Saturdays with Geshe Ngawang Dakpa
Current Topic:
Commentary on The Mind Training Induced by Way of Poem,
A Perfect Composition of Words
Saturdays: February 22, March 8 & 22, April 12 & 26, May 10 & 24, 2025
10:00am - 12:00pm PT
Via Zoom / Registration required
Ven. Stephen Carlier will provide English interpretation of Geshe Dakota's teaching, and class will be hosted by Stephen Butler.
This class is offered in collaboration with Land of Medicine Buddha.
A Perfect Composition of Words
Saturdays: February 22, March 8 & 22, April 12 & 26, May 10 & 24, 2025
10:00am - 12:00pm PT
Via Zoom / Registration required
Ven. Stephen Carlier will provide English interpretation of Geshe Dakota's teaching, and class will be hosted by Stephen Butler.
This class is offered in collaboration with Land of Medicine Buddha.
Program Description:
Geshe Ngawang Dakpa will be giving a commentary on The Mind Training Induced by Way of Poem, A Perfect Composition of Words, composed by the great Je Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa. This unique text, rarely taught in English, presents the core practices of Mahayana mind training or lo-jong (Tib. བློ་སྦྱོང་, Wyl. blo sbyong) via deeply poetic verses. The mind training texts present practices meant to develop compassion, altruistic intention, skillful means and to develop the perfect view of reality through deeply pithy instructions.
About Je Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa
Je Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa (1357-1419) was one of the greatest scholar-practitioners in the history of Tibetan Buddhism and the founder of the Gelug tradition. While still a young man, Tsongkhapa distinguished himself through intense study, a sharp intellect, and meditative accomplishment. In the last three decades of his life, Tsongkhapa dedicated himself to practicing, teaching, writing, and establishing monasteries. Respected by all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Lama Tsongkhapa’s deeds contributed tremendously to the revitalization of Buddhism in Tibet.
About Geshe Ngawang Dakpa:
Geshe Ngawang Dakpa was born in 1932 in Nakchu, northeast of Lhasa, Tibet, and became a monk at the age of ten. At his local monastery of Othok, he studied both Dharma and secular subjects extensively before entering Sera Je Monastery eleven years later. He fled Tibet in 1959. Upon his arrival in India, Geshe-la not only continued his monastic studies but also spent three years at the Sanskrit University in Varanasi, earning an MA with honors. Invited by the Queen of Sikkim, he taught at the University of Sikkim for nearly 20 years before returning to Sera monastery in South India and obtaining his Geshe degree. Additionally, Geshe-la taught in Taiwan before arriving in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1999, where he served as a resident teacher at Tse Chen Ling for more than 20 years.
Geshe Ngawang Dakpa will be giving a commentary on The Mind Training Induced by Way of Poem, A Perfect Composition of Words, composed by the great Je Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa. This unique text, rarely taught in English, presents the core practices of Mahayana mind training or lo-jong (Tib. བློ་སྦྱོང་, Wyl. blo sbyong) via deeply poetic verses. The mind training texts present practices meant to develop compassion, altruistic intention, skillful means and to develop the perfect view of reality through deeply pithy instructions.
About Je Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa
Je Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa (1357-1419) was one of the greatest scholar-practitioners in the history of Tibetan Buddhism and the founder of the Gelug tradition. While still a young man, Tsongkhapa distinguished himself through intense study, a sharp intellect, and meditative accomplishment. In the last three decades of his life, Tsongkhapa dedicated himself to practicing, teaching, writing, and establishing monasteries. Respected by all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Lama Tsongkhapa’s deeds contributed tremendously to the revitalization of Buddhism in Tibet.
About Geshe Ngawang Dakpa:
Geshe Ngawang Dakpa was born in 1932 in Nakchu, northeast of Lhasa, Tibet, and became a monk at the age of ten. At his local monastery of Othok, he studied both Dharma and secular subjects extensively before entering Sera Je Monastery eleven years later. He fled Tibet in 1959. Upon his arrival in India, Geshe-la not only continued his monastic studies but also spent three years at the Sanskrit University in Varanasi, earning an MA with honors. Invited by the Queen of Sikkim, he taught at the University of Sikkim for nearly 20 years before returning to Sera monastery in South India and obtaining his Geshe degree. Additionally, Geshe-la taught in Taiwan before arriving in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1999, where he served as a resident teacher at Tse Chen Ling for more than 20 years.
Registration:
Advanced registration is required – please make sure to register for each session you’d like to attend on a class-by-class basis. Once you register, the Zoom link will be included on your registration ticket/receipt.
We offer all Dharma teachings and center events on a “dana” basis. This means we’re grateful for your generosity but there is no required cost to attend and no one is turned away for lack of funds.
Suggested donation amounts are provided, and we welcome you to offer what you can to help us sustain our programming and make the dharma and events like this possible. And of course, ordained sangha (ordained nuns and monks) are always welcome free of charge.
If you're not donating at this time but would like to attend, please email [email protected].
Advanced registration is required – please make sure to register for each session you’d like to attend on a class-by-class basis. Once you register, the Zoom link will be included on your registration ticket/receipt.
We offer all Dharma teachings and center events on a “dana” basis. This means we’re grateful for your generosity but there is no required cost to attend and no one is turned away for lack of funds.
Suggested donation amounts are provided, and we welcome you to offer what you can to help us sustain our programming and make the dharma and events like this possible. And of course, ordained sangha (ordained nuns and monks) are always welcome free of charge.
If you're not donating at this time but would like to attend, please email [email protected].
Previous topics:
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November 6, 2021 & January 8, 2022 ![]() |
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2022: Aug 6, Sept 3, Oct 1 & Dec 3 2023: Jan, Feb, Mar & Apr |
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