No Class on October 1 & 3, 2012

ANNOUNCEMENT:  No Classes are held at IBD when H.H. Dalai Lama is teaching in McLeod Ganj, DharamsalA,  His Holiness is teaching at the request of a Taiwanese group on October 1-4, 2012.  Download or stream Video &/or Audio of His Holiness' teaching here.

Class 6 - Texts Studied in Geluk colleges; Gyaltsab Je on Diligence

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 6TH class of Fall 2012 term held on Friday, September 28.

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 6:

2012 Fall Handout 7

ALL FALL 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Review Je Tsong Khapa's Lam Rim Chen-mo material on Diligence/Joyous Effort presented in Classes 2-5.

Track 2 - Background to Debate & Study at IBD & Geluk Monastic Universities: 

• Buddha’s Teachings & Indian Commentaries
• Geluk Tradition of Tibetan Buddhist Scholarship & Studies:
• Approach to Study:  Deep Understanding rather than learning Vast collection of information.
• Brief History of Geluk Studies & Debate
• Panchen Sonam Drakpa – Textbook author for IBD, Drepung Loseling & Gaden Shartse Monastic Colleges and several Nunneries.

Track 3 - [HANDOUT 7] Ornament's Presentation of Three Types of Diligence - Diligence of: 

1. Non-Adherence, 
2. Non-Weariness, and
3. Thoroughly Upholding the Mahayana Path.

Commentaries on the Ornament by Haribhadra, Gyaltsab Je and Je Tsong Khapa re Diligence.

Track 4 - Gyaltsab Je’s Outline/Commentary on Maitreya & Haribhadra's presentations of the Three Diligence:

• Manifest Discordant Factors
• Manifest & Dormant Anger

• Eliminating Manifest Anger (with Patience) versus Eliminating Anger’s Seeds

• Instructions on the Causes for Non-Degeneration of One's Practice re Diligence of Non-Adherence

• The Three Doors

• Reflections on Emptiness to Curb Attachment.

Track 5 - Diligence of Non-Adherence per Haribhadra and Gyaltsab-Je’s Commentaries:

• Practitioners of Weak Faculty or Strong Faculty vis-a-vis Understanding Emptiness.

Q&A

• Clarifying relationship of conceptual realization of Emptiness and entry into and advancement on the Five Mahayana Paths.

• Distinguishing healthy loving attachment and clinging attachment.

• What precisely does 'happiness of the body' mean.

• Is Emptiness, which has negative connotations (empty box or feelings of depression) a good translation to mean the lack of inherent existence?

• Limitless love versus limited anger, etc.

NOTES of Class 6 (Sept 28) rough draft transcript of class offered for what it's worth.  

If any of the LINKS don't work, please leave a COMMENT or notify us by E-Mail.

This is the 6TH class of the Fall 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses Diligence (Joyous Effort), the 4th-10th sub-topics of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 5 - Diligence - Subjective Reality, Limitless Minds

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 5TH class of Fall 2012 term held on Wednesday, September 26.

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 5:

2012 Fall Handout 4
2012 Fall Handout 5
2012 Fall Handout 6
2012 Fall Handout 7

ALL FALL 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Review Class 4 - TRACKS 2 & 3, HANDOUTS 4 & 5.

Employing Methods to Overcome Three Obstacles to Diligent Buddhist Practice:

• Stopping the Laziness of Procrastination by thinking about death and that we may die very soon. 

• Stopping (or Reducing) the Laziness of Attachment to Negative Activities by reflecting on the infallibility of Karmic Law in this and future lives. 

• Stopping the Laziness of Self-Contempt or Discouragement:

        (1) Stop Discouragement about the (Mahayana) Goal by reflecting on Buddha Nature:

•      Mental Consciousness is Buddhism's Creator

Track 2 - (2) Stop Discouragement re Difficulties of Practices to Attain Enlightenment. (conclude Review Class 4) 

(3) Stop Discouragement Because Wherever You Are Is A Place To Practice [HANDOUT 5]

• What is Samsara? 
• Nature of Samsaric Reality - Subjective Reflection of Mind not Objective [HANDOUT 6]


• No External Reality

Track 3 - Generate Motivation to be in Samsara for the Benefit of Others:

• Cherishing Others Reduces Personal Suffering
• Working for Bodhisattva Goal (Happiness for Others) is a Stairway to Joy & Happiness
• Benefits of Practicing in a Degenerate Age

Track 4 - Positive Minds can expand Limitlessly  / Negative Minds are limited:

• Four Immeasurable Phenomena: Time, Sentient Beings, Highest Realizations of the goal, and Wholesome Actions.  i.e., No need to hurry and be impatient.

• Impatient quest for quick Enlightenment is Motivated by Self-Centered egoism.  [HANDOUT 7]

• Studying Dharma provides antidotes to discouragement about time and effort required to attain Enlightenment.

This concludes presentation of Diligence based upon Je Tsong Khapa's Lam Rim Chen-mo.  The following classes on Diligence will present material derived from Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations along with text books and commentaries used to teach this subject at the Tibetan monastic colleges such as the Institute for Buddhist Dialectical Studies (IBD) and Drepung Loseling Monastery.

Track 5 - Q&A

Q  If the world is subjective, why isn't anger as limitless as love?

Q  What about getting frustration when trying to discipline children out of loving concern for them?

Q  Is love a special endeavor/action?  What is difference between Buddhist definition of love and compassion?


NOTES of Class 5 (Sept 26) rough draft transcript of class offered for what it's worth.  

If any of the LINKS don't work, please leave a COMMENT or notify us by E-Mail.

This is the 5TH class of the Fall 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses Diligence (Joyous Effort), the 4th-10th sub-topics of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 4 - Diligence/Joyous Effort

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 4TH class of Fall 2012 term held on Monday, September 24.

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 4:

2012 Fall Handout 3
2012 Fall Handout 4
2012 Fall Handout 5
2012 Fall Handout 6

ALL FALL 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - REVIEW:  How to train in the Perfection of Diligence (Joyous Effort) - HANDOUT 3

Nature of Joyous Effort  - [HANDOUT 4, Class 3,Tracks 2 & 3]

• Using Delusions on the Path:  Attachment & Ignorance

Methods for Cultivating Diligence - [HANDOUT 4, Class 3,Tracks 4] :

• Eliminate obstacles  by:

1. identifying incompatible factors
2. methods to eliminate such.

Track 2 - Employing Methods to Eliminate Factors Incompatible with Initiating Diligent Buddhist Practice, i.e., Stop Laziness of:

1. Procrastination 

• Mindfulness of Death

    2. Attachment to Worldly pursuits

• Contemplate Faults of Transient Satisfactions vs. attaining Lasting Happiness

Track 3 - Three Ways to Stop Laziness of Discouragement & Self-Contempt during Practice:

1. Stopping Discouragement about the Goal:

• All Beings Will Become Buddhas – [HANDOUT 5]

Track 4 - 2.  Stopping discouragement about (seemingly) onerous work required to attain Goal.

• To Counter Laziness, Develop Understanding of: 
• Impermanence (as Mind Changes, Capacities can Expand) & 
• Emptiness  - brief explanation of contemplations

Q&A

3.  Stopping Discouragement with Difficulties of Samsara (Cyclic Existence)

• To Counter Laziness, Remember: 

• Wherever you are is the place to practice - all you need is your mental consciousness.
• We're not going to find the "perfect place" to practice in Samsara but can always find excuses not to practice.
• Since Samsara is not inherently existent, beings have different subjective experiences of Samsara.

NOTES of Class 4 (Sept 24) rough draft transcript of class offered for what it's worth.  

If any of the LINKS don't work, please leave a COMMENT or notify us by E-Mail.

This is the 4TH class of the Fall 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses Diligence (Joyous Effort), the 4th-10th sub-topics of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 3 - Armor-like Diligence, Countless Eons, & Cultivation

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 3rd class of Fall 2012 term held on Friday, September 21.

ANNOUNCEMENT:   This Fall two-month term has less than 27 sessions (classes are not held during His Holiness’s teachings).  To have enough class time to cover the course material, every Monday and Friday, classes will run an extra 15 minutes, i.e., until 5:45 p.m.  If you need to leave at 5:30 p.m., please feel free to do so.

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 3:

2012 Fall Handout 3

2012 Fall Handout 4

ALL FALL 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Why Rejecting Past & Future lives is an Obstacle to Buddhist Practice.

Geshe Wangmo expands her answer to a question posed at the end of Class 2 which raised a popular view in Western Buddhist communities that Buddhism can be practiced without 'beliefs' that cannot be scientifically proven or accepted by secular humanists.

Track 2 - Review - HANDOUT 2 - Diligence is Joyous Effort.

Categories of Diligence:  i. Actual Diligence [HANDOUT 3] & ii. Method of Cultivating Diligence 

i. ACTUAL Diligence: 1) Armor-like, 2) Diligence of Gathering Virtues & 3) Diligence of Working for Others Benefit.

1) Armor-like diligence (preliminary, motivating force vs. laziness). 

Track 3 - Meaning, "Takes 3 countless eons for Bodhisattva to reach Buddhahood'

• Eons & Kalpas
• Countless - meaning for fast food society
• Beginninglessness
• Uncontrived Bodhicitta.  

2) Diligence of Gathering Virtues - 10 Virtues.

3) Diligence of Working for Others Benefit - 11 activities.

Track 4 - ii. Four Methods for CULTIVATING Diligence - [HANDOUT 4] 

1. Eliminating Unfavorable Conditions that Prevent Diligence:
1. Identifying factors incompatible with diligence:  
1. Laziness of (1.1) Procrastination & (1,22) Busy-ess with Worldly Pursuits
2. Laziness of Discouragement/Self-Contempt.

Q&A

NOTES of Class 3 (Sept 21) rough draft transcript of class offered for what it's worth.  

If any of the LINKS don't work, please leave a COMMENT or notify us by E-Mail.

This is the 3RD class of the Fall 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses Diligence (Joyous Effort), the 4th-10th sub-topics of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 2 - Joyous Diligence - Nature & Method

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 2nd class of Fall 2012 term held on Wednesday, September 19.

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 2:

2012 Fall Handout 2

ALL FALL 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Review - Course / Term Topics - HANDOUT 1:

• Three Diligences:  I. How to Train in the perfection of Diligence:  

1. Nature of diligence (i.e. what is diligence):  Mental Factor of Joy & delight focused on virtue.

• Diligence is a mind that takes delight in doing positive, virtuous and beneficial actions.
• Virtue for happiness in Future Lives / Non-Virtue mistakenly done for short-term success in this life

• Buddhism is about getting our mental consciousness to experience joy when accumulating virtuous actions.

• Every Mind always has an Object.
• Mind is an experiencing entity that is non-physical in Buddhism, but that doesn't contradict certain minds being inter-dependent with something physical. 

Track 2 - How to Change our Mental Consciousness - HANDOUT 2

• What is Buddhist practice? 
• Laziness - the opposite of Diligence. 

• Debate:  Is diligence a virtuous state of mind if one's practice is motivated by competitiveness or other egoistic motivation?

Track 3 -  2. How to begin Practicing Diligence:

• What is philosophy?  
• Buddhist Philosophy distinguished from Western Philosophy  

• Inspiration and advice from Buddha Shakyamuni and Maitreya
• Diligence & the Three Scopes (Motivations) of Buddhist Practice

Track 4 -  Inspiration from Aryasura & Advice from Buddha Shakyamuni

• Summary of Class 
• Q&A
• Why is it necessary for a Buddhist to accept Reincarnation in order engage in  Buddhist Practice?
• Geshe Wangmo answers this much more extensively in Class 3 (Track 1)

NOTES of Class 2 (Sept 19) rough draft transcript of class offered for what it's worth.  

If any of the LINKS don't work, please leave a COMMENT or notify us by E-Mail.

This is the 2nd class of the Fall 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses 4th-10th sub-topics of the 2nd Topic
(Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Fall 2012 - First Class

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 1st class of Fall 2012 term held on Monday, September 17.

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 1:

2012 Fall Handout 1 - to illustrate the omniscient mind of a Buddha (Exalted Knower of All Aspects), Chapter 1 of Maitreya's Abhisamayalamkara presents 10 Topics.  So far course has covered Topic 1 - Bodhicitta (Fall 2010-Spring 2011 and begun Topic 2 - Practice Instructions which has 10 Sub-Topics of which (1) Two Truths, (2) Four Noble Truths & (3) Refuge have been covered.  Practice Topics to be studied in Fall 2012:  (4) - (6) Three Diligences.  7. Five Sublime Eyes.  8. Six Clairvoyances. 9. Path of Seeing.  9. Path of Meditaiton.  Three Diligences presented in J. Tong Khapa's Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lam Rim Chenmo) :  I.  How to Train in the perfection of Diligence (i.e., how to train):  (1) Nature of diligence (i.e. what is diligence):  Mental Factor of Joy & delight focused on virtue.

ALL FALL 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Background of Perfection of Wisdom course studies, purpose, methodology, etc.

Track 2 - Review extent of Maitreya's Ornament of Clear Realization covered in course through Spring 2012 term, and introduce remaining topics of Chapter 1 .

Track 3 - [HANDOUT 1] Introduction of class text [i.e., the HANDOUTS] & the Commentaries relied upon and issues re their English translation.

First Topic:  Diligence actually means "Joyous Effort" - the proper accompaniment to Buddhist Practice.  Why Joyous Effort is necessary.  , i.e., Diligence.  Q&A - are there limited number of consciousnesses or infinite.

Track 4 - Minimum level of aspiration required for Buddhist Practice - achieving good rebirth in order to continue practice of Dharma.

Q&A - Given that everybody in previous lives has been our mother and father, our son and daughter as well, are there only a limited number of consciousness that recycle, or are there new consciousnesses coming into existence? 

If any of the LINKS don't work, please leave a COMMENT or notify us by E-Mail.

This is the 1st class of the Fall 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses 4th-10th sub-topics of the 2nd Topic
(Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

17 SEP 2012 - FALL term begins

IBD's [Institute for Buddhist Dialectical studies] PERFECTION OF WISDOM course resumes 17 SEPTEMBER 2012.  The Fall 2012 term of this Advanced English language Philosophy course taught by Geshe Kelsang Wangmo will end in 16 NOVEMBER 2012.

For information about the background and general subject matter of this multi-year PERFECTION OF WISDOM course as well as the topics to be addressed in the Fall 2012 term, please consult the blog post "Background for Fall 2012 Term" blog post.

For a more extensive presentation of the material covered in the prior years of the course (including synopsis, handouts, MP3s and transcripts) consult the blog posts for April 9, 2012 and April 11, 2012.

Weekly Class Schedule:*

MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY
4:00 - 5:45 pm - MONDAY & FRIDAY
  4:00 - 5:30 pm - WEDNESDAY
in IBD's Prayer Hall

IBD's prayer hall is located
Up the first set of Stairs (to the Right)
inside the main Temple Gate.

Monthly Donation Fee Requested - 300 Rupees 
(proceeds sponsor IBD students' living expenses)
 

*  Classes are not held during His Holiness’s teachings.  To ensure sufficient class time to cover the course material, every Monday and Friday, classes will run until 5:45 p.m. 

For Course Information details in India, you may call  Ven. Yangdron (cell 86798-70973) or Gilah (cell 89881-56535).  You can also email Ven. Nordron at chogslags-ibd@yahoo.com.

TEXT:  Geshe Wangmo prepares handouts for the topics raised in each class (which include translated excerpts from the textbook (General Meaning) and debate manual (Decisive Analysis) authored by Panchen Sonam Drakpa that are used at IBD and Drepung Loseling Monastery.  

For more material on the major topic of the Fall 2012 term, Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism [translations by Leah Zahler & Jeffrey Hopkins.  Wisdom Publications - Boston] addresses the major topics of the Fall 2012 and includes an oral commentary by Demna Lochoe Rinpoche on Panchen Sonam Drakpa's General Meaning as well as a general oral commentary on this subject matter by Lati Rinpoche.

FALL 2012 TOPICS.  A major topic of the Fall 2012 term is Meditation and its levels of achievement and unique qualities. Otherwise, it continues the topics presented in Chapter 1 of the Ornament for Clear Realizations (Abhisamayalamkara) by Maitreya as expounded in Indian and Tibetan commentaries.  SEE Background for Fall 2012 Term
post for details.

COURSE TEACHER.  Ven. Kelsang Wangmo completed the 16-year geshe studies curriculum at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics and became the first woman to be awarded a geshe degree in 2010.   Geshe Wangmo, a native of Germany, is completely fluent in Tibetan and English. 

STUDENTS. The challenging course material is aimed at earnest students of Buddhist philosophy. If you wish to check out the classes you are welcome to visit before you enroll. Should you be unable to attend the entire autumn 2012 course, you will be able to continue by following the classes online.

   

Background for Fall 2012 Term

A SUGGESTED READING LIST that can provide further background support for students and links to previous terms' text Handouts is HERE.

Course Background

In the first and second classes of Spring 2012, Geshe Kelsang Wangmo reviewed the Perfection of Wisdom course material presented to that date.  You can read a brief synopsis of each class, download MP3's of the classes, Handouts (text) and rough draft class Transcripts here:  2012 Spring Class 1 and 2012 Spring Class 2.

The Perfection of Wisdom Course studies the many topics raised in Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations (Abhisamayalamkara).  The Ornament is the first of five great Indian canonical texts that make up the core curriculum of Geshe studies at Tibetan monastic colleges such as Drepung Loseling Monastery and the Institute for Buddhist Dialectical Studies.  

The Ornament expounds the hidden meaning (detailing the Method of the Path to Enlightenment) of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras (whose explicit meaning is the Wisdom of Emptiness).

Before studying the Ornament, students take courses that introduce them to: 

• Fundamentals of Buddhist philosophy (the Collected Topics, Due-dra); 
• Logical argument (Ta-rig); 
• Awareness and Knowledge (Lo-rig); and 
• Philosophical systems of Tenets (Drub-tha). 

Geshe Kelsang Wangmo concluded teaching these subjects for English language students in 2006.  She began teaching this Perfection of Wisdom Course in 2007 (with a hiatus in 2009).  The Perfection of Wisdom course usually takes six years in Tibetan residential institutions.  Since the English course is not part of a matriculating, residential program, the course will take as long as necessary to provide understanding for most of the students who attend.  

Course Methodology.  The classes are based on the Tibetan curricula of the great monastic universities.  Geshe Kelsang Wangmo prepares Handouts for each class serve as the 'text'.  The Handouts include her translations of relevant excerpts from the two works by Panchen Sonam Drakpa that serve as the text and debate manual for this course at Drepung Loseling Monastery and IBD.  In class, Geshe Kelsang Wangmo provides extensive explanation of the topics and related debates that are presented in the Handouts and the students have the opportunity to participate in discussions of the material. 


Students

While a few students have been attending IBD's Advanced Buddhist Philosophy program in English since before the program officially began in 2004, most students are unable to be in India for the entire Ornament course, nor have they attended the preliminary courses. Many students attend the course for less than an entire term.  

Although Geshe Kelsang Wangmo is skilled in presenting challenging material to those who do not have the usual background for tackling these subjects, most people are going to need a good foundation in Buddhist teachings to enjoy the material.

Topics of the Ornament Course

You can DOWNLOAD Audio MP3s of classes along with course handouts and some partial class transcripts from this BLOG's POSTED entries.

Prior terms of the Course have covered:

• Subjects raised by the Ornament's Introduction.
• Subject (raised in the Ornament's Introduction) of Differentiating Interpretable from Definitive Sutras combined with study of the Mind Only (Cittamatrin) system's presentation of Wisdom tenets [text:  Jeffrey Hopkins' translation of relevant section of Je Tsong-Khapa's Essence of Eloquence in Emptiness in the Mind Only School of Buddhism).
• Subjects raised in Chapter 1 of the Ornament which presents Ten major Topics in order to elucidate the Omniscient Mind.

Of Chapter 1's Ten Topics that illustrate the Omniscient Mind, so far classes have addressed:

• Topic 1 - Bodhicitta
• Begun Topic 2 - Ten Mahayana Practice Instructions, i.e., 
• The Two Truths - the 1st Mayahana Practice Instruction (Spring 2011).
• The Four Noble Truths - the 2nd Mahayana Practice Instruction (Fall 2011).
• Refuge - the 3rd Mahayana Practice Instruction (Spring 2012).  

Topics of FALL 2012 Term

FALL 2012 will continue with No. 4-8 of the Ten Mahayana Practice Instructions.

The major topic of Fall 2012 course is stages of Meditation and its achievements:  Concentrations, corresponding Realms, and special abilities.

Mahayana Practice Instructions 4-8 are named in the Ornament as: 

       (4) - (6)  Three Types of Diligence (a/k/a Enthusiastic Effort or Perseverance) ["Non-Involvement" (non-attachment), "Tirelessness" & "Thoroughly Upholding the Path" (thoroughly applying oneself to the path of practice)].
       (7)   "The Five Visions"
       (8)   "Six Clairvoyances".

For your information, the last two Mahayana Practice Instructions are (9) Path of Seeing and (10) Path of Meditation.

TEXTS.  In addition to Geshe Wangmo's Handouts that serve as the course's text, Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism** includes an oral commentary by Demna Lochoe Rinpoche on the section from Panchen Sonam Drakpa's General Meaning textbook on the Ornament (used at IBD for this course) as well as a general commentary on this subject matter by Lati Rinpoche.

** Available often at the Buddhist Bookstore and Namgyal Bookstore in McLeod Ganj.  Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism.  Translations by Leah Zahler & Jeffrey Hopkins.  Wisdom Publications - Boston.