Akanishta Kadampa Buddhist Centre
Akanishta Centre is a local Buddhist charity (no. 1125213) dedicated to public benefit and service. Its purpose is to help people throughout the local area to increase their peace of mind and solve their human problems through wisdom and compassion, and to provide guidance, support and facilities for those wishing to follow the Buddhist path to enlightenment.
The Centre was founded in 2008 by the highly-respected meditaton master and author Geshe Kelsang Gyatso after a local group of students had worked together for several years to raise funds for a building.
The Centre's name 'Akanishta' was given by Geshe Kelsang. Akanishta is a pure land where Bodhisattvas attain enlightenment. A Bodhisattva is someone who, motivated by great compassion, strives to attain enlightenment in order to help all living beings. A pure land is the world which appears to a pure mind.
The centre is a member of the New Kadampa Tradition -International Kadampa Buddhist Union .
Akanishta Centre has a large, supportive community of lay and ordained practitioners from many different backgrounds and walks of life. As well as trying to integrate the teachings into their own daily lives, many of them give their time and skills voluntarily to help Akanishta Centre share the healing nectar of Buddha's instructions with others.
Akanishta KBC also strives to exemplify the Buddhist faith through offering service to the local community. To read more please click here
Our location
Akanishta KBC's home is Whaddon Lodge, a spacious building set in its own grounds and car park on the edge of a large park. Five minutes' walk from the town centre, with a large meditation room, the building will serve as a perfect base from which the Centre can reach and benefit many people.
Latest news
The Centre officially opened on December 11th 2009 with a blessing ceremony for the new meditation room, presided over by Kadam Bridget Heyes, the National Spiritual Director for Kadampa Buddhism in the UK.
Our first six months have seen the meditation room getting a lot of use with many courses, classes, pujas and several retreats. The Centre has welcomed many new people in this time, and it is wonderful to see it providing the benefit we intended it to provide.
How can I help?
Akanishta KBC is an independent charity (no. 1125213) and relies on the kindness of its supporters and volunteers. There is a lot of work for us to do before the building fulfills its potential as a Dharma Centre. If you are able to help financially and / or practically, this would be wonderful.
If you can offer any skills, materials etc, or to set up a monthly donation, please contact Max Watkins, our administrative director
