Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo – Letter to a Friend (15-17 Apr 2020)

Jetsunma Tenzin PalmoWhat: Teaching on Nagarjuna’s ‘Letter to a Friend’
When: 15-17 April 2020
Where: Deer Park Institute, Bir
Who: Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

Letter to a Friend (Skt. Suhṛllekha; Tib. བཤེས་པའི་སྤྲིང་ཡིག་, shepé tring yik, Wyl. bshes pa’i spring yig) — a shastra by Nagarjuna, which belongs to his Collection of Advice.
Nagarjuna (1st-2nd century A.D.) wrote this celebrated poem as a letter of advice to his friend King Gautamiputra/Satavahana.

This advice gives a concise and comprehensive introduction to the entire path and practice of Buddhism. It guides both householders and the ordained onto the path leading to liberation and enlightenment. The instructions are of special interest to those who wish to take up spiritual activity while continuing to live and work in society; they are meant to convey the whole meaning of the Dharma to the ordinary person in a language and style that are easy to understand.

Despite its short length (123 verses), it covers the whole Mahayana path with unusual clarity and memorable imagery; thus it is widely quoted by Tibet’s great masters and scholars in the many commentaries they have written on the Buddhist path.

Commentary recommended
“Nagarjuna’s Letter to a Friend with commentary by Kangyur Rinpoche ”

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