The Highway of the Conquerors: Teachings on the Mahamudra
The Highway of the Conquerors: Teachings on the Mahamudra
“Our engagement with reality is always through the window of our mind.” Thupten Jinpa
The Mahamudra is a direct method for looking beyond our thoughts to the very nature of the mind. These teachings seek to reveal the mystery of our experience by offering different ways of understanding the mind, the self, and the nature of reality. In this class, this task is approached both conceptually and through meditation with the guidance of Khensur Rinpoche Thupten Tenzin. Thupten Jinpa, PhD., is a sponsor of this workshop and will also contribute an important lecture. Isa Gucciardi will assist with practice instruction.
TA master teacher of the Mahamudra, Khensur Rinpoche Thupten Tenzin is the former Abbott of Gyuto Tantric Monastery in Dharamsa, India, where he offered these comprehensive teachings to some of the finest minds in Tibetan Buddhism. His teaching is based on Thupten Jinpa’s superb and clear translation of Panchen Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen’s, Highway of the Conquerors, Prayer to the Lineage Gurus of Geden Mahamudra, and A Lamp so Bright. These texts offer some of the most accessible teachings on this subject. We are grateful to Wisdom Publications for providing these texts which are excerpts from their latest publication of Thupten Jinpa’s latest contribution to the Library of Tibetan Classics, Stages of the Path and the Oral Transmission, Selected Teachings of the Geluk School.
The unique format of this class seeks to preserve the traditional transmission of these teachings as much as possible while providing resources and support to help modern students prepare to receive the teachings outside the traditional monastic context. This class is offered free of charge to native Tibetan speakers.
“We learn to seek meditation on basis of the view. This is a deconstructive process based in logic. And we learn to seek the view on the basis of the mind. This is a method of quieting the mind and moving from there.” Thupten Jinpa
Please Note: If you are new to Buddhist practice, it is highly recommended that you take Applied Buddhist Psychology 1: Entering the Stream and Applied Buddhist Psychology 2: The Enlightened Mind as an introduction to Buddhism. These are available On Demand.
Workshop Details:
Tuition: $325
Workshop Format: This is offered as a Distance Learning course.
Part of the proceeds of this class will be donated to Gaden Shartse Dohkang, the house that both Geshe Jinpa and Khensur Rinpooche Thupten Tenzin were trained in. If you would like to make a further fully tax-deductible donation to contribute to rebuilding the Monastery’s library:
Khensur Rinpoche Thupten Tenzin
Khensur Rinpoche Thupten Tenzin was born high in the Himalayan valley of Spiti. At the age of 8 he took his vows as a monk. He completed his studies in Psychology, Buddhist Philosophy, Debate, Metaphysics and Monastic Discipline at Gaden Shartse Monastery in South India. Upon receiving the highest degrees as a Geshe Larampa, he began teaching and became known throughout the world for his profound understanding and mastery of Buddhist Philosophy. In 2014, His Holiness the Dalai Lama asked him to become the Vice Abbot of Gyuto Tantric Monastery, one of the most prestigious institutions in Tibetan Buddhism. In 2017, he became Full Abbot and held that post until 2020. We are very fortunate to be able to receive his teachings and to be able to learn how to bring wisdom and skillful means together to improve our understandings and the quality of our lives.
Panchen Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen
Panchen Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen, the Fourth Panchen Lama lived a long and productive life from 1570 to 1682. He was a prolific author and wrote more than three hundred works on Tibetan Buddhist teachings including Highway of the Conquerors, Prayer to the Lineage Gurus of Geden Mahamudra, and A Lamp so Bright. These texts established a Gelug approach to the Mahamudra and they are still widely taught and commented upon.
