At this year’s Australian Festival Gen Kelsang Rabten will grant the blessing empowerment of 1000-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the embodiment of the compassion of all enlightened beings which has the power to protect everyone from their suffering and pain. Gen Rabten will also give teachings on the precious mind of bodhichitta – the best method for bestowing happiness, eliminating suffering, and dispelling confusion. According to Buddhism, there is no virtue equal to it, no better friend and no greater good fortune. In fact, Bodhichitta is the very essence of all eighty-four thousand instructions of Buddha. In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Shantideva says “Those who wish to destroy their own suffering, those who wish to dispel the suffering of others, and those who wish to experience much happiness should never forsake the practice of bodhichitta”.

Gen Kelsang Rabten is the the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) National Spiritual Director for Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, and has trained under the guidance of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso for over twenty-seven years. Gen Rabten exemplifies the essence of the modern Kadampa’s way of life, brings a warm heart and joyful attitude to sharing Buddha’s teachings and the practice of meditation.