About Event:
THE GRADUATED PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
HAVING STUDIED 12 MODULES FOCUSSING ON JE TSONGKHAPA’S MAJOR WORK, THE LAMRIM CHENMO, THROUGHOUT 2023/24, IN 2025 WE SHALL COMPLETE THIS SUBJECT WITH FOUR x FOUR-WEEK MODULES FOCUSSING ON CHAPTER FIVE (CALM ABIDING AND SPECIAL INSIGHT) OF HIS MIDDLE-LENGTH TREATISE ON THE STAGES OF THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT.
Read more about the Basic program itself here.
MODULE 13 – FOUR WEEKS : 19th MARCH to 10th APRIL
“What distinguishes it [the Lamrim]… is its scope and clarity. It expounds the entire path from the way one should rely on a spiritual teacher, which is the very root, right up to the attainment of buddhahood, which is the final fruit. The various stages of the path are presented so clearly and systematically that they can be easily understood and are inspiring to put into practice.”
His Holiness Dalai Lama
The most important thing is the continuity of developing your mind in the lamrim, the stages of the path to enlightenment. It doesn’t matter if you are in Africa, Tibet, on the moon, in Iraq or wherever, whether you are rich or poor: continue to develop your mind in the lamrim. That is the most important thing.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
As part of FPMT’s Basic Program, we study the subject ‘Stages of the Path’ and at first Geshe Tsultrim chose to do this through the study of Je Tsongkhapa’s Lamrim Chenmo. In 2025 he has decided to refer to the more condensed Middle Length Lamrim – also by Je Tsongkhapa.
When we talk about Lamrim, we mean the entire path to ultimate happiness laid out in graded steps. This is what this subject of our Basic Program covers!
Yes, this is huge but when we break it into the graduated stages, it becomes a beautiful process through which we can transform our ordinary mind, bringing it into a state of love and joy, which extends to all beings. Often we are offered short courses which give us a very valuable overview, but now unbelievably we have the opportunity to really examine, to delve into the details, and to get a real understanding – perhaps even realisations!
In 2023 we completed 6 modules of this extensive teaching, working through the stages of the path shared with the beings of the lower and middle scopes. In 2024, Geshela focussed on stages of the path of the being of the highest scope, in particular the study of the six perfections through which the goal is to attain complete enlightenment, the state of a Buddha, in order to be able to help all sentient beings in the best possible way. Now in 2025, Geshela will teach the culmination of these teachings, the chapter on Calm Abiding and Wisdom – the highest view of the Middle Way School.
Through meditation, teachings and Q&A sessions with Geshela, and tutorials with one of our most senior students, Judy Bowey, you will hopefully gain a clear understanding of these life-changing ideas, enabling you to integrate that wisdom into your own way of thinking, transforming your experience.
Although of course it is best to attend all the modules of this extensive text, it is fine to join in at any point. Each module will contain material on particular Lamrim topics that will be beneficial for you, and we’ll be happy to make all materials from earlier modules available to those who’d like to catch up.
We do need to make it clear that this is part of our In Depth Program (read all about this here), but this subject in particular is a little more suitable for less experienced students than some others. Please contact the coordinator on bsp@chenrezig.com.au if you’d like to discuss this further.
About our Teacher:
Our resident Tibetan teacher, Geshe Phuntsok Tsultrim is immensely popular for the warmth and the approachable way in which he presents the teachings and inspires our community. He became a monk in Tibet, and was awarded his Geshe degree (the equivalent of a doctorate in Buddhist studies) at Sera Monastery in Southern India in 2005. Geshe Tsultrim has a warm-hearted, caring and practical approach to teaching Dharma. He has been the resident Geshe at Chenrezig Institute since 2014 and since then, he has taught Dharma both formally in the Gompa, and by the example he sets amongst the community.
Geshe Tsultrim will be joined by his new translator on Zoom direct from India.
Thupten Gyaltsen was born in Tibet and came to India in pursuit of freedom and better educational opportunities. He dedicated eight years to studying Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan literature at Sera Jey Monastery, and received his Masters in Sanskrit Buddhist literature from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU).
Currently, he serves as the Assistant Editor of the Multi-lingual Dictionary of Buddhist Terms (Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, English and Hindi), Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, (SPPU) and as the MT Prompt Task Reviewer at Monlam Tibetan IT and Research Center.
Our teaching assistant/tutor will be one of our most experienced Basic Program students, Judy Bowey, who has fulfilled this role for students throughout 2023 and 2024. We are very grateful that she will be continuing in 2025. Judy has fully studied the Lamrim Chenmo and the Middle Length Lamrim as well as the entire Madhyamika teachings with our previous resident teacher, Geshe Jamyang, and is well qualified to assist with these teachings on wisdom.
The text referred to will be:
Middle Length Lamrim (Lamrim ‘bring ba) published by Wisdom Publications (an FPMT publishing house)
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide copies of this text but there are copies in our library for in-house students to borrow while they are at the centre and the text may be ordered through our bookshop. Digital copies are available through Amazon.com.
Wisdom have also made a generous offer of a discount on both the digital and hard copies for students registered for the Basic Program. These details will be sent to students when they register. Please contact the coordinator at bsp@chenrezig.com.au to request these details earlier.
REGISTRATION
The full recommended contribution for each 4-week module will continue to be $240 BUT:
You are encouraged to register and donate whatever you are comfortable to contribute.
A contribution of $60 will be very helpful.
A contribution of $150 will cover our basic costs
Your generous contribution of $240 will cover costs and assist us to continue to offer the precious dharma to all, often completely free of charge.
There is absolutely no benefit in anyone not attending because of financial considerations. Never let finances get in the way of your listening to the Dharma, but please register and donate what you can to enable Chenrezig Institute to continue to offer these teachings at the centre and online.
Registered students will receive regular updates, transcripts of all Geshela’s teachings, review questions and all extra materials.
Sangha are invited to attend our courses free of charge but are always requested to register.
Registration is possible for attendance in person or online.
Please register nice and early and PLEASE don’t leave it until the day we start! Some people don’t receive the zoom, youtube and dropbox links in time and there is a last minute panic!
Note: If you are planning to register to attend online, please read the attached information and requests for the benefit of our students and volunteers: Information for online participants