What: Ten-day Retreat on Madhyamakavatara (Entry into the Middle Way) by Acharya Chandrakirti
When: 14-23 April 2015
Where: Deer Park Institute, Bir
Who: Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul

Acharya Chandrakirti’s Madhyamakavatara is a classic commentary on Arya Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika. It elucidates the true import of Arya Nagarjuna’s mangnum opus by clearly bringing out the meaning of the Ultimate Reality through an insight into Dependent Origination. Madhyamakavatara also expands upon several points in the Sutra of the Ten Bhumis (Dashabhumika Sutra).

The path to enlightenment can be viewed in terms of the ground, path and result. The ground is the two truths of emptiness and dependent origination. The path consists of the wisdom and method, which one engages in through understanding the two truths; emptiness being the basis of the wisdom aspect and dependent origination of the method aspect. The result can be seen as two-fold as well, the realisation of wisdom gives rise to the dharmakaya and of the method aspect of the path to the rupakaya. Thus, understanding the two truths leads to the two paths, which in turn leads to the two resultant states of the dharmakaya and the rupakaya. This text covers the profound aspect of Arya Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika, whose subject matter can be understood in essence as emptiness, as well as the vast aspect related to the paths and the bhumis.

Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul la will also bring in explanations from “‘Thorough Elucidation of the Intent: An Extensive Exposition of ‘Entering the Middle Way’”, by Lama Tsongkhapa, one of the most elaborate and precise commentaries on Acharya Chandrakirti’s text.

For information, see www.deerpark.in/programs/schedule/madhyamakavatara-entry-into-the-middle-way-by-acharya-chandrakirti/