Philosophy

"There is no profounder teaching than this.... the most profound teaching in Buddhism is to practice." -MILAREPA
	Karma Thegsum Choling Minneapolis H.H. 17^th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism
"...As the power of our meditation increases, this effect reaches ever widening concentric circles of sentient beings with whom we have Karmic interdependence...." LAMA TASHI NAMGYAL

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Philosophy Our purpose at KTC is to serve individuals who wish to practice at advanced levels under the guidance of a resident lama, and the high lamas and yogis of the Kagyu lineage, for the benefit of the surrounding community, for the relief of suffering for all beings without exception, and for the preservation of proven, age-old meditation practices for future generations. Practitioners at KTC Minneapolis train to counter all negative emotions and generate positive energy dedicating all the merit of their meditations, without exception, to relieve all suffering for all sentient beings. The disciplined mind is a powerful tool. Years of meditation produce a high degree of mastery over mind/body and environment. Buddhism Buddhism is a system of meditation, self-examination and self-awareness whose goal is understanding the nature of mind and then using that knowledge to free oneself and others from the sufferings of the world. It was first expounded in the modern era in the 6th century BC. by Prince Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Shakyamuni Buddha (awakened one). The Buddha taught that while all beings thirst for happiness, few can find true peace of mind. In fact, many of the ways people seek happiness only cause more suffering. This, the Buddha said, was because ego-centered attachment, aversion, and indifference create a mental atmosphere of confusion that make it difficult for us to relate openly and honestly with ourselves and the world around us. This confusion, the Buddha said, can be dissolved through the practice of meditation and the development of compassion, which enable us to unravel our negative ego-centered patterns so we may approach the world and its sufferings with a sense of gentleness and inner strength. Buddhism stresses the basic sanity and goodness of individuals, called "Buddha nature," and teaches that this sanity and goodness, if freed from the clouds of extreme emotions and confusion, can develop into enlightened awareness. Ritual In Kagyu monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism the performance of rituals is the primary undertaking. Training in them and engaging in their performance is the main event. They are memorized from an early age on. Rituals are performed daily in solitary, and in assembly in the main hall of every Kagyu monastery. In addition to the daily rituals, special rituals are performed on auspicious and inauspicious days, during all Tibetan holidays, and each monastery performs additional rituals whenever there are special requests, which means several times each month. Doctrine and theory are embedded in the rituals. The greatest Kagyu teachers engage in, preside over, write on, and teach on rituals. Tibetan philosophy cannot be divided from ritual, as we so often see done in the West. Tibetan philosophy taken separate from ritual collapses the mystical, transcendental, sacred nature of Tibetan Buddhism.
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Philosophy
Our purpose at KTC is to serve individuals who wish to practice at advanced levels under the guidance of a resident lama, and the high lamas and yogis of the Kagyu lineage, for the benefit of the surrounding community, for the relief of suffering for all beings without exception, and for the preservation of proven, age-old meditation practices for future generations.
Practitioners at KTC Minneapolis train to counter all negative emotions and generate positive energy dedicating all the merit of their meditations, without exception, to relieve all suffering for all sentient beings. The disciplined mind is a powerful tool. Years of meditation produce a high degree of mastery over mind/body and environment.

Buddhism
Buddhism is a system of meditation, self-examination and self-awareness whose goal is understanding the nature of mind and then using that knowledge to free oneself and others from the sufferings of the world. It was first expounded in the modern era in the 6th century BC. by Prince Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Shakyamuni Buddha (awakened one).
The Buddha taught that while all beings thirst for happiness, few can find true peace of mind. In fact, many of the ways people seek happiness only cause more suffering. This, the Buddha said, was because ego-centered attachment, aversion, and indifference create a mental atmosphere of confusion that make it difficult for us to relate openly and honestly with ourselves and the world around us.

This confusion, the Buddha said, can be dissolved through the practice of meditation and the development of compassion, which enable us to unravel our negative ego-centered patterns so we may approach the world and its sufferings with a sense of gentleness and inner strength.

Buddhism stresses the basic sanity and goodness of individuals, called "Buddha nature," and teaches that this sanity and goodness, if freed from the clouds of extreme emotions and confusion, can develop into enlightened awareness.

Ritual

In Kagyu monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism the performance of rituals is the primary undertaking. Training in them and engaging in their performance is the main event. They are memorized from an early age on. Rituals are performed daily in solitary, and in assembly in the main hall of every Kagyu monastery. In addition to the daily rituals, special rituals are performed on auspicious and inauspicious days, during all Tibetan holidays, and each monastery performs additional rituals whenever there are special requests, which means several times each month.

Doctrine and theory are embedded in the rituals. The greatest Kagyu teachers engage in, preside over, write on, and teach on rituals. Tibetan philosophy cannot be divided from ritual, as we so often see done in the West. Tibetan philosophy taken separate from ritual collapses the mystical, transcendental, sacred nature of Tibetan Buddhism.