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How to Loosen the Grip of Ego-Grasping with Venerable Robina Courtin

Repeats every week every Wednesday 4 times.
7:00 pm Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Lama Tsongkhapa praises Lord Buddha’s teachings on dependent arising – the “king of logics” to prove emptiness, as Lama Yeshe puts it. With this perfect view, Je Rinpoche says, we can never “fall into the abyss of the great mistake” of nihilism, one of the commonest misconceptions about emptiness.

 

Over four Wednesday evenings in August, we will investigate how in his gradual path literature he skillfully leads us to the eradication of ego-grasping, the primordial assumption of a fear-driven, bereft, separate self, which simply doesn’t exist.

 

We start by applying the law of karma – an example of the first level of dependent arising: cause and effect - which gradually counteracts our pervasive feelings of hopelessness and self-pity, causing us to realize that we are the source of our own happiness and suffering.

 

Next, we get the the root of the problem by becoming our own therapists: delving deep into our mind and identifying our delusions – attachment, aversion, jealousy and the rest – and recognizing that they are fabrications rooted in ego-grasping.

 

Photo courtesy Maitripa College, Marc Sakomoto

Now, combining our practice with bodhichitta, we are equipped to understand the subtler levels of dependent arising and to use this logic to uproot ego-grasping itself and realize emptiness.

 

Venerable Robina's teachings will be offered online Wednesday evenings, 7-9 pm, August 4, 11, 18 and 25.

 

Download course notes here.

 

This course is available via both Zoom and YouTubeRegister here to participate on Zoom.

 

More about Venerable Robina.

Hear a recent BBC interview with Venerable Robina.

 

Sponsor dedications

Diane M:  May these teachings ripen as a long life for Venerable Robina and for the benefit of all beings. 

John C:  May we all be able to reconnect with our Dharma friends and teachers in person very soon.

Deann W: For Venerable Robina; "MY TEACHER AND FRIEND FOREVER!" 

Anonymous:  We dedicate all merit to all transmigratory beings. May they all be released from samsara. 

Anonymous:  May these teachings help us along the path to enlightenment and bodhicitta. 

Anonymous:  For the long life of Venerable Robina. May these teachings benefit all of us for lifetimes until enlightenment. My wishes for freedom from samsara for my loved ones and all sentient beings.

Linda S.: May the merit accumulated by these teachings, as well as the merit generated by all Dharma activity and kind-hearted thoughts and actions, immediately eliminate violence, destructive weather, fires, diseases, famine, mental and physical suffering, so that all beings everywhere experience peaceful minds and good health, and quickly attain the state of full enlightenment.

Supporting the teachings

Supporting the teachings is an incredibly powerful and important act -- it is a practice of the highest form of generosity – giving the means to enlightenment. Kadampa Center has for many years operated within the ideal of offering teachings without charging a fee, so that money is not an obstacle for anyone to hear the precious teachings and participate in the practices. We rely on the generous hearts of those who are moved to support the spiritual offerings and keep them open to everyone regardless of ability to pay.

Although we don't have the expense of travel and hospitality for a teacher's virtual visit, donations are still needed and meaningful, and make it possible for us to make a generous offering to the teacher on behalf of everyone attending the teachings.

Supporting the teachings benefits not just the Center and those who attend, but it also greatly benefits the donor, because it creates the causes to meet the teachings again in future lives, and deepens the connection with the teacher.

Kadampa Center offers two ways to support the teachings: Sponsorships and Donations.

Sponsorships begin at $108.

Sponsors receive:

 - The opportunity to write a personal dedication that we will post  for all to share.  We must receive the sponsorship and dedication by the previous day to assure we have time to print and post your dedication.

There may be more than one sponsor for any event.

Donations are any amount less than $108.

Donors of $75 or more receive:

 - The opportunity to write a personal dedication that we will post for all to share. We must receive the sponsorship and dedication by the previous day to assure we have time to print and post your dedication.

Supporting the teachings is a two-step process

Step One  is dedicating your generosity (click here).

Step Two  is making the donation or sponsorship (use the buttons below on this page),

Dedications may be very simple - "For my mother, Rosemary" - or they might encompass more extensive spiritual wishes, such as "May these teachings be the cause to liberate all sentient beings," or wishes for the teacher's long life, to benefit a person who is ill - any heart-felt positive intention!  You also can dedicate for more than one intention. If you'd like, you can team up with friends on a sponsorship - please have one person make the donation and work it out among yourselves. 

Use our secure online community to donate by clicking your choice below.

To try our new Text Giving, send KC108 to 73256 and select your level from the drop down menu..

Don't forget to dedicate your generosity!

Visiting Teacher Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsor the Dharma ~ $108

Sponsor one evening ~ $250

Sponsor two evenings ~ $350

Sponsor three evenings ~ $500

Visiting Teacher Donation Opportunities

Heart Giving ~ $Your Choice

Thank You!

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa