For students of Longchenpa’s Excellent Path to Enlightenment
Study the guide to the way of life of love and compassion, the classic text at the heart of Mahayana Buddhism. This class covers essential topics of Buddhist philosophy including emptiness, bodhichitta (the altruistic enlightened intent) and the nature of wisdom.
Text to be Studied: Excellent Path to Enlightenment, Longchenpa; Transl. Khenpo Gawang, Gerry Wiener
Mondays: May 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd
30 Minutes Study & Practice – Online
Open Teaching
This program is open to the public, no pre-requisites are required to join.
Supportive Materials
All recordings will be available for repeated viewing for all Members of the Buddhist Studies Institute.
Self-Paced Modules
Module 1 & 2 of Excellent Path are available as Self-paced courses.
Our Unique Approach
The Buddhist Studies Institute emphasises the rigor of a scholarly perspective on the study of Buddhism along with an emphasis in deep engagement with the tradition and practice as taught by Pema Khandro and our international array of guest teachers. As such, she introduces the tradition in conversation with contemporary concerns and a meta-perspective, that sees these issues in their context. Furthermore, Khandro-la presents Vajrayana from a feminist stand point, as a woman of color, showcasing Buddhism from a post-colonialist perspective with an expansive commitment to the special ethics required for cross-cultural engagement.
Mahayana Programs at the Buddhist Studies Institute
Mahayana is the great vehicle of love and compassion for all beings. This is the philosophy that all other Buddhist vehicles are founded upon, emphasizing the nature of interdependence and the non-duality of self and other. Through compassionate care for oneself, others and one’s world, the path of liberation is experienced as a great love beyond duality.
In this school, Mahayana is approached from the perspective of Great Perfection (Dzogchen) view of reality and the two great philosophical views are put in constant conversation, cultivating the crucial skill to see multiple views of reality at once.
