Spiritual Advisor: The Very Ven.
Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche
at Pullahari in Nepal
Winter
| Spring Teachers | Useful Information | Registration
At the
beginning, when by listening you cut through your superimpositions, In the middle, at the time of gaining certainty through
reflection, At the end, when you are practicing in meditation,
May
you not be deceived by biased thoughts about friends and enemies,
May
you not follow others blindly, nor speak without a basis for your
words,
And may your knowledge of the true nature of reality increase.
May you not be deceived by thoughts of appearing objects
and their imputed names being the same thing,
May your own analyses not
bind your own mindstream,
And may you gain certainty in the true
nature, equality.
May you not be
deceived by outer distractions of perceived and perceiver,
On the
inside, may you not be bound by thoughts of refutations and proofs,
And
may you rest naturally within the native state.
Students are required to attend all sessions of the main teachings
and at least one Language or Scripture class.
The Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way,
by Aryadeva
Teachers:
Drupon
Khenpo Lodro Namgyal,
personal tutor of H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul
Rinpoche IV
& Khenpo
Chokey Gyaltsen
of Pullahari Monastery
| The Four
Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way was composed by the great Indian
master Aryadeva. Born in Sri Lanka, Aryadeva took his monk's vows
from Khenpo Mahadheva and relied on him for teachings in a perfect
way. He then went to India, and at Lhochok Palgyi Ri in the south of
the country, he met the master Nagarjuna, and under Nagarjuna
trained in the three "baskets" of the Buddha's teachings until he
himself attained mastery of them. After Nagarjuna's parinirvana,
Aryadeva greatly spread the teachings of the Mahayana by teaching
students, building twenty-four temples, and many other
deeds. At that time in central India, great debates were taking place between Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophers. The Buddhists were having trouble matching their non-Buddhist opponents, and the Buddha's teachings were being done grave harm. The students of Nalanda University, who were having particular difficulty in these encounters, supplicated Aryadeva to come and defend them. He accepted the students' invitation and decisively defeated in debate all those who came to challenge the Buddhist explanations. In this way, he was a great protector of the Buddha's teachings. After a long stay at Nalanda, he returned to South India where he passed away into Nirvana. In "The Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way", Aryadeva addresses the doubts of students who wonder if the vast scope of logical analysis that Nagarjuna presents in his "Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way" and other texts in the "Six Collections of Reasonings" is merely intended to defeat rival philosophical theories in debate. Masterfully dispelling these doubts, Aryadeva demonstrates that Nagarjuna's purpose is not merely to emerge victorious in a competition of ideas, but rather to use a great variety of perspectives of logical analysis to illuminate the precise nature of reality, and thereby to help students to experience the two truths of apparent and genuine reality from a yogic perspective. Thus, once one has ascertained through logical analysis the precise nature of conventional truth and genuine reality, how one cultivates the experience of this in meditative practice and conduct is the main focus of Aryadeva's text. |
SCRIPTURES CLASSES
Enrolment: Minimum ONE month.
Beginner's Class
Introduction to
Tibetan Language
| This class begins with the Tibetan alphabet and teaches basic grammar, reading, and speaking skills, with an emphasis on preparing students to be able to read and translate Tibetan Buddhist texts. Students joining this class are required to attend from the commencement of the class. |
Intermediate Class
Entering the Door of
Knowledge
(Tib.: mkhas 'jug)
by Mipham Rinpoche.
This
text teaches the key methods of the four tenets
and the three
vehicles.
| Entering the Door of Knowledge was composed by the great late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century master, Mipham Jamyang Namgyal Gyamtso. In a concise and easy-to-understand style, it teaches the key point-such as the ten areas of knowledge, the four seals of the doctrine, the four types of perfectly discriminating awareness, and so forth-that are essential to gaining an understanding of the profound and vast intention of the perfect teachings of the Victorious One. |
Advance Class I
The Four Hundred Verses of
the Middle Way
(Root Text, Tib.: dbu ma bzhi brgya
pa)
This class will be a word-by-word study of the text.
Advance Class II
The Clear Intention of
Rangjung Dorje
(Tib.: rang byung dgongs gsal)
A
commentary on the Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje's text
The Treatise
Distinguishing Consciousness from Wisdom
(Tib: rnam shes ye shes 'byed
pa),
by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro
Thaye
| "The Treatise Distinguishing Consciousness from Wisdom" was composed by the third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, with commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye. It describes: first, the nature of the eight collections of consciousnesses that are the root of confused sentient beings' samsaric existence; second, how wisdom appears for the buddhas, who are free from confusion; third, how it is that one basis, namely the buddha nature, manifests for sentient beings and buddhas in the two distinct ways of confused consciousness and unconfused wisdom, respectively; and fourth, how to correct the confusion inherent in consciousness so that the immaculate wisdom that is the true nature of mind might be cultivated and sustained |
Commitment to the whole programme is required. Teacher & Guide:
Drupon Khenpo Lodro Namgyal,
personal tutor of H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche IV
Meditation based on
"The Four Hundred Verses of
the Middle Way"
by Aryadeva
A detailed guide on how to join the Middle Way
philosophical view
with meditation practice.
| Participants will receive daily teachings and meditation instructions and will have ample opportunity to ask questions about their practice. |
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