Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, Pali Canon, Chinese Ta-ts’ang-ching, and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’.
In this chapter of the Sūtra, the Buddha invites his disciples and bodhisattvas to visit Vimalakīrti (who is ill), but they hesitate—feeling unequipped for his penetrating questions and skillful means. This chapter introduces the tension: conventional disciples vs. the profundity Vimalakīrti embodies.
Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Teaching of Vimalakīrti” Chapter 3
Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, Pali Canon, Chinese Ta-ts’ang-ching, and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’.
In this chapter of the Sūtra, it introduces the householder-bodhisattva Vimalakīrti of Vaiśālī: his background, his profound wisdom, his mastery of skillful means (liberative art), his living in the world yet free of worldly defilement. The chapter sets the stage for his role and capacity.
Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Teaching of Vimalakīrti” Chapter 2
Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, Pali Canon, Chinese Ta-ts’ang-ching, and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’.
In this chapter of the Sūtra, the scene opens with the Buddha in the garden of Āmrapālī outside Vaiśālī, attending a large assembly. The Buddha receives offerings and then answers the question of what it means for a bodhisattva’s buddhafield (buddhakṣetra) to be purified: showing that the purification is rooted in the mind, in the activities of the bodhisattva (generosity, morality, meditation, wisdom, the four immeasurables, etc.).
Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Teaching of Vimalakīrti” Chapter 1
Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, Pali Canon, Chinese Ta-ts’ang-ching, and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. In this Sūtra, Prince Siṃha asks the Buddha about bodhisattva conduct. The Buddha responds with verses on the karmic causes of their qualities. When Siṃha and his followers vow to train, the Buddha smiles, foretelling their future buddhahood.
Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Siṃha’s Questions
Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, Pali Canon, Chinese Ta-ts’ang-ching, and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. In this Sūtra, it teaches the concept of Tathagatagarbha—the inherent Buddha-nature within all beings—and its connection to the Noble Truths. The text explains that there are two levels of these truths: a limited, intellectual understanding and a deeper, self-realized one that is only fully attained by a Buddha. We will be studying Chapter 3, Section 7 The Tathagatagarbha.
Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Sutra on The Lion’s Roar of Queen Srimala: The Tathagatagarbha
Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, Pali Canon, Chinese Ta-ts’ang-ching, and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. In this Sūtra, the Buddha explains that the true path to “companionship with Brahmā” is not through Vedic rituals or knowledge of ancient scriptures, but through the practice of mental cultivation and the four Brahma-vihāras (loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity). We will be focusing on the forth section on Teaching the Path to the Divinity.
Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Experts in the Three Vedas: Teaching the Path to the Divinity
According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, our true nature—Buddha essence—is the foundation from which all wisdom arises. In this class, we will explore how to uncover this essence through proper meditation practice, understanding its purpose, and integrating philosophy with experiential insight. Drawing on Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche’s teachings and the classical Kagyu text by Rangjung Dorje (the Third Karmapa), this class offers clarity, warmth, and gentle humor to guide practitioners of all Tibetan Buddhist schools on the path to realizing their Buddha essence.
This class will be in-person only.
Register Online
Facilitator: Lama Matthew Palden Gocha
Date: 4 sessions beginning on November 5, 2025
Time: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: On Buddha Essence: A Commentary on Rangjung Dorje’s Treatise by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche – Get it on Amazon or at the Rime Center gift shop.
At the heart of every human being lies an identical essence—the potential to awaken as a Buddha. Join us as we explore The Mirror of Mindfulness, a presentation of Tibetan Buddhist teachings on the endless cycle of experience, including the four bardos. Rooted in an authentic spiritual lineage, this concise yet profound text provides practical guidance for meeting life’s joys and sorrows with clarity, equanimity, and compassion. Its teachings have been applied by people from all walks of life—monks and kings, merchants and householders—helping them not only to endure change but to transform it into wisdom and peace.
This class will be in-person only.
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Facilitator: Lama Matthew Palden Gocha
Date: 4 sessions beginning on September 24, 2025
Time: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: The Mirror of Mindfulness byt Tsele Natsok Rangdrol – Get it on Amazon.
Come join us at the Rime Buddhist Center for an enlightening event where we will delve into the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism. Using Nāgārjuna’s classic text Letter to a Friend, this class will provide you with a foundational understanding of the Mahayana path, its principles, and practices. Whether you are new to Buddhism or seeking to deepen your knowledge, this class is open to all who are curious and eager to learn. Join us for an insightful journey into the profound teachings of Mahayana Buddhism. We look forward to seeing you there!
This class will be in-person with an online option.
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Facilitator: Hans Von Rautenfeld
Date: 6 sessions beginning on November 5, 2025
Time: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Nāgārjuna’s Letter to a Friend – Get it on Amazon or at the Rime Center gift shop.
