Ancient Advice for Our Modern Lives: "The Bodhisattva's Jewel Garland" by Atiśha
with Ven. Gyalten Lekden
Tuesdays, March 30th, April 6th and April 13
6:00pm - 7:30pm PDT
Presented via Zoom. Registration is required. See below.
The collection of meditation practices known as mind training aim to fundamentally reorient the way we engage with the world. They turn us away from our harmful habits that bring about suffering and toward new habits that are the path of controlling the mind, which is the path of ultimate happiness. Mind training practice is unique in the way it combines a deepening understanding of the fundamental wisdom recognizing the nature of reality with no-nonsense, pragmatic advice and instructions. It cuts through doubts and ambiguities and offers a clear and direct means to turn away from suffering and embrace a path of growth and joy.
One of the fundamental texts that serves as a primary basis for this entire genre of practice is The Bodhisattva's Jewel Garland, composed by the great 10th century scholar Atiśa Dīpaṃkara. This series of classes will use the study of Master Atiśa's text as our own basis for exploring and practicing mind training, focusing on how this ancient system can have immediate, practical application to our everyday 21st century lives.
This class is best suited for those with some basis of study and practice, but all levels of student and experience are welcome. Each class will include the opportunity for questions and answers. A copy of the text in English translation will be distributed in the class. If you would like to read ahead of time there are two well-known English translations available, one by Thupten Jinpa, found in Mind Training: The Great Collection as well as in The Book of Kadam, and another by James B. Apple, found in Atiśa Dīpaṃkara: Illuminator of the Awakened Mind. Although there are some slight vocabulary differences between the two translations, they are largely the same, and there will be opportunity to discuss the differences in the class if needed.
About Ven. Gyalten Lekden
Ven. Gyalten Lekden was born and raised outside of Boston. He first started studying and practicing Buddhism during his undergraduate studies, and after completing BAs in Theatre and Religious Studies he continued on to complete his Masters of Divinity in Buddhist Ministry at Harvard Divinity School. Ven. Lekden started leading Buddhist communities while an undergrad, and has studied, served, and taught at various Dharma centers since then. In 2012 he joined Sera Je Monastery in southern India, where he continues to study and practice. Ven. Lekden is a registered teacher in the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, and has given talks and meditation instruction in India and the USA.
Ven. Lekden is also a co-founder of The Union of Teaching and Accomplishment Publishing Group comprised of a few monks living and studying at Sera Je Monastery in south India. The members of the group are studying full-time as part of the geshe curriculum and use their free time to produce Tibetan-language critical editions of are mostly texts that are useful for study but are not easily available, especially not in book format and not in critical editions. The texts they translate are most often aimed at practice, not theory, and help all strive for the union of study and practice, or of teaching and accomplishment.
For more on The Union of Teaching & Accomplishment Publishing Group, please visit:
http://publishing.simplebuddhistmonk.net/index.php/about-us/
6:00pm - 7:30pm PDT
Presented via Zoom. Registration is required. See below.
The collection of meditation practices known as mind training aim to fundamentally reorient the way we engage with the world. They turn us away from our harmful habits that bring about suffering and toward new habits that are the path of controlling the mind, which is the path of ultimate happiness. Mind training practice is unique in the way it combines a deepening understanding of the fundamental wisdom recognizing the nature of reality with no-nonsense, pragmatic advice and instructions. It cuts through doubts and ambiguities and offers a clear and direct means to turn away from suffering and embrace a path of growth and joy.
One of the fundamental texts that serves as a primary basis for this entire genre of practice is The Bodhisattva's Jewel Garland, composed by the great 10th century scholar Atiśa Dīpaṃkara. This series of classes will use the study of Master Atiśa's text as our own basis for exploring and practicing mind training, focusing on how this ancient system can have immediate, practical application to our everyday 21st century lives.
This class is best suited for those with some basis of study and practice, but all levels of student and experience are welcome. Each class will include the opportunity for questions and answers. A copy of the text in English translation will be distributed in the class. If you would like to read ahead of time there are two well-known English translations available, one by Thupten Jinpa, found in Mind Training: The Great Collection as well as in The Book of Kadam, and another by James B. Apple, found in Atiśa Dīpaṃkara: Illuminator of the Awakened Mind. Although there are some slight vocabulary differences between the two translations, they are largely the same, and there will be opportunity to discuss the differences in the class if needed.
About Ven. Gyalten Lekden
Ven. Gyalten Lekden was born and raised outside of Boston. He first started studying and practicing Buddhism during his undergraduate studies, and after completing BAs in Theatre and Religious Studies he continued on to complete his Masters of Divinity in Buddhist Ministry at Harvard Divinity School. Ven. Lekden started leading Buddhist communities while an undergrad, and has studied, served, and taught at various Dharma centers since then. In 2012 he joined Sera Je Monastery in southern India, where he continues to study and practice. Ven. Lekden is a registered teacher in the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, and has given talks and meditation instruction in India and the USA.
Ven. Lekden is also a co-founder of The Union of Teaching and Accomplishment Publishing Group comprised of a few monks living and studying at Sera Je Monastery in south India. The members of the group are studying full-time as part of the geshe curriculum and use their free time to produce Tibetan-language critical editions of are mostly texts that are useful for study but are not easily available, especially not in book format and not in critical editions. The texts they translate are most often aimed at practice, not theory, and help all strive for the union of study and practice, or of teaching and accomplishment.
For more on The Union of Teaching & Accomplishment Publishing Group, please visit:
http://publishing.simplebuddhistmonk.net/index.php/about-us/
Registration:
Your generous donations are essential for the continuation of programs like this. If you are able, please consider sponsoring this course (includes registration). The Zoom link will be provided upon registration. No one turned away due to lack of funds. Please contact us to make special arrangements.