About us
slovak sangha
During the last few decades Diamond way Buddhism has spread outside the borders of Tibet thanks to the activity of H.H. the 16. Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (today H.H. the 17th. Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje), Lama Ole Nydahl and other lamas, teachers and students. All over the world they have founded hundreds of buddhist centers following the Karma Kagyu lineage (by now there are over 650 centers around the world). Buddhist centers are places where modern and independent people have the possibility to meet timeless teachings about the nature of mind which lead to lasting and unconditioned happiness. Slovakia was among the last countries where Diamond way Buddhism appeared. However, it has been developing very fast recently.
The first Slovak buddhist centers and meditation groups started to emerge around the year 1996. Today there are 15 centers and meditation groups where approximately 300 people meet and make use of the buddhist methods to discover limitless qualities of mind for the benefit of all. Buddhists centers do not have either a hierarchy or an organizational structure. They are not influenced by culture and politics and are focused on using Buddha`s teachings in everyday life. The basis for their functioning is friendship and the idealism of those who in addition to their own practise, contribute their time and energy to the development of Diamond way Buddhism in Slovakia and abroad.
Our further activities include:
- Inviting buddhist teachers from abroad and organizing lectures in slovak towns. Several times a year (approximately once a month) we organize lectures, meditation retreats and courses with travelling teachers. A public lecture of Lama Ole Nydahl is held once or twice a year and is usually visited by around 700 – 1000 people from Slovakia and abroad.
- In August 2004 a week meditation course "Transference of Consciousness" ("Phowa"), took place in Slovakia. It was guided by Lama Ole Nydahl and more than 1000 people from 15 countries took part.
- In August 2005 H.H. 17th Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje has first time visited Slovakia together with Lama Ole Nydahl. About 1200 people attended introductory lecture by Lama Ole Nydahl and about 1800 people from all around the world have received empowerment into Buddha Loving Eyes from Gyalwa Karmapa.
- Publishing books, magazines, booklets and other materials (apart from different internal materials we have so far published in the Slovak language: 2 books "The way things are", "Entering the Diamod way", 2 issues of a magazine and a booklet called "Buddhism in practise"
- Building of buddhist retreat center Mangútovo. On the land, which we managed to buy at the end of summer 2005 we want to creat the place, where people, not only from Slovakia, could come to meditate and where different courses and meditation retreats could take place. In August 2006 for the first time a course with Lama Ole Nydahl took place there. From 28th to 30th of September 2007 we have organised international weekend course with travelling teachers from four countries - MMS - Mangútovo Meditation Course. This project was supported by the Visegrad Fund.
- We are running the website www.buddhizmus.sk hosted on our own server.
- "Public relation" activities which aim to inform the general public about buddhism through interviews in the media, articles, and so on. From 7th to 9th of May 2007 we have organised a movie festival called "Buddhas in Charlies", which aimed to give an idea to the public about tibetan buddhism by film projections connected with talks of travelling teachers.
All of these activities are run under the civil association Diamond way Buddhism Association - Karma Kagyu.