October 1 – 2, 2019
2-day Non-Residential Course Led by Venerable Tenzin Gache
Open to all levels of practitioners: beginners and experienced alike.
This course is intended as a beginner’s introduction to the Buddhist philosophical tradition, as well as an introduction to the subjects His Holiness the Dalai Lama will cover in his teaching on Nagarjuna’s “Precious Garland” (Ratnavali).
We will begin by examining why the tradition considers philosophical rigor, and the application of reasoned analysis, to be an essential component of spiritual practice.
Next will be a brief historical survey of Madhyamika (Middle Way) philosophy, which has its roots in the Buddha’s teachings but developed primarily in the first millenium C.E. in India, and was further refined in Tibet.
We will then examine, in a manner suitable for beginners, some of the key points of Madhyamika philosophy, such as:
-Absence of inherent existence
-The nature of the mind, and how lack of inherent existence allows for the connection between past actions and future experiences
-The nature of mental afflictions that lead to suffering
-The uncommon Middle Way presentation of the nature of time
-How two parties can hold a meaningful dialogue even though the objects they discuss lack any inherent existence
Within all these discussions, we will tie the ancient themes together with modern worldviews, especially those grounded in science, and question whether or not this ancient philosophy offers a challenge to assumptions we make about the nature of the universe, of the self, and of the mind.
This course will be in Silence.
Approximate daily schedule for each day:
09:00 – 9:45 | Meditation |
10:00 – 12:00 | Teaching |
12:00 – 14:00 | Lunch Break |
14:00 – 16:00 | Teaching |
16:00 – 16:20 | Tea Break |
16:20 – 17:00 | Meditation |
Please note: This schedule might change on short notice!
Registration in Tushita’s Office Required!
_______________________________________________________________
Practical Information
Tushita’s Donation Policy
Tushita Meditation Centre operates entirely on the basis of donations, most of which come from people attending our courses and retreats. We will ask you to please give your full donation for the course in our reception office in the days before the course starts, payable in Indian Rupees only (unfortunately we cannot accept Foreign Currency, Travellers Cheques or Credit / Debit Cards).
For example, the minimum amount that Tushita needs to cover our costs on one day courses is 500 Indian Rupees per person. This includes lunch and afternoon tea on this day. It does not include any other meals or accommodation, since it will be a non-residential course. Of course, extra donations to help Tushita are always welcome!
Course Registration
For our non-residential courses registration is only possible in our reception office by making your full donation of 1000 INR for this 2-day course.
Please note we cannot accept any registration by email.
Office hours are:
Monday – Saturday
- 9:30 – 11:30am
a break for lunch and then…
- 12:30 – 4:00pm
Closed Sundays
Accommodation Options
Since this is a Non-Residential course, it will not be possible to stay here at Tushita. There are many guest houses and hotels nearby however, varied enough to meet all comfort levels and budgets. You can see more information here.
What to Bring
-Warm clothing which can be worn in layers and a shawl/blanket for using in the meditation hall are advisable. Bear in mind that we are at a slightly higher altitude than in McLeod Ganj, it is noticeably colder here.
-You are welcome to take notes during the course, so you may find a notebook, pen etc useful.
-It is handy to have your own water bottle. Filtered water is available in our dining hall and out of concern for the environment, we strongly discourage students from buying water in plastic bottles.
-An umbrella or rainwear, depending on the weather that day.
-Our library sells books and other items, so you may want to bring some extra money with you. It may also be possible to borrow books, see more by clicking here.
-Please DO NOT bring: any musical instruments, camera, radios/tape/CD/MP3 players or mobile phones as you will be asked not to use them while you are here.
Read more about our Short Courses here.