Teaching on the 37 practices of bodhisattvas and on Mindfulness

With Lama Stephane, student of our centre’ spiritual leader Beru Khyentse Rinpoche

Program details

6-7 April 2023
9:30-12:00, 14:00-16:30

The 37 practices of bodhisattvas

This widely used text is from Gyelse Tokme Zangpo (rgyal sras thogs med bzang po). An
accomplished practitioner of the 14th century, Gyelse Tokme Zangpo spent the first half of his life in study and the second half of his life in retreat for more than two decades. He was a holder of the
Lamrim lineage, which originated from Atisa and explains the path to enlightenment. He reconciles
the apparent contradictions between the sutras and commentaries. In The Lineage of the Kagyu,
Gampopa summarises the Lamrim teachings in his Jewel of Liberation. Gyelse Tokme Zangpo has gained a comprehensive, deep understanding of the path to enlightenment through study, contemplation and practice. Among his famous writings are his commentary on Bodhisattvacāryāvatāra, Commentary on the 7-point Mind Exercise, Ocean of Good Sayings. The
essence of his wisdom is summarized in the 37 practices of the Bodhisattvas. This is called the short summary of the Lamrim, the Bodhisattvacāryāvatāra is the medium summary of the Lamrim, and the Jewel of Liberation is also known as the longest exposition of the Lamrim.

Thursday 6 April 9:30-12:00; 14:00-16:30
Friday 7 April 9:30-12:00; 14:00-16:30

The fee for attending the 37 Bodhisattva teachings is HUF 14.000, with lunch HUF 18.000.
The April 6-7 program is one class for four dates, the fee is not split whether you attend all the way or not.


8-10 April 2023
9:30-12:00, 14:00-16:30

Mindfulness teaching and practice

Mindfulness was expounded by Buddha Sakyamuni in the Satipathana Sutra (Discourse on the
Establishment of Mindfulness) for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and
lamentation, for the extinction of suffering and grief, for walking on the path of truth, for the
realization of nirvana. Mindfulness is essential if suffering is to be left behind. It is vital in many ways, first of all, without it, if we do not know what we are doing with our body, speech, mind, it is
impossible to practice the dharma. Without mindfulness it is impossible to accumulate merit. Without mindfulness, our efforts not only fail to bring results, but most of the time lead in the opposite direction to the desired goal. Conversely, when we practice the Dharma with mindfulness, the path is effortless, joyful, our virtues steadily increase, our shortcomings diminish one by one. Besides, conscious contact with our body balances the neuro-endokrin system of the body. This means, in everyday terms, that when we practice mindful presence, we can, more quickly and smoothly, move from a stressful state back to our relaxed everyday state. Therefore, the practice of mindfulness is of great value. Lama Stephane has a wealth of experience and is able to convey the practice in an in-depth way. During the course we will hear about many ways in which we can blend our everyday lives with the practice of mindfulness, how we can make use of our time when we have the opportunity to practice in retreat and what specific methods there are within the Kagyu lineage for practicing mindfulness.

Saturday 8 April 9:30-12:00; 14:00-16:30

Sunday 9 April 9:30-12:00; 14:00-16:30
Monday 10 April 9:30-12:00; 14:00-16:30

The fee for attending the Mindfulness course is HUF 21.000, including lunch HUF 27.000.

The 8-9-10 April program is one class for six dates, the fee is non-divisible whether you attend all the way through or not.


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You can attend the teachings in person on Thursday, April 6, 2023, Friday, April 7, Saturday, April 8,
Sunday, April 9, 2023, and Monday, April 10, 2023, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to
4:30 p.m.


Location:

Khyenkong Karma Tharjay Dharma Centre
1013 Budapest, Attila út 29. 1st floor 7./A, doorbell: 24

Participation fee for the whole program:

From 1-31 March by bank transfer with lunch HUF 45.000, without lunch HUF 35.000.

If you pay only the participation fee, you can bring your own food, heat it in the microwave.

Application and payment deadline: 31 March 2023.


How to sign up:
Write an email now or by midnight on 31 March at the latest to.
khyenkongkarmatharjay@gmail.com
By sending an email to our email address to let us know which classes you are coming to.
Our account number is: K&H bank Cloud of Joy Buddhist Association
IBAN: HU88104010935052665467531003
SWIFT/BIC code: OKHBHUHB Please include your email address in the message. Thank you!


The amount you pay will contribute to the offering we make to Lama Stephane for his teaching, travel expenses and hospitality, as well as to the upkeep of the Dharma Centre, so you can contribute more generously to the conditions for teaching and practice together, according to your means.
Thank you in advance for your generosity!

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Daily practice during Lama Stephane’s stay.
Whether you come to the daily teaching or not, you can join the morning and evening practices
without prior registration:
6, 7, 8, 9, 10 April 7:00-8:00 Green Tara
6 April 19:00-20:30 Milarepa
7, 8, 9, 10 April 19:00-20:00 Chenrezig

Teacher

Lama Stephane Offort graduated as a theoretical physicist and taught for a year at a high school. He met the dharma in his twenties. He has received many teachings on Lamrim (including the 37 practices of the Bodhisattvas) and on mindfulness from His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Shamar Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, Gendün Rinpoche. He had the opportunity to attend a 3-year retreat under the guidance of Gendün Rinpoche, after which he was fortunate enough to practice in retreat for a further 12 years, receiving teachings from His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje, Shamar Rinpoche, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, Lama Henrik and Lama Wali.

Lama Stephane has great lexical knowledge and also great practical experience. He is currently representing the Karma Kagyu lineage in Eastern Europe and is very happy to explain the Dharma to those who want to understand it. In addition to all this, he is a certified Mindfulness-Based-Stress-Reduction (MBSR) instructor. He teaches mindful presence to people who have no experience of meditation, many of whom have never even heard the term mindfulness before the programme. By the end of the 8-week programme, all participants will have gained insight into the practical benefits of mindfulness. Lama Stephane is an excellent teacher who is able to make the Dharma accessible through his studies, his own practical experience and his openness.
In this day and age, it is rare to meet such a qualified teacher.

The interactive teaching is in english with hungarian translation.