DISCOVERING BUDDHISM: How to Develop Bodhicitta
(HYBRID) Discover clear meditation instructions to enable you to develop your innate qualities of loving kindness and compassion. Learn the skills of applying these techniques to generate the mind of bodhicitta, the wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of others, known to be the heart of Buddha’s teachings.
After spending some time considering how the spiritual path can bring joy and peace to our lives, we may notice the countless living beings all around us who also want to be happy and free from problems. Steadying our love and compassion, we may ask what we can do to bring joy to others, and to help them with their troubles. According to Mahayana Buddhism, the answer is straightforward, though not easy: attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. A mind focused on that goal is called bodhicitta.
“The whole thing, so many practices, all come down to live the daily life with bodhicitta motivation to put all the effort in that whatever you do. This way your life doesn’t get wasted and it becomes full of joy and happiness, with no regrets later, especially when you die and you can die with a smile outside and a smile in the heart.”
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
We delve into this rich tradition and learn the step-by-step instructions on how to kindle a vague wish to help others so that it becomes the blazing mind of enlightenment. Learn the three distinct methods to develop this mind: Six causes and one effect, exchanging self for others, and the combined eleven steps from Lama Tsong Khapa.
With a foundation of equanimity, both towards others and towards one’s own internal experiences, we can begin to cultivate the mind of enlightenment, bodhicitta. Based on this, we practice the six perfections, bringing them into daily life.
Topics include:
- How bodhicitta transforms everything in our life
- Differences between empathy, compassion, and bodhicitta
- Developing a foundation of equanimity
- Six causes and one effect method
- Equalising and exchanging oneself with others method
- Integrating the six perfections
- Explanation of the bodhisattva vows
- Ultimate bodhicitta, the wisdom realising emptiness
“Even if you cannot do many other practices, keeping the mind in the thought of benefiting others makes your whole life, twenty-four hours a day, like gold, like a diamond, completely transformed. Your whole life becomes extremely meaningful, and the cause of happiness for all sentient beings, not just your own.”
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Event Details
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*Course Package includes both video and soundfile of each class (to catch-up or re-listen), the powerpoint slides, the reading material from FPMT as well as extras from LTC.
About Discovering Buddhism
The Discovering Buddhism is the core program of LTC. It consists of 13 units, but you are most welcome to join at any time. It takes about three years to complete the full cycle and the associated activities. Many people enjoy the program so much they attend subsequent cycles! We invite you to come along to a couple of classes and see how the program suits you. More details here.
Join Event on Zoom
This is a hybrid event, held both in-person in the gompa and online on Zoom. Zoom meeting starts 10 minutes before event start time.
