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
Preparing for Retreat
This class will look at what is required for us to enter into a personal retreat. We will be using Longchenpa’s classic text ‘Finding Rest in Meditation’. We will explorer the main points of meditation, namely, where one should meditated, what qualities a practitioner should possess and develop, and what should be practiced.
Instructor: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha)
Dates: Four sessions on Wednesdays, beginning on June 6, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Finding Rest in Meditation: Trilogy of Rest, Volume 2 – $24.95
Prerequisite: Tier 1
Understanding Karma…or at least trying
The practice of the Dharma is about working with and exhausting our karma. It is important that we have an understanding of its workings and why our practice cannot be independent of that understanding. This course will seek to understand what the Buddha understood, taught and meant when he spoke of karma.
Instructor: Jesse Rupp (Orgyen Samten Rabga)
Dates: Four sessions on Wednesdays, beginning on July 11, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Karma: What It Is, What It Isn’t, Why It Matters – $15.95
Prerequisite: Tier 1
Walking with Tara the Liberator
The female Buddhist deity Tara is an object of devotional worship and meditative practice for Tibetan Buddhists everywhere, both male and female. She clears away fears, overpowers negative emotions, and enables all beings to reach enlightenment. She has special resonance as a source of female spiritual wisdom. This class will focus of understanding who Tara is at both the relative and ultimate level as well as the contemplative meditations in relation to the myriad aspects of Tara that works to transform the practitioner’s mind into those enlightened qualities and mind states that Tara represents.
Instructor: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha)
Dates: Five sessions on Wednesdays, beginning on August 8, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Tara’s Enlightened Activity – $16.95
Prerequisite: Tier 1
Thursday Evening Classes Tier 3
The Way of the Bodhisattva CC304 – Thursdays
Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions, The Way of the Bodhisattva is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment, and to generating the qualities of love, compassion, generosity, and patience. This text has been studied, practiced, and expounded upon in an unbroken tradition for centuries, first in India, and later in Tibet. Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse, it outlines the path of the Bodhisattvas—those who renounce the peace of individual enlightenment and vow to work for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake. This class will cover chapter 4 on how we engage in the Bodhichitta conduct of conscientiousness.
Instructor: Geshe Lharampa Tsewang Thinley and Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha)
Dates: Four sessions on Thursdays, beginning on June 7, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: The Way of the Bodhisattva – $16.95
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism and have received an empowerment
The Way of the Bodhisattva CC305 – Thursdays
Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions, The Way of the Bodhisattva is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment, and to generating the qualities of love, compassion, generosity, and patience. This text has been studied, practiced, and expounded upon in an unbroken tradition for centuries, first in India, and later in Tibet. Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse, it outlines the path of the Bodhisattvas—those who renounce the peace of individual enlightenment and vow to work for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake. This class will cover chapter 5 on how we engage in the Bodhichitta conduct of vigilance.
Instructor: Geshe Lharampa Tsewang Thinley and Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha)
Dates: Four sessions on Thursdays, beginning on July 5, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: The Way of the Bodhisattva – $16.95
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism and have received an empowerment
The Way of the Bodhisattva CC306 – Thursdays
Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions, The Way of the Bodhisattva is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment, and to generating the qualities of love, compassion, generosity, and patience. This text has been studied, practiced, and expounded upon in an unbroken tradition for centuries, first in India, and later in Tibet. Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse, it outlines the path of the Bodhisattvas—those who renounce the peace of individual enlightenment and vow to work for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake. This class will cover chapter 6 on how we engage in the Bodhichitta conduct of patience.
Instructor: Geshe Lharampa Tsewang Thinley and Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha)
Dates: Four sessions on Thursdays, beginning on August 2, 2018
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: The Way of the Bodhisattva – $16.95
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism and have received an empowerment
Membership and Vows
Rime Membership Class – Wednesdays
Becoming an official member of the Rime Center demonstrates your support of the Center. In addition, members receive benefits, such as discounts and invitations to special “members only” programs. The four half-hour sessions cover the following topics: 1. Introductions, and over view of Tibetan Buddhism; 2. What does it mean to be Rime; 3. The organizational structure of the Rime Center and explanation of the center’s outreach programs; 4. Program Events and service opportunities – along with a tour of the Rime Center. Upon completion of the classes, students are inducted as new members of the Rime Center sangha and are given a mala personally blessed by H.H. Dalai Lama.
Instructor: Sergio Moreno (Yeshi Garkyi Wangchuk) & Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha)
Dates: Four sessions on Wednesdays, beginning on July 25, 2018
Times: 6:00 – 6:30 pm
Class Fee: No fees
Prerequisite: None
Lay Pratimoksha Vows – Sunday
The pratimoksha vows or vows of ‘individual liberation’ mainly emphasize disciplining one’s physical behavior and not harming others. Pratimoksha discipline is called the foundation of Buddhism because for ordinary people physical discipline is the beginning of spiritual training and the basis of spiritual progress. The lay vows consist of taking the five lay vows which are: 1)not to kill, 2) not to steal, 3) not to lie, 4) not to commit sexual misconduct, and 5) not to take any intoxicants. The format will consist of a teaching session by Lama Matthew Rice and ending with the refuge ceremony given by Geshe Thinley. No fees but dana to the teacher is suggested. After the service we will have a potluck, so please bring dish to share.
Preceptor: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha)
Dates: One session on Sunday July 15, 2018
Prerequisite: Tier 1 Classes and Refuge Vows