Three Study Programmes

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has designed three special spiritual study programmes for the systematic study and practice of Kadampa Buddhism that are especially suited to the modern world: the General Programme, the Foundation Program, and the Teacher Training Program.

GENERAL PROGRAM

The General Program (GP) is taught at every center for Modern Kadampa Buddhism and is an ideal starting point for those interested to find out more about the practical application of Buddhism and meditation to modern life.

It consists of a wide range of events from regular weekly classes and entry-level courses to Tantric empowerments and long retreats. All of the teachings are based on books by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.All GP classes are open to everyone. Anyone, even non-Buddhists, can benefit from these classes, which include practical subjects such as how to use meditation to solve our anger problem, which lies at the root of many family problems. This activity is completely peaceful and joyful and is very important as protection against future suffering.

We also have special classes for families and children.

The program comprises the following five subjects, based on Buddha’s Sutra teachings and the corresponding commentaries by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche:

1. The Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, based on the commentary Joyful Path of Good Fortune

2. Training the Mind, based on the commentaries Universal Compassion and The New Eight  Steps to Happiness

3. The Heart Sutra, based on the commentary The New Heart of Wisdom

4. Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, based on the commentary Meaningful to Behold

5. Types of Mind, based on the commentary How to Understand the Mind

The benefits of studying and practicing these texts are as follows:

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, the Stages of the Path, or Lamrim, is the main body of Buddha’s teachings, and the other teachings are like its limbs.

Universal Compassion and The New Eight Steps to Happiness – we gain the ability to integrate Buddha’s teachings into our daily life and solve all our human problems.

The New 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 that 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.

How to Understand 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.

The Foundation Program takes approximately five years to complete and requires an enrollment procedure. Click here to see the current book we are studying and how to enrol.

FOUNDATION PROGRAM

The purpose of the Foundation Program (FP) is to provide a systematic presentation of particular subjects of Mahayana Buddhism to enable practitioners to deepen their knowledge and experience of Buddhism.

TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

The purpose of the Teacher Training Program (TTP) is to provide an extensive presentation of particular subjects of Mahayana Buddhism to enable practitioners to deepen their knowledge and experience of Buddhism, and to train as qualified Teachers of Modern Buddhism.

The Teacher Training Program is currently not offered at Amoghasiddhi Centre.