Our Foundation contributes to a better world by helping people improve internally and thus externally, relying on a core of wisdom that follows the legacy of Buddha’s universal values and on the resources of its centers in Spain and India.
Tashi Delek! Welcome to the Buddhist Foundation COMPASSION GARDEN for the benefit of all sentient beings (༄ ༅ ། ། བྱམས་ བརྩེ་ འགྲོ་ ཕན་ གླིང་ ། in Tibetan, pronounced Yamtse Drophen Ling). His Holiness the XIV DALAI LAMA has generously provided his support and assigned the Foundation’s name. It has been incorporated and registered in the Registry of State Foundations in 2021, and operates nationally and internationally.
Our mission is to help people and all beings in general to free themselves from their limitations, develop their full potential and live an authentic happiness. Bearing this in mind, the Foundation provides teachings, contemplative practices and social aid projects in accordance with the Mahayana or universal vehicle Buddhist philosophy. The Buddhist thought is based on the principles of compassion and wisdom, in line with universal humanist values. An important part of its mission is to provide help to people in need and to promote harmony and peace between beliefs. In a world where everything is interrelated, there is a responsibility beyond our social circle, a global responsibility.
Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow
– Dhammapada. Verse 2
The activities of the Foundation include: practical philosophy teachings based on Buddhist thought to develop wisdom, rituals of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition for those inclined to devotion, meditation sessions, retreats, pilgrimages and other events. An essential part of its activity is compassion in action, through social aid projects, such as those it already carries out in the Tawang area in Northern India and others that are being defined internationally.
The core of the Foundation is made up of our lamas/masters from northern India and Nepal, of Tibetan roots and culture. Some of them are rinpoches and geshes (teachers of great erudition and achievement) trained in monasteries and institutes in India within the Gelug lineage and the all embracing or impartial Rimé. A very important part of the organization of our Foundation are our collaborators and volunteers, without whom its operation would not be possible.
The Foundation currently has two facilities in Madrid: the Central Offices and the Center of Meditation and Development Aid Projects next to the offices. There are two associated centers: Chöckhorling Murcia (Spain). and a Center in the Himalayas of India – the Geyje Norling Monastery. This center is a small monastery and also a charity, already helping the population of the area. The monastery is officially recognized as a charity by the Arunachal Pradesh state of India. The lamas residing in the Madrid Center also run the Geyje Norling Center through monks of their lineage living there. The attitude and vows of renunciation and altruism of the monks ensures that the welfare activity is effective and the donations that are collected are applied directly to cover the needs of the beneficiaries.
The Foundation is defining projects of social and development aid, and among its plans is the progressive creation of new charities and retreat centers in different parts of the world both nationally and internationally.
Madrid Center, located in its own facilities in the Lucero neighborhood, houses the central offices of the Foundation as well as a large activity room for teachings, practices and events, an exhibition area, a library and other facilities.
Buddhism is useful for anyone regardless of their beliefs, even if they consider themselves to be of another religion, or simply spiritual, agnostic or atheistic. As the Dalai Lama says regarding Buddhism: “it is basically a set of useful ideas”. It is an attitude and a philosophy of life. And Buddha said before dying or paranirvana: “whichever doctrine is helpful can be considered my doctrine”. Buddhism is based on cultivating our mind and heart to improve ourselves and help the world. As Buddha said in the second verse of the Dhammapada sutra: “Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow”.