In this Half Day Meditation Workshop we contemplate the word Buddha which means ‘Awakened One’ and refers to someone who has awakened from the sleep of ignorance, or to someone who has attained enlightenment and dispelled the inner darkness of ignorance. Is Buddha a single, historical figure who founded Buddhism and lived in the past, or are there more Buddhas? Are there Buddhas also in the present and who are they, or is Buddha a quality to be developed inside ourself?

We all have the potential for compassion, wisdom and enlightenment, which is our Buddha nature, and Buddha teaches us that cultivating this potential is the solution to all our problems, both individually and collectively. Becoming more enlightened will make us happy and peaceful, and staying unenlightened will continue to cause us suffering. On this course we explore from the point of view of both Sutra and Tantra who or what Buddhas are, how we can relate to them, and how through relying upon them, we can recognize and realize our own potential for awakening.