Learning How to Run the Center

Learning How to Run the Center

Date of Advice:
September 2019
Date Posted:
March 2021

This advice was given to a center director who had made a confession about past mistakes at the Dharma center.

My very dear, most precious, most kind, wish-fulfilling one,
Thank you very much for your kind letter. I’m very, very happy with all that you said, that it is harmonious, and all the good things you informed me about, and also that a number of students are close to Geshe-la. That is so good.

I’m very happy, so no question, even though you made mistakes in the past, but [they] didn’t get to explain or you didn’t learn how to run the organization—not in a business way, but through Dharma, with compassion, with devotion and with compassion. This wasn’t explained and there was no training for directors on how to run the center in this way, so that training didn’t happen. Then of course, you were quite new to Sangha also and you made many mistakes, but you noticed this as the year went by.

Now I’m sure you have a much better understanding as you noticed that you made mistakes and you know what needs to be corrected, to be done, so there is development. Now you understand what is the correct way to do things, so there is development. This is how I think, but if you don’t notice mistakes, then mistakes happen all the time and the situation doesn’t get better.

That is not only for outside work but also for our Dharma practice, our own Dharma practice, it’s the same. We need to develop everything and to subdue the mind. That is why Buddha said:

Do not commit any unwholesome actions,
Engage in perfect wholesome actions,
Subdue one’s own mind.
This is the teaching of the Buddha.

The Buddha said, “Subduing the mind, it is the teaching of Buddha.” He didn’t say only being learned in the teachings of Buddha, only being a scholar is the teaching of Buddha, he said, “Subduing one’s own mind, this is the teaching of Buddha.”

Thank you very much and I hope to see you soon. Please enjoy this perfect human life, especially being Sangha, preserving the Dharma and bringing sentient beings to enlightenment, not only nirvana.

With much love and prayers ...