Why online Buddhist Study?
This retreat is led entirely online.
We believe that online dharma study provides access for in depth practice for those who might not otherwise ever be able to access it. Caregivers, parents, people who live far away, people with differently abled bodies, people engaged in demanding careers, those who are unable to learn another language and travel to Asia… there are so many who long for serious engagement with Buddhist teachings who need access to the highest quality study and practice. As the Buddha taught in the 84,000 languages of the 84,000 types of beings, so to does the dharma continue to be shared in limitless ways for those who have pure motivation. Guided by Lamas, Khenpos, Scholars from East and West, let your journey be supported by experts. And, you don’t have to do it alone. Experience the life-changing experience of dharma study within a beautiful community of international dharma friends!
Encounter the profound instructions of the trilogy of comfort and ease, the exposition on the stages of the journey by one of the great Tibetan philosophers, Longchenpa (1308-1364). This is a text that is taught annually in Nyingma schools around the world because of its comprehensive engagement with all the stages of the path.
These beautiful teachings consider the fundamental ease available in the depths of being, and how to access those states. It is often difficult to access rigorous engagement with Buddhist intellectual traditions. The Buddhist Studies Institute offers groundbreaking efforts to make that study available.
This online retreat will offer the opportunity to study the core writings of one of the most venerated and brilliant Buddhist philosophers of Tibet, Longchenpa. In classes you will read passages in Tibetan and translated English and enjoy the rich commentary and interpretation by Dzogchen scholar, Lama and lineage holder, Dr. Pema Khandro.
Yes, you can also receive expertly guided yoga classes too. Sitting can be hard without physical preparation, and this retreat comes with help and support! Deep rest is the best preparation for class, enjoy restorative yoga in the morning led by Buddhist Studies Institute Faculty.
Other parts of the retreat includes:
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Feeling the support of group practice
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Enjoy dharma conversations, fostering community through small group discussions
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Experiencing guided meditation sessions led by Pema Khandro
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Delving into Buddhist philosophy anchored in rigorous engagement with classical Buddhist texts; enjoying daily lectures given by Dr. Khandro
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Exploring Buddhist Philosophy
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Remembering the profound teachings that unravel it all at the root
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Exploring reality, enjoying question and answer sessions with Dr. Khandro
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Signing up for one-to-one meetings at the end of the retreat with the Lama
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Bringing the dharma home to you; engaging in in-depth training from your own home, an unprecedented accessibility to traditional Buddhist training
Pema Khandro will lead practices from the 27 Practices for Training for Dzogchen Meditation from the sems nyid ngal gso, Longchenpa’s instructions on Finding Comfort and Ease in the Nature of Mind. A system venerated for its power to awaken the primordial knowing beyond illusions, these practices provide an opening to the authentic nature of innate wakefulness.
Pre-requisites
Previous meditation experience and a history of meditation practice is necessary to fully appreciate and engage in the practices taught in this retreat, but this class is offered with open enrollment. Recommended prerequisites are: completed Ngondro training, are currently enrolled in Ngondro training or have completed Ngondro in any lineage.
