Welcome to The Rime Buddhist Center’s summer curriculum. This semester Geshe Lharampa Tsewang Thinley will continue to lead classes on Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra. There are also exciting classes that will be offered on Wednesday evenings. Look for details below on these opportunities to deepen your practice with the support of fellow practitioners.

All classes meet on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 7:45-9 p.m., with an optional meditation session from 7-7:30 p.m.

Class and text fees are listed with each class. Use the links in the titles of the class to register for the various classes online. Otherwise print out the registration form and bring it with you to the class. If you have questions about a specific class, please contact Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) by email at spiritual.director@rimecenter.org.

Wednesday Evening Classes

Tier 1

Meditation Workshop CC101
Meditation has been proven to: lower blood pressure, relieve stress, and help you cope with anxiety. It has also been shown to be very effective with chronic pain, insomnia, and panic disorder. The wonderful thing about meditation is that it can be used anywhere, even on the way to work and has no dangerous side effects. In this one session class you will learn this simple technique that can change your life. This class is based upon the work of Jon Kabat-Zin of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.
Instructor: Sergio Moreno (Tenpa Dhargye) & Andrea Duloc (Dekyong Wangmo)
Date: One Session beginning September 12, 2018
Time: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: No class fee, donation suggested.
Text: No text fee.

Basics of Buddhism CC102
Have you always wanted to understand Buddhism? Buddhism is a 2,500 year old tradition that teach us how to end pain and suffering in ourselves and others. This 12 week course will cover: meditation instruction, the life of the Buddha, basic Buddhist teachings, the three schools of Buddhism, and much more.
Instructor: Sergio Moreno (Tenpa Dhargye) & Andrea Duloc (Dekyong Wangmo)
Date: 12 Sessions beginning on Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Time: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $50 class fee (for the entire twelve week course)
Text: Basics of Buddhism – $20

Preparing for the Refuge Vows CC103
This class is for anyone who is contemplating on taking the refuge vows. Taking the refuge vows is generally considered to be the doorway to the learning and incorporating the Buddhist tenets into one’s life. The aim is to provide the student with the understanding the what, why and how before making the commitment to take the refuge vows.
Instructor: Nora Quiason, MD (Swami Kuvirananda) and Luis Flores (Dakpa Gelek)
Date: Two Sessions beginning on Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Time: 7:45 – 9:00 p.m.
Class Fee: $30 Class fee
Text: None, Handouts will be given
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism

Tier 2

The Mahayana Path and the Four Boundless Attitudes CC204
Bodhichitta is the indispensable prerequisite for achieving non-abiding nirvana and is the fusion of the skillful means of compassion and the wisdom of emptiness. It arises in the mind through repeated training in the four boundless attitudes, whereby a person’s thoughts and actions are transformed into the path of the Mahayana. This class will focus on understanding each of the four boundless attitudes; compassion, loving kindness, joy, and equanimity. The class will also look at understanding what Bodhichitta is and how one cultivates it in our practice.
Instructor: Nora Quiason, MD (Swami Kuvirananda) and Luis Flores (Dakpa Gelek)
Dates: Four sessions beginning on Wednesday September 5, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Treasury of Precious Qualities: Book One – $34.95
Prerequisite: Tier 1

The Mahayana Path and Bodhisattva Precepts CC205
All the Buddhas of the three times-those who have come in the past, those who appear at the present time, and those who will come in the future – when on the path of learning, listen to scriptures that set forth the six paramitas. They reflect upon their meaning and train in them on the path. In their example this class will focus on the study of the four precepts of aspiration bodhichitta, and the six paramitas of bodhichitta in action.
Instructor: Dr. Teri Brody (Özer Chenmo) and Ray Porter (Tenzin Kunphen)
Dates: Four sessions beginning on Wednesday October 10, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Treasury of Precious Qualities: Book One – $34.95
Prerequisite: Tier 1

Parting from the Four Attachments CC206
In this final class for the Tier 2 series of classes we will be studying the famous Sakya text Parting from the Four Attachments by Sachen Kunga Nyingpo. This text incorporates all the practices of the path of the Mahayana in a succinct instruction. The text shows us that if we truly want to be Dharma practitioners and to benefit sentient beings then we must relinquish our attachments to this life, to saṃsāra, to our own self-interest, and to self-existence.
Instructor: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) & Jesse Rupp (Orgyen Samten Rabga)
Dates: Four sessions beginning on Wednesday November 28, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Parting from the Four Attachments – $ 22.95
Prerequisite: Tier 1

Other Classes

Basics of Tantra
Have you received and empowerment from a teacher and asked to do a tantric practice, but you are unsure what it all means? The Buddhist teachings can be classified into two divisions, which represent two approaches to enlightenment, Sutra and Tantra. Sutra referred to as the ‘Casual Vehicle’ because the practices consist of assembling the causes that will lead to liberation. Tantra however, is referred to as the ‘Resultant Vehicle’ because the practices take fruition as the path by regarding buddhahood as inherently present and regarding the path as the act of uncovering or revealing this basic state. This class will introduce you to tantric initiations and preliminary practices as well as the creation and completion practices. It will also look at both Mahamudra and Dzogchen practices and end with a sadhana practicum.
Instructor: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha)
Dates: Six sessions on Wednesdays, beginning on September 20, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Basics of Tantra – $20
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism and have received an empowerment