Samye Ling Distance-Learning Dharma Study Programme Overview (subject to variation as course progresses)

YearOne

Optional2weekStudyIntensive:MaitreyasChangelessNature

StudyWeekend1:TheTwoTruthsandBuddhaNature

TheBuddha:TheLifeoftheBuddha,theThreeKayaandBuddhaNature(brief)

StudyWeekend2:Refuge,PreceptsandtheBodhisattvaVow

TheDharma:IntroductiontotheThreeTurningsofWheelofDharma TheFirstNobleTruth:suffering5SkandhasandcosmologytheSixRealms TheSecondNobleTruth:thecausesofsufferingignorance,duality,defilementandkarma. Interdependence1:TheTwelveLinksofInterdependence.

StudyWeekend3:historyandorigins

TheThirdNobleTruth:NirvanaandEnlightenment. TheFourthNobleTruth:thePathofPeace,PartOne5PhasesinHinayana&Mahayana, PartTwo Mindfulness,. TheFourthNobleTruth:thePathofPeace,Purification&Accumulation TheSangha.Refuge.Vows(brief)Pratimoksa. Compassionandvoidness.SecondTurning...Mahayana..

April Module1Maytopic 2Junetopic 3JulyorAugusttopic 4Septembertopic 5Octobertopic 6Novembertopic January 7Januarytopic 8Februarytopic

StudyWeekend4:UsingthePreciousHumanLifetothefull:MahayanaandVajrayanapractice

TheThirdTurning:AbriefstudyofBuddhaNature.TheViewandtheTwoTruths. TibetanBuddhisminpractice:PreciousHumanLife.TheKadampaThreeTypesofDharmaPerson.

FourDharmasofGampopa. ThedevelopmentofBuddhisminTibet.Impermanence

Optional2weekStudyIntensive:GampopasOrnamentofPreciousLiberation StudyWeekend5:OverviewofBodhisattvaConduct

9Marchtopic: April April 10Apriltopic YearTwo

BriefsectiononDharmaMasters;Love,CompassionandBodhicitta: TheAspiration&PracticeBodhisattvaVows.

OverviewofParamitas.ParamitaofGenerosity

StudyWeekend6:OverviewofBuddhistMeditation

ParamitaofRightConduct(3levelsofvows)&ParamitaofForbearance ParamitaofDiligence.ParamitaofMeditation (from Gampopa and Kongtrul's samatta and vipasyana) Prajnaparamita1:fromGampopa

StudyWeekend7:AnexplorationofNonDualityandVoidness

11Maytopic JuneorAugust 12Junetopic: 13July/Augusttopic 14Septembertopic OctoberorNovember 15Octobertopic 16Novembertopic

Mahayana5Stagesand13Levels Enlightenment,BuddhaQualitiesandEnlightenedActivity YearThree

StudyWeekend8:TheStagesofthePathandthe37factorsofEnlightenment

January 17Januarytopic

Bodhicittainpractice:MindTraining,the37practicesofabodhisattva, VersesofadvicefromPadampaSangye.

18Februarytopic

Prajnaparamita2:NagarjunasRootVersesofMiddleWayWisdomandChandrakirtis PenetratingtheMiddleWay.(Thismodulemaychangeorbedeletedonaccountofthe newSamyeLingShedracourseunderDrupponRinpoche)

TherolesofteachersandgurusinHinayana,MahayanaandVajrayanaBuddhism. Thequalitiesrequiredoftheirdisciples.ExamplesfromthelivesofNaropa,Marpa,Milarepa RechungpaandGampopa

19Marchtopic April April 20Apriltopic YearThree

Optional2weekStudyIntensive:SantidevasBodhisattvaWayofLife StudyWeekend9:TheFourLevelsofTantraandtheMahamudraHeritage

RenunciationintheThreeYanas.Afewpreciousteachings

SarahasMahamudratraditionandTilopastantrictransmissions DevotionandCompassion:thequalitiesofamahamudradisciple.Kagyubiographiescontd.

21Maytopic 22Junetopic JuneorAugust 23July/Augusttopic

StudyWeekend10:Empowerment,TransmissionandInstruction.

TheImportanceofLineage.Kagyubiographies Empowerment,transmissionandinstruction.

ThirdGyalwaKarmapasMahamudraPrayer,PartOne

24Septembertopic OctoberorNovember 25Octobertopic 26Novembertopic

StudyWeekend11:TheKagyuViewofVoidness

ThirdGyalwaKarmapasMahamudraPrayer,PartTwo TheThirdGyalwaKarmapasPointingOuttheEssenceoftheTathagatas

StudyWeekend12:TransformingConsciousnessintoWisdom

January 27Januarytopic 28Februarytopic 29Marchtopic 30Apriltopic

JamgonKongtrulsGround,PathandFruition TheOrdinary,SpecialandExtraordinaryFoundationsinKagyupractice CreationandCompletion:thepracticalapplicationofMiddleWayphilosophyandZhentongview ThirdKarmapasTransformingConsciousnessintoWisdom.TheBuddhaFamilies.