Retreat Overview
- Recognize how we create our own reality
- Learn how to break the chains that create suffering
- Get answers to your questions and doubts
Led by three esteemed Western teachers in the FPMT Bay, this course is a precious opportunity for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of some of the key topics in Buddhist philosophy.
While each of these three precious teacher’s style is unique, they are complimentary to each other, and each draws on their own extensive experience from studying and contemplating these subjects for many years. Students will be invited to actively develop and deepen their understanding of how we create our own reality, suffering and happiness through teachings, debate, meditation and question and answer sessions.
When the great Buddhist Master, Venerable Choden Rinpoche was asked recently how one can tell whether or not a teacher is qualified, he responded, "If they teach the relationship between karma and emptiness."
In this course, these three teachers will attempt to do just that, showing the relationship between these two fundamental Buddhist concepts in relation to the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, which shows how we create our ongoing states of dissatisfaction and existence driven by attachment, aversion and ignorance and how we can ultimately liberate ourselves completely from these to attain peaceful, blissful state of a fully awakened being finally free from the endless cycles of birth, death and rebirth.
In order to attend this retreat, familiarity with some of these topics will be helpful, therefore, we ask that one have already attended an introductory retreat or course on Buddhism, such as Kopan West or other basic overview course.
Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi
Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi became interested in meditation after reading Be Here Now and Autobiography of a Yogi in the early ’70’s. For the next 20 years, her spiritual path was meandering and haphazard, and included several dead ends, until she bought a one-way ticket to India in early 1991 with the intention of meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In late 1991, she became co-director of Vajrapani Institute in California. In 1995, she began working at FPMT International Office, first as co-director and then later as center services coordinator.
In early 2000, she began a long, solitary retreat that lasted 6½ years. Tenzin Chogkyi decided to become ordained in the third year of her long retreat, and then left retreat for a quick trip to India in 2004 for novice ordination with His Holiness. Since 2008, she has been teaching at various centers worldwide.
Jon Landaw
Jon Landaw was born in New Jersey in 1944. From 1972 to 1977 Jon worked as an English editor for the Translation Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India, producing numerous texts under the guidance of Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey.
As a student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche since 1973, Jon has edited numerous works for Wisdom Publications, including Wisdom Energy and Introduction to Tantra.
He is also the author of Prince Siddhartha, a biography of Buddha for children, Images of Enlightenment and Buddhism for Dummies.
As an instructor of Buddhist meditation, he has taught in numerous Dharma centers throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere. He currently lives in Capitola, California with his wife and three children, and leads the Discovering Buddhism courses at Land of Medicine Buddha.
Emily Hsu
Emily Hsu was raised in Omaha, Nebraska, but was a resident of San Francisco for many years before heading to Nepal in 1996. While there, she attended the November Course at Kopan which was her jumping point into the Dharma. She completed FPMT's 7-year Master's Program at Instituto Lama Tsong Khapa in Italy in 2004 followed by a 9-month retreat to integrate the material. Lama Zopa Rinpoche observed that it came out well for Emily to teach "at all the Bay Area centers."
During her studies at Instituto Lama Tsong Khapa, Emily also worked on creating a study manual on the fourth chapter of the Ornament for Clear Realizations (Abhisamayalamkara), one of the more difficult subjects of the FPMT Basic Program. The 126-page manuscript that resulted from this project sets the Ornament teachings in perspective, introduces the subject of the fourth chapter – "the application in the complete aspects" – and presents each of the eleven topics that illustrate it together with their definitions, related root text, and commentary supported by various supplementary charts, quizzes, homework, and guidelines on how to meditate on these topics.
Emily teaches the FPMT Basic Program curriculum at GGBC, San Jose, and for Tse Chen Ling, in San Francisco. As a graduate of the Master's Program, she is authorized to teach courses which are normally taught by geshes.
Fees
| Fees (inclusive of accommodation, meals, retreat fees) | ||
| Non-Member | Member | |
| 10% | ||
| Camping | $360.55 | $324.85 |
| Main Dormitory | $444.55 | $400.45 |
| Semi-Private Dormitory | $507.55 | $457.15 |
| Private Room | $717.55 | $646.15 |
| Private Room SHARE OPTION | $423.55 | $381.55 |
| Cabin | $801.55 | $721.75 |
| Cabin SHARE OPTION | $444.55 | $400.45 |
In order to accommodate any waiting lists we may have and to better organize our retreat logistics, we ask that you register at least 48 hours prior to the start of the retreat. Registrations received within this 48 hour time period will incur a $15 late fee.
Schedule
Basic Schedule Subject to Change
|
Day |
Hours |
Events |
|
Thursday |
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
Registration |
|
|
5:15 pm – 5:45 pm |
Working Meditation Training |
|
|
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm |
Dinner |
|
|
7:00 pm – 7:30 pm |
Vajrapani Orientation Session (In Gompa) |
|
|
7:30 pm – 8:00 pm |
Introductory Session |
|
|
|
|
|
Friday- |
7:00 am – 8:00 am |
Meditation |
|
Sunday |
8:00 am - 8:30 am |
Breakfast |
|
|
9:00 am - 12:00 pm |
Two sessions of teaching/meditation with a tea break |
|
|
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm |
Lunch |
|
|
2:30pm- 3:30pm |
Discussion |
|
|
3:30pm- 4:00pm |
Break |
|
|
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
Two sessions of teaching/meditation with a tea break |
|
|
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm |
Dinner |
|
|
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm |
Evening session |
|
|
|
|
|
Monday |
7:00 am – 8:00 am |
Meditation |
|
|
8:00 am - 8:30 am |
Breakfast |
|
|
9:00 am - 12:00 pm |
Last Session |
|
|
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm |
Lunch |
|
|
12:45 pm - 1:30 pm |
Clean up and pack up belongings |
|
|
2:00 pm |
Retreat Ends |
Pre-requisites
Previous attendance at an introductory course in Buddhism, either Kopan West or any other intro course, is required in order to attend this retreat.
