Course Description 733 Madhyamaka III is the third in a series of Nitartha Institute's four advanced courses focusing on the principal Indian classic of the Madhyamaka, or Middle Way tradition, Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara, along with the two Kagyu commentaries by the eighth and ninth Karmapas, The Chariot of the Dakpo Kagyu Siddhas and Feast for the Fortunate. The subject matter of this course is the second part of the sixth Madhyamakavatara's chapter, the generation of the sixth mind of enlightenment, which correlates with the sixth bodhisattva bhumi, and paramita of prajna. The main topics covered include refutation of the Proponents of Consciousness, presentation of personal selflessness and exposition of the sixteen emptinesses. Faculty Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen Location Conference room One Office Evolution 4730 Walnut Street, Suite 108 Boulder, CO 80301 On line synchronous streaming video (real time) More information will be given upon registration Meeting Dates & Times January 13 - May 5th (no class the week of March 24th) Wednesday evenings: 7:00 - 8:30 pm Format 16 week course: Weekly classes in a classroom setting taught by Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen (ALTG) will be translated into English and simultaneously broadcast online in streaming video to students worldwide. The course will be taught in Boulder, Colorado. The real time presentations will be accompanied by question and answer periods. Prerequisites It is strongly recommended that students who register for this class make a commitment to attend the scheduled classes. While this advanced course is open to all dedicated students of the dharma, there are two classifications of students which are defined in terms of prerequisites: Advanced Students: Those students who have completed the foundation and intermediate Nitartha Institute curriculum (or an equivalent advanced Shedra curriculum) and senior translators. Advanced Students are working towards the completion of the Nitartha Institute Advanced Curriculum Certificate of Completion. Audit Students: Those students who are sincerely interested in attending the class, but who have not met the prerequisites for this advanced course, are invited to sit in the class. Fees
Advanced Students: $460.00
Audit Students: $235.00
Required Texts for all four courses: 1. Commentary on The Chariot of the Dakpo Kagyu Siddhas by The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche. 4 Volumes. Nitartha Institute 1997-2000. To order, contact Tashi Wangmo, VP for Publications, tashi@nitartha-institute.org 2. The Karmapa's Middle Way: Feast for the Fortunate, A Commentary on Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara by Wangchuk Dorje. Translated by Tyler Dewar. Snow Lion Publications, 2008. www.snowlionpub.com 3. Introduction to the Middle Way: Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara with Commentary by Jamgön Mipham, by Chandrakirti and Jamgön Mipham, Shambhala, 2005 www.shambhala.com 4. The Center of the Sunlit Sky: Madhyamaka in the Kagyu Tradition, by Karl Brunnhölzl, Snow Lion Publications, 2004. www.snowlionpub.com Please order your texts before the class begins from Tashi Wangmo, Nitartha Institute Canada Publications, at tashi@nitartha-institute.org. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. For Additional Information Sandra Roscoe,
<PhD sandra@nitartha-institute.org>
Mind and Its World 1 begins the study of the science of valid cognition (pramana) by examining mind and how it perceives its world in valid and invalid ways. It also introduces the two Hinayana philosophical systems, the Vaibhashika and Sautrantika schools, and looks at relative and absolute truth and the process of perception. The Vaibhashika and Sautrantika schools teach us to take everything apart in order to transcend our concepts of self and other. Clear Thinking 1 brings the science of mind to life by breaking down our understanding of the phenomenal world. By cutting through our projections about outer objects, we reduce our confusion and see ourselves and the outer world with precise clarity. Clear Thinking 1 also introduces the principal elements of logic and reasoning. Thus informed, we can re-engage our life and practice. Discussion Groups and Analytical Meditation Classes include discussion groups and introduction to Analytical Meditation on topics arising from curriculum. The program provides a basis for Path by incorporating Study and Experience. This Hinayana based program is "foundational" and will enhance further studies in the Mahayana Faculty Israel Lifshitz TBA Location Nalandabodhi Connecticut 3 Barnard Lane Top Floor Bloomfield, CT 06002 Meeting Dates & Times April 9 - April 18, 2010 Friday evening public talk: 7pm Begins: Saturday April 10 at 9 am Ends: Sunday April 18 at Noon Format 9-Day Program Fees $700.00 (includes $100 suggested teacher's gift) Early Bird Special: $650 (if paid in full by March 15, 2010) (includes $100 suggested teacher's gift) Repeat Course: $260 (includes suggested teacher's gift of $100) Required Texts Mind & Its World 1 Sourcebook, Nitartha Institute Publications Collected Topics root text (Dudra), Nitartha Institute Publications Classifications of Mind root text (Lorik), Nitartha Institute Publications Clear Thinking 1, Nitartha Institute Publications Please order your texts before the class begins from Tashi Wangmo, Nitartha Institute Canada Publications, at tashi@nitartha-institute.org. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. For Additional Information:
Susan Busby: svbusby@gmail.com
Sandra Roscoe, PhD : sandra@nitartha-institute.org
This program is the basis for penetrating the meaning and practices of the Mahayana and Vajrayana paths of Tibetan Buddhism Mind and Its World 2 focuses on the study of mind and mental events, causes, conditions, and results as applied to both mind and the objects that it perceives, the twelve links of interdependence, and karma cause and effect. MW2 continues the development of valid cognition as outlined in MW1 through the examination, and definition of mental events coupled with the activity of cultivating valid cognition as path. Debate 1 teaches correct reasoning, the awareness of relationships among the elements of a correct reason, the formulation of incorrect reasonings based on invalid, contradictory, or uncertain reasons, and how to apply the use of reasonings in debate. Discussion Groups and Analytical Meditation Classes include discussion groups and Analytical Meditation on topics arising from curriculum. Faculty Karl Brunnholzl Stephanie Johnston Israel Lifshitz Location Nalandabodhi New York , 324 West 23rd Street #2A , New York, NY 10011. Phone: 212-399-2193 Meeting Dates & Times March 26 - April 4, 2010 Public Talk: Friday, March 26 at 7pm Begins: March 27 at 9 am Ends: April 4 at Noon Format 9-Day Program Fees $700.00 (includes $100 suggested teacher's gift) Early Bird Special: $650 (If paid in full by March 1, 2010) (includes $100 suggested teacher's gift) Repeat Course: $260 (includes suggested teacher's gift of $100) Required Texts Please order your texts before the class begins from Tashi Wangmo, Nitartha Institute Canada Publications, at tashi@nitartha-institute.org. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. For Additional Information:
Sasha Persists: spers7@gmail.com Sandra Roscoe, PhD : sandra@nitartha-institute.org
Mind and Its World 2 focuses on the study of mind and mental events, causes, conditions, and results as applied to both mind and the objects that it perceives, the twelve links of interdependence, and karma cause and effect. Discussion Groups and Analytical Meditation Classes include discussion groups and introduction to Analytical Meditation on topics arising from curriculum. The program provides a basis for Path incorporating Study and Experience. This Hinayana based program is "foundational" and will enhance further studies in the Mahayana. Debate 1 teaches correct reasoning, the awareness of relationships among the elements of a correct reason, the formulation of incorrect reasonings based on invalid, contradictory, or uncertain reasons, and how to apply the use of reasonings in debate. Faculty Scott Wellenbach June Crow Location To be announced Halifax, CA Meeting Times March 30 (or April 6) to May 25 (or June 1) 9 consecutive week nights and 4 Saturdays (Specific dates to be announced) Format Semester Fees $450 CA (includes $100 suggested teacher's gift) $180 (Repeat Course) Required Texts Please order your texts before the class begins from Tashi Wangmo, Nitartha Institute Canada Publications, at tashi@nitartha-institute.org. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. For Additional Information:
Michael Speraw: msperaw@up-lift.com Sandra Roscoe, PhD : sandra@nitartha-institute.org
Mind and Its World 2 focuses on the study of mind and mental events, causes, conditions, and results as applied to both mind and the objects that it perceives, the twelve links of interdependence, and karma cause and effect. Discussion Groups and Analytical Meditation Classes include discussion groups and introduction to Analytical Meditation on topics arising from curriculum. The program provides a basis for Path incorporating Study and Experience. This Hinayana based program is "foundational" and will enhance further studies in the Mahayana. Debate 1 teaches correct reasoning, the awareness of relationships among the elements of a correct reason, the formulation of incorrect reasonings based on invalid, contradictory, or uncertain reasons, and how to apply the use of reasonings in debate. Faculty Stuart Horn Kim Colwell (to be confirmed) Location Maitrivana Nalandabodhi Vancouver 4610 Earles Street Vancouver, British Columbia V5R 3R2 Meeting Dates & Times May 7 - May 15, 2010 Public Talk: Friday, May 7 at 7pm Begins : May 8 at 9 am Ends: May 15 at Noon Format 9-Day Program Fees Full Price: $490 CA (includes suggested teacher's gift of $100) Nalandabodhi Member: $460 CA (includes suggested teacher's gift of $100) Repeat Course: $260 CA (includes suggested teacher's gift of $100) Required Texts Please order your texts before the class begins from Tashi Wangmo, Nitartha Institute Canada Publications, at tashi@nitartha-institute.org. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. For Additional Information:
Nancy Pollak: npollak@portal.ca Sandra Roscoe, PhD : sandra@nitartha-institute.org
Course Description Nītārtha Institute is offering a Tibetan Language Course. The class will be broken into two units -- Classical and Colloquial. Classical: Students will be introduced to written Tibetan language. They will learn to read and understand grammar. They will be introduced to topics about Tibetan culture, philosophy, and history. This unit of study will prepare students to translate the written language of Tibetan Buddhism. Colloquial: Students will be taught Tibetan by a native speaker who will introduce them to the spoken Tibetan language. This unit of study will prepare students to travel to Tibetan speaking areas of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. Faculty Marcus Perman Acharya Lhakpa Tsering (to be confirmed) Guest translators and scholars: Classes will be supplemented by visits from some of the senior translators and other Tibetan speakers in the Seattle area. Location Nalanda West
3902 Woodland Park Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103 Meeting Dates & Times January 11 - June 7, 2010 (with a 2 week break) Monday and Thursday evening classes 7 - 9pm Begins: January 11 at 7pm Ends: June 7th Format 20 weeks 40 classes (weekly classes meet two times a week) Fees Tuition: $800 Required Texts Please order your text before the class begins The Manual of Standard Tibetan Other supporting materials will be provided by the teachers. For Additional Information:
Marcus Perman: marcus.perman@gmail.com Sandra Roscoe, PhD: sandra@nitartha-institute.org
Course Description The Nitartha online review courses provide a framework for understanding how humans create suffering for themselves and others through their relationship to the dualism of subject and object and how we can work with such dualism as the basis for the Buddhist path. Weekly audio lectures by Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen will be accompanied by a discussion group led by the facilitators. Audio lectures will be in downloadable format (MP3 and RealMedia). There will be reading assignments as well as study questions available for each talk. Most audio lectures will be 1 hr 10 min. long. How is such an online course going to work? Each week a new lecture and discussion forum will appear for the students. There is no real time class meeting requirement, but it is expected that the students will listen to the audio lecture some time at the beginning of each given week, do the reading assignment, go through the study questions and post a contribution to the discussion group before the end of the week. On the following Monday the class will move to the new week's material with new audio lecture posted, etc. Faculty Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen (weekly audio lectures) On line class facilitator Location On line Once the student has registered, an enrollment key will be sent Meeting Dates and Times Valid Cognition: Review Class 14 weeks, January 18 - April 25, 2010 Causes & Results: Review Class 16 weeks, January 18 - May 2, 2010 Debate: Review Class 29 weeks, September 7 - May 9, 2011 Clear Thinking: Review Class 12 weeks, September 6 - November 28, 2011 Introduction to Classifications of Reasons: Review Class 14 weeks, September 6 - December 12, 2011 Format On line (asynchronous) Prerequisites See in course descriptions below Fees $100 per class ($75.00 tuition plus $25 suggested teacher's gift) Required Texts See in course descriptions below Texts can be ordered by emailing Tashi Wangmo: tashi@nitartha-institute.org) Course Descriptions Valid Cognition The Valid Cognition course goes into a detailed analysis of the subject side of cognition. The analysis gives the divisions and definitions of the possible types of mind, specifically the types of valid and non-valid cognition, based on the first section of Classifications of Mind (Lorik) root text that provides a systematic overview of the Buddhist epistemological tradition founded by Dignaga and Dharmakirti. Prerequisite: Mind and its World 1 Required Texts: • Mind and its World 1 Workbook, Halifax, Nitartha Institute, 2007 • Gyamtso, Khenpo Tsultrim, Presentation of Classifications of Mind root text, Halifax, Nitartha Institute, 2006 Causes and Results: Review Class This course revolves around the theme of karma. It includes detailed exploration causes, conditions, and results from Collected Topics and well as the different aspects of the twelve nidanas, or chain of interdependent origination. Prerequisite: Mind and its World 2 Required Texts: • Mind and its World 2 Workbook, Halifax, Nitartha Institute, 2007 • Mind and its World 3 Workbook, Halifax, Nitartha Institute, 2007 • Gyaltsen, Acharya Lama Tenpa, Collected Topics root text, Halifax, Nitartha Institute, 2003 Debate: Review Class The purpose of this class is to advance the students' debate skills by providing ongoing, uninterrupted platform for engagement in debate. This class uses both synchronous (real time debates between pairs of students) and asynchronous (presentations and follow-up discussions about the debates) mode of delivery. Prerequisites: • Debate 1 • Finding a debate partner for weekly 1 hr. meetings, either face-to-face, or online via Skype. This course does not have any required texts Clear Thinking: Review Class The Clear Thinking course goes into a detailed analysis of the object side of cognition. The analysis is based on the first section of the Collected Topics (Düdra) root text that gives the divisions and definitions of objects of knowledge as presented in the Abhidharma tradition of Vasubandhu. Prerequisite: Clear Thinking 1 Required Texts: • Clear Thinking 1 Workbook, Halifax, Nitartha Institute, 2007 • Gyaltsen, Acharya Lama Tenpa, Collected Topics root text, Halifax, Nitartha Institute, 2003 Introduction to Classifications of Reasons: Review Class This course deals with fundamentals of Buddhist logic as presented in Classifications of Reasons. The students will study formulating reasonings with correct reasons and its three modes, seeming reasons with their classifications as well as classifications of correct reasons. This class serves as a theoretical foundation for the practice of formal debate. Prerequisite: Mind and its World 2 Required Texts • Gyamtso, Khenpo Tsultrim, Presentation of Classifications of Reasons root text, 1996-1999, Marpa Institute for Translators • Gyaltsen, Acharya Sherab, Commentary on the Presentations of the Classifications of Reasons, Nitartha Institute, 1999
2010 Annual Summer Program Nitartha Institute's 15th year It will be held at Western Washington University Bellingham, Washington July 17 - August 14, 2010 (dates to be confirmed) Session I: July 17 - July 31 Session II: Aug 1 - Aug 14 Register Now! "Incredible. It's a study program but at times felt like a retreat. It surpassed my expectations." Summer Program student Western Washington University (WWU) is about one hour and 30 minutes from Seattle and Nalanda West, North American seat of The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, our Spiritual Director. The facility at Western Washington is secluded and beautiful, perfect for the Nitartha program. The area has grand forests, mountains and ocean all within easy driving distance. There are shuttles available direct from Seatac airport to WWU, about 2 or 2 ½ hours, depending on traffic. All students are invited to attend the optional main course which may be drawn from any of the material in the Advanced, Intermediate or Foundation curriculum. In 2010, we anticipate that the main course will be taught by The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche Most courses are taught six days a week, for a total of twelve classes over a two-week session. Supporting discussion, debate and analytical meditation groups bring the subject matter to the laboratory of experience. These skillful methods allow students to probe more deeply into their understanding by providing a forum to share insights and clarify confusions. There are two two-week sessions each summer, designated as Session 1 and Session 2. The curriculum is modular and designed so that students can attend one two-week session annually. For example, if a student takes Session 1 courses one year, s/he can return the next year and attend the Session 2 courses. One can also go on to complete subsequent sessions after first completing one or more of the Regional 9 Day Programs or Semester Programs. For example, one may do Module 1 at a 9 Day Program and then complete Module 2 at the Summer Program. First-time students will take Mind & Its World I and Clear Thinking I, in addition to the optional main course. Returning students will re-enter at their level of the curriculum. For course descriptions please click here. Fees: Summer Institute 2010: Fees The program is designed to accommodate participants attending either a single two-week session or the entire month. First-time students are strongly encouraged to attend the first session, if attending only one of the two sessions. Tuition, room and board (USD) Single Session July 17 - July 31 or Aug 1 - Aug 14 Tuition Only: Tuition, Rm & Board (Double): Tuition, Rm & Board (Single): $775 $1,445 $1,485 Both Sessions July 17 - Aug 14 Tuition Only: Tuition, Rm & Board (Double): Tuition, Rm & Board (Single): Monastics (Double): Monastics (Single):
$1,525 $2,565 $2,645 $1,550 $1,595 Application deadline is May 31. A deposit of $350 US is required to reserve a place at the Institute. Please see instructions at the bottom of the application page. July 17, July 31st, and the afternoon of Aug 14th are travel days. The program ends at Noon on Aug 14th. A suggested teaching gift of $150 - $200 per session for the main teachers is requested. There is at most approximately $150 in text purchases that can be expected for first-time students. Register Now!
