Past Philosophy Programs

Kashmir Shavism

Texts taught March 2006 – September 2009

  • The Sutra on the Recollection of the Noble Three Jewels taught by Dzongsar Khyentese Rinpoche with Sanskrit readings by Raji Ramannan (March 2006)
  • Atisha’s Bodhipathpradipa / Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment taught by Geshe Lhak-dor  (June 2006 in English and July 2008 in Hindi) accompanied by readings and discus-sion of the Sanskrit translation led by Raji Ramanan.
  • Chandrakirti’s Madhyamikavatara taught by Khenpo Sonam Tashi  (December 2006-February 2007 and September-October 2008)
  • Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara full text taught by Abu Rinpoche and Lama Sonam Phunt-sok  (April-May 2007);
  • Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara Ninth chapter on Wisdom taught by Lama Sonam Phunt-sok (May-June 2008);  
  • Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara First chapter (start of a multi-year series) taught by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche (September 2008);
  • Parting from the Four Attachments (instructions given by Manjushri to Sachen Kunga Nyingpo) taught by His Holiness Sakya Trizin (March 2008);
  • The Sutra Responding to a Query on What Happens After Death- Sanskrit-"Ayuspattiyathakaraparipricchasutra" taught by Lharampa Geshe Damdul Namgyal (June 2008);
  • Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras taught by Ani Pema Chodron (Dayananda) (September-October 2008);
  • Sakya Pandita’s Sakya Lekshe (‘Elegant Sayings’), a famous collection of mind-training aphorisms by Sakya Pandita. taught by Khenpo Choying Dorje  (November 2008);
  • Thogme Zangpo’s The Thirty-seven Practices of a Bodhisattva taught by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche (April 2009);
  • Praises to Twenty-One Taras from the Sanskrit Canon taught by Raji Ramanan (May & October 2009);
  • H.H. 14th Dalai Lama’s Illuminating the Threefold Faith: An Invocation of the Seventeen Great Scholarly Adepts of Nalanda, taught by Geshe Lhakdor (in Hindi, July 2009);
  • Je Tsongkhapa’s Concise Stages of the Path to Enlightenment taught by Ven. Losang Norbu Shastri of CIHTS, Sarnath (in Hindi, July 2009);
  • Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, taught by Dr. Bettina Baumer (September 2009);


 
General Philosophy Teachings & Courses  

  • ‘Heart Essence of the Buddhadharma’  by Sogyal Rinpoche  (2 days, October 2006);
  • ‘Buddhism, the Brain, and Science’  by Mingyur Rinpoche  (5 days, October 2006);
  • ‘Buddhism & Science’  by Mingyur Rinpoche  (5 days, September 2007);
  • ‘Heart Advice’  by H.E Dorzong Rinpoche, an renowned Buddhist scholar and meditation master.  (3 days, October 2007);
  • ‘The Non-sectarian Tradition of Jamyang Khyentse and Jamgon Kongtrul’ by Khenpo Phuntsok Namgyal of Dzongsar Institute (Tibet)  (2 days, October 2007);
  • ‘Wisdom & Method’ (Prajna and Upaya)  by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche  (3 days, November 2007);
  • ‘The Importance of Spiritual Practice in Modern Times’  by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche  (2 days, May 2008);
  • ‘From Nalanda to Gandhi & Tagore, Civilizational Streams of Indian Thought’  led by Prof. Prabodh Parikh (10 days, October 2008 & 2009);
  • ‘The Six Paramitas’  by Mingyur Rinpoche  (2 days, November 2008);
  • ‘The Profound Method for Bringing Forth the Nature of Mind’ by Sogyal Rinpoche (2 days, April 2009);
  • ‘How Negative Thoughts Create Our Difficulties’ by Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo (2 days, October, 2009). Jetsunma, a regular visitor to Deer Park, has also given a number of general Dharma talks and Q&A during other programs.
  • ‘Thus Spoke Hinduism & Buddhism’, a 9-day workshop on Buddhist Philosophical systems,  and key Sanskrit Buddhist liturgies, led by Prof. Narayan Prasad Rijal (October 2009)