sincere wish to progress on the Buddhist path to enlightenment should first enter the Buddhist family, which means taking refuge in the Three Jewels and becoming a Buddhist.
We are not saying that Buddhists are good and others are not but what this is saying is that those who wish to progress along the Buddhist path to enlightenment should enter Buddhism because outside Buddhism you cannot progress along the Buddhist path!
So we must go inside without hesitation, without doubt, with a hundred percent trust, enter and then go in one direction, and then every year, year by year, month by month, you can make progress. Therefore the first important thing is to enter Buddhism and then understand how to begin, progress along, and complete the stages of the path to enlightenment.
THE PRECIOUS FISH
The fish symbolize harmony and peace, and teaches us that under this umbrella you should always live in harmony and peace. Whenever you see a fish, please remember this, it is very important.
Not only Buddhists, every community, society, and family, whether big groups or small groups, every individual should live in harmony and peace, of course that is important. So the two fish playing remind you, show that they are so happy, peaceful, and harmonious. Even though they are animals they are so enjoying themselves with harmony and peace, so of course we need to!
THE PRECIOUS VASE
The vase symbolizes wealth and teaches that Buddhist practitioners always enjoy the inner wealths of faith, moral discipline, study and practice of Dharma, benefiting others, sense of shame, consideration for others, and wisdom.
Of course normally everyone regards external wealth, money, and external conditions as important but Buddhist practitioners believe that internal wealth is more important because this wealth makes your mind happy all the time and helps in this and future lives.
THE PRECIOUS FLOWER
The lotus flower symbolizes purity, which indicates that we need to put great effort into becoming a pure being by practicing the Bodhisattva’s way of life – cultivating and maintaining a good heart and then trying to engage in actions that are similar to those of Bodhisattva. In other words, the lotus reminds us that we should not remain always as an impure, ignorant being, but strive to become a pure being by practicing the Bodhisattva’s way of life.
THE PRECIOUS CONCH
The conch shell symbolizes the Dharma Jewel and teaches us that we should accomplish the Dharma Jewel, the realization of the stages of the path to enlightenment, within our mind. These realizations directly protect us from suffering and problems.
THE PRECIOUS KNOT
The knot of eternity symbolizes an uncommon quality of Buddha’s realizations – his realization of omniscient wisdom.
The knot of eternity and the victory banner together indicate that through gaining the Dharma Jewel, the realization of the stages of the path to enlightenment, we shall attain these two uncommon qualities of Buddha.
THE PRECIOUS VICTORY BANNER
The victory banner symbolizes an uncommon quality of Buddha’s abandonment – his abandonment of delusions and mistaken appearance.
The knot of eternity and the victory banner together indicate that through gaining the Dharma Jewel, the realization of the stages of the path to enlightenment, we shall attain these two uncommon qualities of Buddha.
THE PRECIOUS WHEEL
The Dharma Wheel indicates that having attained these two uncommon qualities of Buddha we now have the ability to lead all living beings to permanent liberation from suffering, principally by turning the Wheel of Dharma, that is, by giving Dharma teachings. This is our final goal.
So the eight auspicious signs show how to begin, progress along, and complete the spiritual path. First we need to gain the realization of the stages of the path. Through this we shall attain the two uncommon qualities of Buddha; and through this we have the ability to lead all beings to permanent liberation from suffering by giving Dharma teachings, which is our final goal.
Therefore the symbolism of This Temple being surrounded by these eight auspicious signs reminds you that you should put the meaning of these signs into practice and integrate them into your daily life.
