You are here: SI Home Page > Teaching Programmes >
Maintaining the Bodhicitta
The Way of the Bodhisattva (Part III)Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
March 31 - April 2, 2000
Vancouver, BC Canada
March 31:
Registration: 1-2pm
Review Class: 2-5pm
Registration: 6:30-7:30pm
Talk: I 7:30pm
April 1: 10am-5pm
April 2: 10am-5pm
Masonic Hall, 1495 West 8th Avenue (at Granville). Vancouver, B.C.
Suggested Donation prior to March 10, 2000, CDN$175 (US$117).
After March 10 CDN$200 (US$133).To register: mail check made payable to Siddhartha's Intent to 486 West 26th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 2K2, Canada.
This will be the third year of a four year program of annual teachings on Shantideva's great Mahayana classic, the Bodhicharyavatara. Those who have not attended the prior years' teachings (Part I and Part II) are welcome to attend, but are required to attend the review session on March 31st. In addition, it is strongly recommended that you listen to the tapes from the previous two years' programs. These can be purchased through the Vancouver audio and video tapes web page or by phoning 604-874-1228.Required reading (for all): "The Way of the Bodhisattva" by Shantideva, Translated by the Padmakara Translation Group (Shambhala Publications). Please bring your copy of the text with you to the teachings.
Foes are as unlimited as space,
They cannot possibly all be overcome;
Yet if you just overcome the thought of hatred
That will be equal to overcoming all foes.- Shantideva
The Way of the Bodhisattva (in Sanskrit, Bodhicaryavatara) is universally regarded as a quintessential instruction on the practice of the Mahayana path. Its poetic beauty and provocative thought makes for a most expansive presentation of the very heart of Buddhism: the possibility of removing fundamental confusion and uncovering the basic brilliance common to all life.
The extraordinary dimension of this work is reflected in its origin: in the early 8th century the author, Shantideva, was studying at the prestigious Buddhist university of Nalanda. Giving everyone the impression he was a thoroughly unmotivated and lazy student, he was challenged to give a public lecture, to justify his expulsion after presumably proving his lack of learning. To the surprise of all he confidently delivered this original and supremely profound teaching, 'The Way of the Bodhisattva', which immediately all recognized as sublime. As Shantideva proceeded to the final sections of the teaching, he is said to gradually have risen into the air, until finally only his voice was heard.
As Buddhism was brought to Tibet, the lineage of practice and realization of 'The Way of the Bodhisattva' was continued, and is with us until the present day. H.H. the Dalai Lama frequently quotes this text in his teachings.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is regarded as a great teacher of the Mahayana tradition, and is well-known for his ability to communicate the relevance, theory and practice of this teaching to a modern audience.
