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(The Buddhist program schedule
is listed on the events page)
VAJRADHATU:
The Buddhist Path of Practice and Study
Some 2,500 years ago, an Indian prince, Siddhartha Gautama, sat quietly
in a place known as the Deer Park at Sarnath. In this quiet place, before
a small assembly he began to offer simple teachings, based on his own
experience. These teachings, referred to as the "dharma," meaning "truth,"
were practical instructions on how to relate to one's everyday experience
of life and mind.
Because his realization was profound, he became known as the "Buddha,"
which means "the awakened one." The teachings he offered came to be known
as buddhadharma ("the teaching of the awakened one"), and ultimately as
Buddhism. The Buddhist teachings proclaim the possibility of awakening the
potential within every human being, and they provide a practical method
for doing so. This practical method, passed down from generation to
generation, is known as meditation, which is the practice of mindfulness
and awareness.
Meditation is a natural process of allowing oneself to examine the
nature of thoughts, emotions and physical sensations, and to discover the
inherent purity of one's being. It is a practice based on direct
experience, rather than on blind belief.
Buddhism is taking an increasingly prominent role in contemporary
western society as interest increases in this approach to life. A unique
quality of the Buddhist teachings is that they can be expressed through
existing cultural norms, making use of them rather than destroying or
replacing them. This allows many westerners to practice Buddhism today
without renouncing their cultural heritage or radically changing their
lifestyles.
Vajradhatu (Sanskrit for "indestructible space") provides a spiritual
journey of training on the Buddhist path following a well-defined,
graduated method of practice and study developed by Chögyam Trungpa
Rinpoche. This path places strong emphasis on joining the view and
practice of meditation with everyday life, rather than the more
traditional monastic approach.
Vajradhatu oversees and supports Buddhist educational and practice
programs for all levels of students. This includes the training of
meditation instructors and teachers, as well as the development of
meditation and study programs for students.
The Vajradhatu path set out by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche is based
primarily on the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, but also includes elements
from the Zen and Theravadin traditions. The path Vajradhatu presents is
characterized by a strong emphasis on mindfulness-awareness practice. The
teachings of Buddhism are presented in English (as well as other Western
languages, as required), and programs are designed to deepen students'
understanding and experience of buddhadharma in a gradual and systematic
way. A careful sequence of group practice programs ensures that students
can develop according to their own interests and commitments.
Last updated 29 October 2003
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