DRDC Shedra’s Madhyamaka Class begins on Sunday, 3/10/2019 @ 2 pm Class schedule: 2nd & 4th Sunday of each month from 2 pm to 4:30 pm Texts: Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika (The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way) Mipham Rinpoche’s Beacon of Certainty Śāntaraksita’s Madhyamakālajkārakārikā (Ornament of the Middle Way) Maitreya’s Uttaratantra Shastra (Treatise on the Sublime Continuum) Nagarjuna insisted that the ultimate wisdom sees the phenomenal world come into existence by way of dependent origination, empty in nature, and merely established with mental designations. Realizers of ultimate wisdom experience the truth of all that appears as free from inherent nature; they remain unwavering from the conceptual proliferation of worldly views and fully realized the genuine truth of the laws of dependent origination, thereby attaining the ultimate truth of Dharma. Should one traverse the path of the Middle Way, one will obtain the ultimate wisdom and attain nirvana. Lama Drimed Rinpoche believes that, in modern day society, a Buddhist organization like ours should assume the responsibility of providing a systematic structure for learning and reflecting Dharma teachings. These progressive trainings serve as the important foundation that is required for gaining insights into the need and certainty for the path of Dharma practice. Many Buddhists limit their practice to sutra or mantra recitation, ritualistic offerings of substances and prostration etc, thinking that that’s all it takes to liberate themselves from samsara. However, these practices alone will not lead one to liberation. The qualified path leading towards liberation has to take place by enhancing one’s wisdom through learning and reflecting, whereby one establishes the goals to work towards developing the View, the Path, and the Result. As practicing Buddhists, we are constantly challenged to reflect on our Bodhicitta and understanding of Emptiness in order to solve our day-to-day problems and difficult situations. The reflection and application of Bodhicitta and Emptiness will carry on until we finally attain liberation from samsara. Therefore it is essential for Buddhist practitioners to learn Bodhicaryavatara («A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life» ) to cultivate Bodhicitta and Madhyamaka (“Middle Way”) to realize emptiness. Beginning March 2019, DRDC Shedra is commencing a 3-year program which offers a series of teachings on the subjects of Bodhicitta and Emptiness. We welcome all serious practitioners to register for these classes and deepen your learning, contemplating, and practicing. There will be midterms or quizzes for all classes. We encourage you to be present in all classes and avoid absences unless absolutely necessary as this is a rare opportunity to enhance your wisdom and practices. 德清穰佛學社中觀班將於週日，3/10/2019 2 pm 開課 上課時間：每月第二、第四個週日下午 2pm ~ 4:30 pm 教本： 龍樹菩薩《中觀根本慧論》 米滂仁波切《定解寶燈論》 寂護論師《中觀莊嚴論》 彌勒菩薩闡述如來藏《寶性論》 龍樹認為，以般若慧觀察一切法，了解一切法皆是因緣生，皆是假名，皆是空，了解一切法無自性，就能夠了解世俗諦，因此遠離顛倒戲論，得知正確真實的因緣法，證入勝義諦。由中觀，得致正見，得致涅槃。 喇嘛智美仁波切認為在現今社會及佛教團體裡非常需要系統性的聞思，如果沒有聞思作為基礎，就無法理解修行的必然性和重要性。所謂的修行，並非僅僅透過誦經唸咒或者燒香拜佛就完全可以擺脫輪迴，而是必須經由聞思來提升智慧，定位各自的見道果，然後以這個作為目標去實修。 作為佛教徒，我們必須具備並且利用菩提心和空性的見解來解決現實生活上的種種問題及挑戰，乃至於終究得以擺脫輪迴痛苦。因此透過學習入行論來培養菩提心，以及透過聞思中觀來了悟空性極其重要。從2019年三月起，德清穰佛學社將展開為期三年的菩提心及空性專題系列課程。未來也將繼續傳講更多重要顯密經論續部，歡迎所有認真想要聞思修行的道友註冊參與。 學期中將有定期考試，因此不鼓勵任意缺席。如果想要深入了解佛法提升智慧，這是一個非常難得的機會。