Tag Archives: Deer Park

Introduction to the Middle Way: Teachings on Chandrakirti’s Madhyamakavatara @ Deer Park (12-16 May & 15-17 June)

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What: Series of Buddhist Teachings on Chandrakirti’s Madhyamakavatara
When: 12-16 May (part 1) & 15-17 June (part 2)
Where: Deer Park Institute
Who: Khenpo Choying Dorjee

Introduction to the Middle Way

The Madhyamakavatara, considered to be a masterpiece on the Madhyamika “Middle Way” philosophy, is a treatise on the two types of selflessness composed by one of the most well-known Indian Buddhist panditas, Chandrakirti.

Chandrakirti’s work is a commentary on the Mula-Madhyamaka treatise of Nagarjuna. The Mula-Madhyamaka treatise is itself a systemization of the Prajnaparamita or “Perfection of Wisdom” literature – the sutras on the crucial but elusive concept of emptiness. The Madhyamakavatara of Chandkirti expresses both the profound aspect of Nagarjuna’s Mula-Madhyamaka, namely emptiness, as well as the vast aspect – the paths and bhumis of the bodhisattva. The Madhyamakavatara has eleven chapters, each addressing one of the ten ‘perfections’ (Sanskrit: paramita) fulfilled by the Bodhisattvas as they traverse the ten ‘stages’ (Sanskrit: bhumi) to Buddhahood, the subject of the 11th chapter.
Khenpo Choying Dorje’s classes on the Madhamakavatara will be divided into 5 series. For the 1st series, Khenpo will cover the first five chapters.

Khenpo Choying Dorjee

Khenpo Choying Dorjee is one of the senior Khenpos and assistant principal at the renowned Buddhist college Dzongsar Khyentse Chokyi Lodro Institute. He received his Khenpo degree from Dzongsar Institute in 2002 after completing twelve years of study. He also received a special Khenpo degree from His Holiness Dalai Lama in 2004.

Khenpo Choying Dorjer has been teaching at Dzongsar Institute since 1998 and he was the Sakya scholar representative at a number of international conferences and workshops. From 2007, he started giving teachings in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and USA. In response to an adornment project of Khyentse Foundation, Khenpo recently went to University of California in Berkeley for a 5-month stay as visiting scholar in the Department of Southeast Asian Studies. Khenpo’s teaching at Deer Park will be in English.

For more information: http://www.deerpark.in/programs/schedule/introduction-to-the-middle-way-2/

Words of My Perfect Teacher: A Dharma Talk with Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche (5-6 May)

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What: Dharma talk on the classic text Words of My Perfect Teacher
When: May 5-6, 2012
Where: Deer Park Institute, Bir Tibetan Colony
Who: Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

Words of My Perfect Teacher

Deer Park is very honored to host three talks by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche on, “Words of My Perfect Teacher”, one of the favourite works of practioners of Tibetan Buddhisim and recommended by many senior Buddhist masters. This practical guide to inner transformation introduces the fundamental spiritual practices common to all Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Patrul Rinpoche, the author of this book, makes the technicalities of his subject accessible through a wealth of stories and references to everyday life. It is a wonderful opportunity to go through this text with Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche.

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche was recognized as an incarnation of Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye and trained extensively in all aspects of Buddhist doctrine, with an emphasis on the Rime tradition of Khyentse, Kongtrul and Chokgyur Lingpa. After moving to the United States in 1989, Rinpoche founded Mangala Shri Bhuti, an organization established to further the study and practice of the Buddhadharma in the West. Rinpoche is the author of two books, It’s Up to You: The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path, and Light Comes Through: Buddhist Teachings on Awakening to our Natural Intelligence. He is also an avid painter in the abstract expressionist tradition well as an aspiring photographer. Rinpoche travels widely throughout the world teaching and furthering his own education.

For more information: http://www.deerpark.in/programs/schedule/words-of-my-perfect-teacher-2/

 

 

Discovering the Truth: Meditation Retreat @ Deer Park (30 April – 4 May)

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What: Meditation Retreat
When: April 30-May 4,2012
Where: Deer Park Institute, Bir
Who: Venerable Aggacitta and Melitis Kwong

Discovering the Truth

Introductory Buddhism and meditation 5-Day Retreat

“The main purpose of spiritual path is awakening. This awakening isn’t some supernatural awakening. It’s awakening to the truth.”
— Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche

Buddhism is not religion in the usual sense of the word. It is a method of investigation and contemplation that allows you to work skillfully with the positive potentials and negative energies of your own mind in order to achieve a wakeful state of well being.

In this 5 day introductory course on Buddhism and meditation, we’ll explore the basic principles of the different schools of Buddhism. The facilitators will present an overview of the history, philosophy and practices of the Buddhist path through Dharma talks, discussions, teaching DVD and meetings with Lamas and Khenpos in the near by monastery.

The program will include guided sitting and walking meditation, silent reflection periods and personal interviews with the meditation instructors.

Faculty:

Venerable Aggacitta is a Theravada monk from Japan. He trained under the Burmese and Sri Lanka Buddhist monastic tradition for 9 years. He has been studying under various teachers of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

Melitis Kwong is a long time student of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. She has completed a 3-year retreat in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

For more information: http://www.deerpark.in/programs/schedule/discovering-the-truth/

Tuning Fork Film Workshop (24-29 April @ Deer Park)

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What: Film workshop

When: 24-29 April, 2012

Where: Deer Park Institute

Who: Ankit Pogula and Sachi Maniar

Description: Tuning Fork Film Workshops are about learning how to make films with minimum resources, how to get creative in filmmaking and above all how to evaluate the relevance of what one wants to convey through this powerful and captivating medium.

During the course of the workshop, through different exercises and activities participants will learn to script, storyboard, shoot, edit and finally export one’s ‘own’ film. It is a process that involves creativity, teamwork and self-reflection.

For more information: http://www.deerpark.in/programs/schedule/tuning-fork-film-workshop/

Travel Writing with Meaning (March 23-25 2012)

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What: Workshop on Travel Writing with Meaning
Who: Janet Thomas
When: March 23-25, 2012
Where: Deer Park Institute

Wherever we go, we takes ourselves with us. Travel writing is about the inner journey, the outer landscape, the politics of place and people, and the ways in which we navigate through the mundane, the sublime and the terrifying. It is also an opportunity to wake up to the “other” in ways that can help heal the world. How do we write and travel at the same time? What’s the difference between a travel blog and a travel book? How do we transform our personal journey into a universal experience? “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” (Mark Twain) Good travel writing is too.

Read more at the Deer Park website › 

 

Introduction to Jainism (March 2012)

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What: Introduction to Jainism
When: 13-17 March 2012
Who: Samani Aagam Pragjna and Samani Rohit Pragya
Where: Deer Park Institute

Jainsim prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. It is one of the oldest Indian religions and has one of the richest heritages of learning and culture, together with a tradition of tolerance and synthesis. Jains have significantly influenced and contributed to ethical, political and economic spheres in India. As Jains have an ancient tradition of scholarship, they currently have the highest degree of literacy for a religious community in India and their libraries are the oldest in the country. Introduction to Jainism is presented by faculty members of Jain Vishva Bharati University in Ladnun, Rajasthan.

Read more at the Deer Park website ›

 

Dialogue Between Buddhism & Jainism (12 March 2012)

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When: 12 March, 2012
Who: Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Samani Agama Prajna, Ven. Dhammananda, Raji Ramanan
Where: Deer Park

While India has cradled many spiritual traditions, it has also been known to encourage a practice of dialogue in an atmosphere of utmost respect to the other. Historical evidence suggest that important traditions of Buddhism and Jainism took birth in this land. Gautama Buddha and Vardhamana Mahavira preached  religious  philosophy  in  almost the same geographical territory. Their ideas and doctrines had differences but that did not come in the way for the faithful ones to make their own choices and decisions . Over centuries the practice of dialogue has continued.

 

The Four Noble Truths (March 2012)

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What: Teaching on the Four Noble Truths based on the Pali Canon
Who: Ven. Bhikkhuni Dhammananda
When: 7-11 March, 2012
Where: Deer Park Institute

The Four Noble Truths (Cattāri ariyasaccāni in Pali) — the truth of suffering, the truth of origin of suffering, the truth of cessation of suffering, and the truth of the path leading to cessation — formed part of the first sermon Buddha gave after he attained enlightenment.  Buddha expounded this teaching in Deer Park, at Sarnath near Varanasi, and this teaching has been kept alive ever since. In this 5-day program, Venerable Dhammananda will give commentary based on the Pali text on the Four Noble Truths Teaching. There will be morning and evening daily guided meditation. In addition, a small booklet will be available for participants to further their study and understanding.