We’re cultivating our intelligence as opposed to expanding or upgrading its contents. It’s like brightening a room by putting a higher-watt light bulb in a lamp. Suddenly we can see everything in the room much more clearly.
— Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche
Join us for Introduction to Buddhism, a 16-week cycle of teachings on introductory and foundational Buddhist topics. We’ll explore the basic principles of Buddhism and lay the foundation for deeper studies, including an introduction to the views of different Buddhist schools.
This series of four courses is offered via Zoom at 7-8:30 p.m. (Pacific) Wednesdays from Sept. 2 through Dec. 23.
All are welcome!
Please register in advance to receive the Zoom link. See the Calendar listings for each course for registration information.
Registration is free; donations are welcome
Contact: Susan Kirchoff
The accompanying sourcebooks by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche are available for purchase. It is recommended that the class readings be done prior to each class.
The texts for each course are available from the Nalanda bookstore. Please order them at least two weeks in advance of each course.
Buddhism 101 – The Life of the Buddha and the Spiritual Journey
- Sept. 2: The Buddha was not a Buddhist
- Sept. 9: Poverty Mentality and True Freedom
- Sept. 16: The World of Suffering and the Human Condition
- Sept. 23: Taming the Monkey Mind
Buddhism 102 – Traveling from Confusion to Original Sanity
- Sept. 30: The Path is the Goal
- Oct. 7: The Play of Confusion and Sanity (aka The Four Truths)
- Oct. 14: Trips of Confusion: Working with Emotions I
- Oct. 21: Trips of Confusion: Working with Emotions II
Buddhism 103 – Karma, Rebirth, and Selflessness
- Oct. 28: Four Seals of the Buddha’s Teaching I – Impermanence, Suffering
- Nov. 4: The Four Seals of the Buddha’s Teaching II – No self, Freedom
- Nov. 11: The Four Reminders
- Nov. 18: The Spiritual Friend: Connecting with Buddha’s Heart
Buddhism 104 – The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
- Nov. 25: The Practice of Fourfold Mindfulness and the Mindfulness of Body
- Dec. 2: The Mindfulness of Feelings
- Dec. 9: The Mindfulness of Mind
- Dec. 16: The Mindfulness of Phenomena
- Dec. 23: Revie
