affiliated with the
Foundation for the
Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition
Watch all our classes on You Tube!!!
Presenting the Path (Module 3)
In this series of classes, we will gain an overview of the entire path to enlightenment as taught in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The course begins with a presentation of the life of the Buddha himself and a brief overview of the history of Buddhism (in general and then in Tibet in particular). We then learn a profound method of introspection that provides us with wisdom about how to approach spiritual teachings in a manner that will be most effective and most transformative for us. We then explore the path itself based upon the famous text by Lama Tsongkhapa entitled “Three Principle Aspects of the Path” and also upon the Buddha’s presentation of the “Four Noble Truths.”
Participants will gain an overview of the Buddhist path and will also learn practices for actually meditating on renunciation, bodhichitta, and the view of emptiness. Each class in this module will include meditation, the presentation of material by the teacher, and an opportunity to interact with classmates to process the material. There will also be recommended meditations to practice at home.
The class will consist of a series of two hour long classes on Saturdays held at the Unitarian Church in Reston followed (in April) by a weekend meditation retreat held in Manassas.
Class Schedule
Saturday, January 7 10:30AM-12:30PM, Reston UUC Church
Saturday, January 28 10:30AM-12:30PM, Reston UUC Church
Saturday, February 11 10:30AM-12:30PM, Reston UUC Church
Saturday, March 17 10:30AM-12:30PM, Reston UUC Church
Saturday, March 31 10:30AM-12:30PM, Reston UUC Church
Saturday, April 21 10:30AM-12:30PM, Reston UUC Church
Final Weekend Retreat…
Friday, April 27 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM, Manassas
Saturday, April 28 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM, Manassas
Sunday, April 29 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM, Manassas
Attendance
Anyone is welcome to attend any of these Discovering Buddhism classes.
You can drop in as you wish. However, if you wish to take Discovering
Buddhism for a completion certificate, then you are expected to attend
at least 75% of each module in person. Missed classes should be made up
using the on-line recordings. If you are taking the full, two-year program
for a completion certificate and you miss more than 75% of one module,
you should talk with Lorne. Also, those taking the program for a completion
certificate must complete each module’s “completion card”
indicating that you’ve done the readings, done the meditations,
and attended the final retreat. If someone wishes to take some modules
fully but misses one or more modules, those modules can be made up the
next time that the center presents the full two-year program.
Required Readings
Wisdom Energy by Lama Yeshe & Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Essence of Tibetan Buddhism by Lama Yeshe
Discovering Buddhism Required Reading packet for “Presenting the
Path” (link to be
sent to participants via email)
Wish-fulfilling Golden Sun by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, (pp. 42-43)
Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabongka Rinpoche (All of Part
One: The
Preliminaries. This covers Day One, Day Two and Day Three. In the edition
published by Wisdom Publications this encompasses 100 pages.)
Suggested Donations
Many people have asked about the cost of the Discovering Buddhism program.
It is the policy of Guhyasamaja Center that we do not charge for Dharma
classes. The center does totally rely on donations to continue existing.
In particular, we are hoping to get a more permanent and stable location
for the center during 2012. So, for those who can do so, we suggest that
participants sign up for center membership at whatever level you can.
Suggested donations for classes are as follows:
Two Hour Saturday Classes—Center Members: $8 Non-Members: $20
The Weekend Retreat in April—Center Members: $50 Non-Members: $120
(Note: for the day-long intensive, food is not included in this suggested
donation; those who wish to do so can join together in contributing to
order in lunch for that day and others are welcome to bring along a lunch
from home.)
Establishing a Daily Practice—Part One (Module 8)
Ngon Dro: The Profound Prelminaries
This one day retreat will present part one of Module 8 of Discovering Buddhism. In particular it will present some essential elements of how to set up a daily Dharma practice. We will discuss how to set up an altar, how to make offerings, and how to set up your motivation prior to a meditation session. Then, we will particularly focus on two Special Integrative Practices which are essential parts of Discovering Buddhism. These two practices are both methods for purifying the mind—for purifying negative karma. They are Vajrasattva meditation/recitation and the practice of prostrations to the 35 Buddhas. The practices of Vajrasattva and of prostrations are common to all Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Some traditions require these practices prior to deeply engaging in Tantric practices. And, these practices are said to purify us, preparing us for deep realizations of the Dharma.
In this day-long retreat, we will learn how to do each of those practices and will actually engage in practice sessions together.
Class Schedule
Saturday, March 24 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM, Manassas
Attendance
Anyone is welcome to attend this day-long retreat. For those who are taking
Discovering Buddhism for a completion certificate, one of the requirements
for that is to complete the traditional 100,000 repetitions (with meditation)
of these two practices of Vajrasattva and of prostrations to the 35 Buddhas.
So, for such people, attendance at this retreat is essential. In fact,
we are presenting this part of Module 8 early in our sequence of classes
to allow such students to begin doing these profound practices now so
as to complete them as you wish. Please note that these practices to not
need to be completed in a retreat format for Discovering Buddhism. They
can be done in daily life, and how to do that will be explained at this
retreat.
Required Readings
There are no readings required in advance for this day-long retreat. Some
suggestions for further learning will be shared during the day of the
retreat for whose who wish to learn more about these practices.
Suggested Donations
Many people have asked about the cost of the Discovering Buddhism program.
It is the policy of Guhyasamaja Center that we do not charge for Dharma
classes. The center does totally rely on donations to continue existing.
In particular, we are hoping to get a more permanent and stable location
for the center during 2012. So, for those who can do so, we suggest that
participants sign up for center membership at whatever level you can.
Suggested donations for classes are as follows:
The Day-long Retreat—Center Members: $20 Non-Members: $45
(Note: for the day-long intensive, food is not included in this suggested
donation; those who wish to do so can join together in contributing to
order in lunch for that day and others are welcome to bring along a lunch
from home.)
Completion Certificate
In order to earn a completion certificate for the Discovering Buddhism,
you will have to participate in all the modules taught at the center.
If you have to miss individual classes, these can be made up by listening
to recordings or doing extra reading. You’ll also be expected to
actively participate by doing related Dharma reading assignments, participating
in classes, and taking quizzes as part of the classes. Earning a completion
certificate will also involve engaging in a number of group retreats which
the center will organize. And, it’ll also involve meditating regularly
meditations at home as well as doing a number of the traditional preliminary
practices (Ngon-dro) either at home or in a retreat setting according
to your preference.
The completion certificate for Discovering Buddhism is acknowledged by Guhyasamaja Center, by the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), and by other FPMT centers. Those actively engaged in earning the completion certificate will be eligible to apply to become meditation facilitators at Guhyasamaja Center. Those who’ve earned a completion certificate are eligible to apply to become a registered teacher with FPMT International.
More About becoming a Center Facilitator... HERE
Options…
We recognize that not everyone will be able to attend all modules over
the course of two years. So, one option available will be to take some
modules and not others. You can then receive credit for the modules you
have completed. You can then plan to complete the other modules in the
future at Guhyasamaja Center or even at other FPMT centers.
Also, some people may wish to learn but not have the time to do the readings
or the ability to attend classes as regularly as they’d like. So,
we want to be clear that these Discovering Buddhism classes will be open
to anyone. You don’t have to be participating fully to participate
or to benefit. The classes will be particularly aimed at the more students
who are fully engaging in the module being taught, but the meditations
and most of the material presented should be accessible to a wide range
of students. Those fully engaging in the program will naturally receive
the maximum benefit. But, Discovering Buddhism is designed to be accessible
to a wide range of students.
Teachers
The primary teacher for this two-year program will be Lorne Ladner, Ph.D.
He is the director of the Guhyasamaja Center and is a registered teacher
of Discovering Buddhism with FPMT. The center also plans to invite other
senior teachers to visit to teach all or part of specific modules in order
to give students the opportunity to experience a variety of teaching styles.
How to Find out More
You can learn more about Discovering Buddhism by reviewing the information
about this program on FPMT’s website. Then we will schedule an informational
meeting at Guhyasamaja Center in the late summer or early fall about this
program. If you’d like to receive updates and more information about
that meeting, then email director at (using the @ symbol) guhyasamaja.org
An Overview of the Discovering Buddhism Modules:
(Note that they will not be taught in this precise order at the center)…….
The 14 Discovering Buddhism Modules
1. Mind and Its Potential
Examine the mind and how it creates happiness and suffering. Learn to
transform destructive thoughts and attitudes to create a positive and
joyous mind!
2. How to Meditate
Learn the definition and purpose of meditation, how to sit, how to set
up a meditation session, different meditation techniques, and how to deal
with obstacles to meditation.
3. Presenting the Path
Get an overview of the entire Tibetan Buddhist path to awakening. Study
the life story of the Buddha and discover a unique system for putting
Buddhist philosophy into practice – the lam-rim, or "graduated
path to enlightenment."
4. The Spiritual Teacher
Investigate the role of the teacher on the spiritual path: the need for
a teacher, the qualities of teacher and student, and how to relate to
a teacher for greatest benefit.
5. Death and Rebirth
Explore the process of death and rebirth and its impact on how we live
our lives. Learn to fulfill your purpose in life, resolve conflicts, and
develop the skills to help yourself and others at death.
6. All About Karma
Learn the essential facts about the law of cause and effect. Explore ways
to deal with life most effectively and take control of your future!
7. Refuge in the Three Jewels
Find out what it means to take refuge in the Three Jewels and the essential
practices of refuge. Learn about the advantage of taking lay vows and
their role in enhancing our spiritual growth.
8. Establishing a Daily Practice
Assemble the tools you need to develop a successful daily practice and
find out the elements necessary to generate realizations. Get some tips
for making every action meaningful.
9. Samsara and Nirvana
Investigate what "samsara" is and how we are stuck in it. Find
out what "nirvana" is and how to achieve it. Learn how to be
free from suffering and empower yourself with practical tools to deal
with and eliminate disturbing emotions forever.
10. How to Develop Bodhichitta
Discover practices that develop our innate qualities of compassion. Learn
to apply these techniques to generate the mind of bodhichitta, known as
the very heart of Buddha's teachings.
11. Transforming Problems
Learn the disadvantages of self-cherishing and the advantages of cherishing
others. Learn to employ the special techniques of mind training (lojong)
to transform problems into happiness.
12. Wisdom of Emptiness
The realization of emptiness is crucial for the attainment of liberation
and enlightenment. Learn to develop calm abiding and different methods
of meditation on emptiness.
13. Introduction to Tantra
Learn what tantra is, how it works, and why it is a powerful form of practice.
Get a broad overview of the four classes of tantra and learn to practice
simple Kriya tantric methods. Learn to integrate tantra with lam-rim meditation
for optimal results.
14. Special Integration Experiences
By undertaking intensive practices of purification and a two-week lam-rim
retreat, you prepare your mind in the best way to realize the path to
enlightenment. Purification practices include: 100,000 prostrations, 3-month
Vajrasattva retreat, and Nyung Nä. This is a great way to seal the
blessings of this program!
Last updated: February 9, 2012
The
Guhyasamaja Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Copyright @ 2010 The Guhyasamaja Center