The Essence of Vajrayana – Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:00pm with Gen Khedrub

Buddha's teachings on the Vajrayana path reveal profound meditations for attaining enlightenment swiftly. In this new monthly advanced class Gen Khedrub will share Ven. Geshe-la's advice on how to engage in the retreats known as Four Great Preliminary Guides, and on the practice of Highest Yoga Tantra.

The Four Great Preliminary Guides are:

1) going for refuge, the gateway to Buddhadharma in general and generating bodhichitta, the gateway to the Mahayana in particular; 

2) meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva, the gateway to purifying negativities and downfalls; 

3) Guru yoga, the gateway to receiving blessings; and 

4) making mandala offerings, the gateway to accumulating a collection of merit.

 

The classes on the Four Great Preliminary Guides are open to everyone. The classes on Highest Yoga Tantra are open to those who have received an empowerment of Heruka and Vajrayogini, or who plan to do so shortly.

 

Thursday, August 31: HYT class - Getting started and commentary to self-initiation

Thursday, September 28: Great preliminary guide class - Refuge

Thursday, October 26: HYT class - The essence of generation stage meditation

Thursday, November 9: Great preliminary guide class - Vajrasattva

Thursday, December 7: HYT class - The essence of completion stage meditation

 

“It is a complete contradiction to ignore the practice of the four great preliminary guides and yet still hope to achieve special Sutra and Tantra realizations. If we want our practices of Sutra and Tantra to bear fruit we must apply effort in the preliminary practices. These are the foundations, and we can only advance step by step on the spiritual path to full enlightenment by gradually building on these foundations.” 

- Ven. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

 

Location: This class will be offered in-person at Kadampa Meditation Center Boston, 2298 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge, just a few blocks from the Davis Square T stop. There is free street parking after 6pm.

This class is free for everyone in the Foundation Program or Teacher Training Program class. If you are not attending one of these study programs and would like to come to a Thursday class please email us at education@meditationinboston.org and we can help you out.

Gen Kelsang Khedrub is the Resident Teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center Boston. He has been studying and practicing Kadampa Buddhism under the guidance of Ven. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche for almost 30 years. Gen Khedrub has served as a Resident Teacher in Chicago and in Seattle, and over the years he has taught special events and led meditation retreats around the country. His heartfelt teachings are presented with clarity and humor that make them accessible to everyone. Through his humility and deep understanding of Buddha’s teachings, Gen Khedrub provides an inspiring example of a contemporary Buddhist practitioner we can follow.

 

Resource links:

New to meditation? Try out the three guided breathing meditations contained within Meditations for Relaxation (MP3). 

Want to go deeper? Check out the Foundation Program for a systematic study of Buddha’s teachings that can provide you with a foundation for a strong daily practice.