Meditate in South London

Introductory talk: Joining the Foundation Programme - A Meaningful Life

If you have attended regular beginners’ classes, you may wish to take the next step and join the Foundation Programme.

There will be an introductory talk about joining the Foundation Programme (FP) Sunday September 5th 1:30-3:30pm with Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Sangye. If you are interested in attending please contact the EPC or call the Centre.  Our contact details can be found on this page.

In this talk you will learn what is involved in joining FP and what it means to engage in a study programme including the many benefits that come from deepening our understanding of Buddha’s teachings.’

What is the Foundation Programme?

The Foundation Programme (FP) provides a systematic presentation of the basic subjects of Mahayana Buddhism. Its format provides a perfect basis for developing our understanding and integrating the teachings into our daily lives.

‘By increasing our wisdom and dharma experience

we will gradually solve all our problems.’

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - Introductory Talk on the Foundation Programme.

By studying on this program we will gain confidence in meditation.
‘It is a special opportunity that brings our study to life’ FP student, Jackie.

The Benefits of Studying and Practising these Texts

• Joyful Path of Good Fortune - we gain the ability to put all Buddha’s teachings of both Sutra and Tantra into practice. We can easily make progress on and complete the stages of the path to the supreme happiness of enlightenment. From a practical point of view, Lamrim is the main body of Buddha’s teachings, and the other teachings are like its limbs.
• Universal Compassion - we gain the ability to integrate Buddha’s teachings into our daily lives and solve all our human problems.
• Heart of Wisdom - we gain a realization of the ultimate nature of reality. By gaining this realization we can eliminate the ignorance of self-grasping, which is the root of all our suffering.
• Meaningful to Behold - we transform our daily activities into the Bodhisattva’s way of life, thereby making every moment of our human life meaningful.
• Understanding the Mind - we understand the relationship between our mind and its external objects. If we understand that objects depend upon the subjective mind, we can change the way objects appear to us by changing our own mind. Gradually we shall gain the ability to control our mind and in this way solve all our problems.
• Eight Steps to Happiness - we can learn how to develop love based on genuine cherishing of others; how to gain practical instructions on transforming life’s difficulties; and we receive essential advice for developing compassion and wisdom

About the Texts Studied on the Foundation Programme (FP)

FP provides an opportunity to deepen our understanding and experience of Buddhism through a systematic study of six texts:

• Joyful Path of Good Fortune - a commentary to Atisha’s Lamrim instructions, the stages of the path to enlightenment
• Universal Compassion - a commentary to Bodhisattva Chekhawa’s Training the Mind in Seven Points
• Heart of Wisdom - a commentary to the Heart Sutra
• Meaningful to Behold - a commentary to Venerable Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life
• Understanding the Mind - a detailed explanation of the mind based on the works of the Buddhist scholars Dharmakirti and Dignaga
• Eight Steps to Happiness - a commentary to Geshe Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind

Join the Foundation Programme

If you have attended regular beginners’ classes, you may wish to take the next step and join the Foundation Programme. If you are interested in joining please contact the Education Programme Coordinator at Dorjechang Centre.

There are currently two programmes:

• Sundays 1:30-3:30 & 5-7pm, studying Joyful Path of Good Fortune with Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Sangye
• Wednesdays 7:30-9:30pm, studying Eights Steps to Happiness: A one class a week programme for those who are unable to attend two classes a week.

Fees:

• Sunday FP cost is £50 per month and includes any other meditation classes you attend and discount at Dorjechang Centre events.
• Wednesday FP cost is £25 per month.