Essential Tibetan Buddhism, And Its Context In Tibet And The World

Tibet House US presents Professor Robert Thurman, leading a short intensive course in two sets of three and four classes. In February he will be introducing the basic concepts and practices of the tradition called “Tibetan Buddhism,” offering a glimpse into the advanced arts and sciences of the tradition; in April, he will be focusing on a study of the present global expansion of the tradition.

A short intensive course in two sets of three and four classes (though anyone can take any of them one by one). First, in February introducing the basic concepts and practices of the tradition called “Tibetan Buddhism,” especially focusing on the definitive and interpretable teachings on emptiness/voidness and form/matter which His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed in His teachings last fall, finally offering a glimpse into the advanced arts and sciences of the tradition; and second, in April, focusing on a study of the present global expansion of the tradition. Its great leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his many colleagues have been offering the fruits of the tradition to people and cultures around the world, in the context of the struggle for survival of the Tibetan people, their environment, and their spiritual culture; this struggle itself in the context of all of our planetary struggle for survival in the throes of global overheating.

Wednesday, February 11: Session I: Introduction: Tibetan Buddhism in a Nutshell. This session will introduce beginners to the basic concepts of the teaching and the history of how individuals and societies have adopted its path of transformation. We will also meditate and discuss Lama Tsong Khapa's Three Principles of the Path, and the First Panchen Lama's Mentor Worship.

Wednesday, February 18: Session II: Matter and Voidness, Voidness and Matter: The Nondual basis of Tantric Practice. We turn to the wisdom and compassion nondual teaching of the central way, while also discussing the idealist teaching of the Vijñ?nav?da (consciousness-only) insights of Asanga and Vasubandhu.

Wednesday, February 25: Session III: We will continue with the most advanced level of the Dialecticist Centrists, showing how the deepest nonduality returns to the surface, as it were, as the nondual ultimate does not dispense with the relative, but uses it to bring beings into true happiness and bliss, which involves preliminary discussion of the advanced stages of the path, as the esoteric not only becomes safe but also indispensable.

Wednesday, April 1: Looking at the creation stage practices of various Tantras, discussing the role of initiation, mentor relationships, deity yogas, visualization meditation, and ritual arts.

Wednesday, April 8: A discussion of the highest levels of the path, known as the perfection stage, great perfection, or great seal—the practices of the Tibetan Buddhist “psychonauts,” who are the explorers who gave to humanity the “Tibetan Book of the Dead,” and other texts of spiritual science, advancing our understanding of the processes of our lives and deaths.  

Wednesday, April 15: Shifting gears to look at the situation of the psychonauts today, involving the condition of the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist science tradition in Tibet and in diaspora, and the situation in the West.

Wednesday, April 22: Concluding with a Discussion of the philosophy, spiritual teaching, and prophetic activity of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as he leads to globalization effort of the Buddhist sciences.

Single Session - General:$25/Members:$22.50
SERIES (Feb. 11, 18, 25 April 1, 8, 15 and 22) - General:157.50 with 10% discount to THUS members.

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ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Robert Thurman is Professor of Indo-Tibetan Studies at Columbia University, President of Tibet House U.S., a popular lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism, the translator of many philosophical treatises and sutras, and author of numerous books including the national bestseller, Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness; Anger, the fifth book from a series on the Seven Deadly Sins, offered by The New York Public Library and Oxford University Press. His most recent book is titled Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet, and the World, published by Atria Books/Beyond Words.