Lectures, Workshops, and Special Events
Learning Dharma means less ignorance and more wisdom. It means more light in your life, no darkness in your mind. It means you have more freedom in your life to achieve liberation from samsara and great enlightenment. The more you understand Dharma, the more you can benefit others. –Lama Zopa Rinpoche
We invite you to participate in our talks, special events and occasional weekend workshops designed for both long time members and the general public showing how Buddhist methods can help with everyday problems and explaining the work on the mind. Unless otherwise indicated, most talks, workshops and events are for students of all levels.
To find additional information on classes look under Discovering Buddhism Courses or Basic Buddhist Studies Program Courses or contact us at office@tsechenling.org or (415) 621-4215.
Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life
9th Chapter on Emptiness |
Starts Wednesday, December 7, 7:00 pm
Weekly through January 11
Teacher:
Ven. Geshe Ngawang Dakpa
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
"For as long as space endures, for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide, to dispel the misery of the world."
All levels. The teachings on the bodhisattva's deeds are based on Shantideva's inspirational verses on Mahayana aspiration and practice. Composed over 1,000 years ago, they are still widely regarded as the most authentic and complete guide for the practitioner dedicated to the enlightenment of all beings. A classic, ranging in scope from simple practical techniques for dealing with destructive emotions to the most refined discussion of ultimate truth.
Suggested donation: Class Fee $75; members $56.25 (work exchange available)
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| Lama Tsong Khapa Day: Light Offering Ceremony |
Tuesday, December 20, 5:30 pm
Teacher:
Ven. Lobsang Chökyi
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
Join us for making light offerings on this special day celebrating the anniversary of Lama Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Set up begins at 4pm.
Suggested donation: Free
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Chenrezig Retreat
Awakening the Mind of Compassion |
Saturday, January 21, 10:00 am
Teacher:
Ven. Geshe Ngawang Dakpa
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
4 retreat sessions: Friday 7-9pm; Saturday 10-12pm & 2-4pm;and Sunday 10-12pm. There will be an abbreviated Long Life Puja for Geshe-la Sun 2-4pm.
Awaken your compassion and open your heart in this special weekend retreat using meditations, chanting mantra and making prayers and request. This short retreat allows you to connect with 1000-Arm Chenrezig who embodies enlightened compassion, and to learn this ancient practice to open your heart to be able to relieve the pain of others. Geshe-la will explain the practice and give instruction during the retreat. This retreat is open to all (no prerequisites) and one can attend all or part of the retreat.
Online Registration is available now. If you'd like to help sponsor the retreat for $108.00, contact chokyi@tsechenling.org. Sponsors will receive preferred seating during retreat.
"Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t appreciate kindness and compassion". His Holiness, the Dalai Lama
Suggested donation: $80/full retreat including lunch Sat and Sun, or $20/session - Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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Chenrezig Retreat
Awakening the Mind of Compassion |
Sunday, January 22, 10:00 am
Teacher:
Ven. Geshe Ngawang Dakpa
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
4 retreat sessions: Friday 7-9pm; Saturday 10-12pm & 2-4pm;and Sunday 10-12pm. There will be an abbreviated Long Life Puja for Geshe-la Sun 2-4pm.
Awaken your compassion and open your heart in this special weekend retreat using meditations, chanting mantra and making prayers and requests. This short retreat allows you to connect with 1000-Arm Chenrezig who embodies enlightened compassion, and to learn this ancient practice to open your heart to be able to relieve the pain of others. Geshe-la will explain the practice and give instruction during the retreat. This retreat is open to all (no prerequisites) and one can attend all or part of the retreat.
Online Registration is available now. If you'd like to help sponsor the retreat for $108.00, contact chokyi@tsechenling.org. Sponsors will receive preferred seating during retreat.
"Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t appreciate kindness and compassion". His Holiness, the Dalai Lama
Suggested donation: $80/full retreat including lunch Sat and Sun, or $20/session - Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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Sunday Morning Dharma Talk
Working with the Dharma in Everyday Life |
Sunday, January 29, 10:00 am
Teacher:
Ven. Carol Corradi
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
This talk will focus on integrating and using the Dharma in our everyday life. It's easy enough to practice well when we are on retreat or studying at a Buddhist Center, but where the problems hit is at work, home, in relationship, and on the road! Talk designed for all levels especially beginners.
Suggested donation: Suggested Donation $15/Free for members
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Understanding Karma
Working with Cause and Effect to Change Your Life and Your World |
Friday, February 3, 7:00 pm
Teacher:
Ven. Steve Carlier
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
“You are karma. You cannot separate yourself from karma. Your body, speech and mind are karma. “Lama Yeshe:
The Buddha taught that we create our world and everything in it was created according to how we use our body, speech and mind. Everything we do creates karma, positive or negative, which ripens when the right conditions come together resulting in our experience of our lives now and as they could be.
Find out what karma is and how it works. The key to understanding our present and changing our future lies in understanding karma. The Buddha gave clear teachings on how to work with karma to change our lives, attain liberation, and become fully enlightened Buddhas. It’s up to us to work with these teachings. Find out how it all works and start changing your life.
Ven. Steve will teach Friday night, two sessions on Saturday and end with a final session Sunday morning.
Suggested donation: $90/full course including lunch Sat, or $20/session - Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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Understanding Karma
Working with Cause and Effect to Change Your Life and Your World |
Saturday, February 4, 10:30 am
Teacher:
Ven. Steve Carlier
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
“You are karma. You cannot separate yourself from karma. Your body, speech and mind are karma. “Lama Yeshe:
The Buddha taught that we create our world and everything in it was created according to how we use our body, speech and mind. Everything we do creates karma, positive or negative, which ripens when the right conditions come together resulting in our experience of our lives now and as they could be.
Find out what karma is and how it works. The key to understanding our present and changing our future lies in understanding karma. The Buddha gave clear teachings on how to work with karma to change our lives, attain liberation, and become fully enlightened Buddhas. It’s up to us to work with these teachings. Find out how it all works and start changing your life.
Ven. Steve will teach Friday night, two sessions on Saturday and end with a final session Sunday morning.
Suggested donation: $90/full course including lunch Sat, or $20/session - Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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Sunday Morning Dharma Talk
Emptiness in Eastern and Western Art |
Sunday, February 12, 10:00 am
Teacher:
Prof. Mark Levy
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
With the help of digitial images, Prof. Levy will dicuss topics from his last book Void /in Art in which he explores how the Great Void of ultimate reality, a central aspect of the meditation experience, is embodied in esoteric Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist art as well as in the works of several modern and contemporary artists.
This talk is designed for all levels of student. This is Prof. Levy's first visit to Tse Chen Ling.
Suggested donation: Suggested donation $15-20/Members discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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Sunday Morning Dharma Talk
Using Dharma On The Inside |
Sunday, February 19, 10:00 am
Teacher:
Keith Henriques
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
Keith will discuss using the teachings and methods of Buddhism in a heavier work situation than most of us face: he is a social worker at Folsom Prison in Sacramento. Whatever problems we might face at work or in our everyday life can be helped with the Dharma when we remember to apply it! Come listen to stories that will inspire and encourage us and share your own. Time for questions and concerns.
Suggested donation: by donation.
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| The Dalai Lama's Teachings on the Spiritual Path |
Friday, March 2, 7:00 pm
Teacher:
Guy Newland
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
What does the Dalai Lama think is most important for Americans to know about Tsongkkhapa's lamrim teachings? When the Dalai Lama left Tibet, he personally carried his own copy of Tsongkhapa's Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path (lamrim chenmo). In the 2008, His Holiness opened that very same book and--for the first and only time--taught it to Western audience. Professor Newland will give an overview of Tsongkhapa's treatise and will explore the creative way the Dalai Lama illuminated the text, not merely rehearsing it point by point, but making his own arguments about what is most essential within it. Workshop will be based on the forthcoming Snow Lion book, From Here to Enlightenment: The Dalai Lama's teachings on the Spiritual Path. 4 sessions: 1 Friday, 2 Saturday and 1 Sunday morning.
Suggested donation: $90 for full weekend including Saturday lunch/Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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| The Dalai Lama's Teachings on the Spiritual Path |
Saturday, March 3, 10:30 am
Teacher:
Guy Newland
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
What does the Dalai Lama think is most important for Americans to know about Tsongkkhapa's lamrim teachings? When the Dalai Lama left Tibet, he personally carried his own copy of Tsongkhapa's Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path (lamrim chenmo). In the 2008, His Holiness opened that very same book and--for the first and only time--taught it to Western audience. Professor Newland will give an overview of Tsongkhapa's treatise and will explore the creative way the Dalai Lama illuminated the text, not merely rehearsing it point by point, but making his own arguments about what is most essential within it. Workshop will be based on the forthcoming Snow Lion book, From Here to Enlightenment: The Dalai Lama's teachings on the Spiritual Path. 4 sessions: 1 Friday, 2 Saturday and 1 Sunday morning.
Suggested donation: $90 for full weekend including Saturday lunch/Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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| The Dalai Lama's Teachings on the Spiritual Path |
Sunday, March 4, 10:00 am
Teacher:
Guy Newland
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
What does the Dalai Lama think is most important for Americans to know about Tsongkkhapa's lamrim teachings? When the Dalai Lama left Tibet, he personally carried his own copy of Tsongkhapa's Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path (lamrim chenmo). In the 2008, His Holiness opened that very same book and--for the first and only time--taught it to Western audience. Professor Newland will give an overview of Tsongkhapa's treatise and will explore the creative way the Dalai Lama illuminated the text, not merely rehearsing it point by point, but making his own arguments about what is most essential within it. Workshop will be based on the forthcoming Snow Lion book, From Here to Enlightenment: The Dalai Lama's teachings on the Spiritual Path. 4 sessions: 1 Friday, 2 Saturday and 1 Sunday morning.
Suggested donation: $90 for full weekend including Saturday lunch/Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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Tonglen Retreat
Developing the Courage of Heart and Mind |
Friday, March 16, 7:00 pm
Teacher:
Jon Landaw
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
All levels.Tong len means taking on the suffering of others and giving them happiness. It is a practice that makes each breath an act of compassion and love, so even our breath becomes healing. One of the most practical, profound, and powerful of Buddha's teachings for rooting out that selfish side we all have that is the source of all our problems and developing the heart of compassion.
Suggested donation: Suggested Donation $70 for Fri & Sat including lunch/Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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Tonglen Retreat
Developing the Courage of Heart and Mind |
Saturday, March 17, 10:30 am
Teacher:
Jon Landaw
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
All levels.Tong len means taking on the suffering of others and giving them happiness. It is a practice that makes each breath an act of compassion and love, so even our breath becomes healing. One of the most practical, profound, and powerful of Buddha's teachings for rooting out that selfish side we all have that is the source of all our problems and developing the heart of compassion.
Suggested donation: Suggested Donation $70 for Fri & Sat including lunch/Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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Joy and Energy on the Path
Enthusiastic Practice |
Tuesday, March 20, 7:00 pm
Teacher:
Ven. Thubten Chodron
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
All levels. Do you need to kick start your practice? Is your energy or enthusiasm for spiritual study, meditation and daily practice flagging?
Of the Six Perfections, you need Joyful Effort - or perseverance - in order to cultivate all the rest.
Ven. Thubten Chodron will talk about how to encourage yourself when you'd really rather not push anymore. She'll approach this through logic, talk about how faith plays a role, when pushing is appropriate and when to know it's time to take a break.
There will be plenty of time for questions.
Suggested donation: Suggested Donation $25/No one turned away for lack of funds
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Song of the Four Mindfulnesses
Instructions for Meditation on the View of Emptiness |
Friday, April 6, 7:00 pm
Teacher:
Tubten Pende
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
We are delighted to have Tubten Pende back to teach a three-class workshop on emptiness.
Pende will be teaching based on the text: The Song of the Four Mindfulnesses Causing the Rain of Achievement to Fall: Instructions for the meditation on the view of emptiness," by Kelsang Gyatso, the Seventh Dalai Lama.
Mindfulness is required to obtain the fruits of meditative concentration and penetrative insight. The Buddha taught it in various discourses, such as the Satipatanasutra and the Prajnaparamitasutra.
Further, each practitioner is confronted with the challenge of deciding which among the many teachings he or she has received that being mindful of them in daily life will provide the most benefit.
Je Tsongkhapa provided us with a practice of four mindfulnesses that answers this challenge for anyone following his tradition. This practice is so important that His Holiness the Dalai Lama included a translation of the Seventh Dalai Lama's "Song of the Four Mindfulnesses" in his book, The Buddhism of Tibet. It is a gem of a teaching that helps practitioners incorporate all the teachings into a practice they can engage at any time.
Suggested donation: Suggested Donation $70 for Fri & Sat including lunch/Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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Song of the Four Mindfulnesses
Instructions for Meditation on the View of Emptiness |
Saturday, April 7, 10:30 am
Teacher:
Tubten Pende
Location:
Tse Chen Ling Center
We are delighted to have Tubten Pende back to teach a three-class workshop on emptiness.
Pende will be teaching based on the text: The Song of the Four Mindfulnesses Causing the Rain of Achievement to Fall: Instructions for the meditation on the view of emptiness," by Kelsang Gyatso, the Seventh Dalai Lama.
Mindfulness is required to obtain the fruits of meditative concentration and penetrative insight. The Buddha taught it in various discourses, such as the Satipatanasutra and the Prajnaparamitasutra.
Further, each practitioner is confronted with the challenge of deciding which among the many teachings he or she has received that being mindful of them in daily life will provide the most benefit.
Je Tsongkhapa provided us with a practice of four mindfulnesses that answers this challenge for anyone following his tradition. This practice is so important that His Holiness the Dalai Lama included a translation of the Seventh Dalai Lama's "Song of the Four Mindfulnesses" in his book, The Buddhism of Tibet. It is a gem of a teaching that helps practitioners incorporate all the teachings into a practice they can engage at any time.
Suggested donation: Suggested Donation $70 for Fri & Sat including lunch/Member discount applies (no one turned away for lack of funds)
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