The 6 Paramitas: Cultivating the Virtues of Awakening - Profound Treasury, Mahayana Study [ONLINE]

“Paramita practice is based on human decency, and how to be in the world and help others who are suffering… Paramita practice is the essence of how to be a bodhisattva.”

Chӧgyam Trungpa, Rinpoche

ONLINE - 7pm-9pm, Thursdays: Feb 29, March 7, 14, 21, 28, (skips April 4), April 11,
IN PERSON/HYBRID 9:30am-1pm, Saturday April 13

Join us for a 7-week series exploring the skillful means of the Mahayana Path – the Six Paramitas: Generosity, Discipline, Patience, Exertion, Meditation and Wisdom - as presented in the Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, by Chӧgyam Trungpa, Rinpoche.

The six pāramitās, or transcendent perfections, are essential expressions of the bodhisattva, and form the basis for the entire bodhisattva path in the practice of Mahayana Buddhism. These are are the real work of a bodhisattva. Trungpa Rinpoche referred to bodhisattvas as spiritual warriors, brave individuals who dedicate themselves fully to the enlightenment of all sentient beings. 

The course will culminate in a half-day retreat in person and hybrid at the Boston Shambhala Center, which will explore how paramita practice can support us in responding to the crises of the contemporary world.

The Profound Treasury texts present Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's teachings in a way that joins traditional Buddhist concepts with contemplative, experiential understanding, in vivid language which is as fresh today as when they were first taught.

This class is open to everyone. Some previous meditation practice, and study of the basics of the Buddhist path is recommended, but not required.

Class format will be facilitated discussion, closely tied to passages in the readings from the Mahayana Volume of the Profound Treasury text.  The expectation is that students will actively engage in the topics and complete each reading assignment prior to the class discussion.

Teachers: Jim Wilton, Dylan Khanal

Jim Wilton is an urban yogi, a lawyer, and long time practitioner in the Kagyu / Nyingma and Shambhala lineages.   He is inspired by the example of the great wandering yogis of Tibet, including his teacher, Chogyam Trungpa, who wandered across the Himalayas, to England, and to the mountains of Vermont and Colorado, and to the shores of Nova Scotia.

Dylan Khanal has been a student of the Shambhala and Buddhist teachings for 15 years.  He has completed several solitary retreats in natural settings and has undertaken contemplative journeys in several remote areas including the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Canadian Yukon, Eastern Tibet, and the Himalayas of India and Nepal.

This class will be held online. Paid registrants will receive an email with the link to the Zoom room.

Registration Please register with an email you check regularly. We will send important information about the program to you via email and don’t want you to miss it.

You will not receive an email right away. Participants will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registration, and a confirmation email with program details approximately 1 week before the program begins. Sometimes emails may end up in your promotions, spam or junk folder. It’s also possible that you’ve unsubscribed from emails from Shambhala, which prevents you from receiving the necessary emails. If you don't receive the confirmation email, please contact [email protected].

Price - we set a price in order to cover the various costs associated with the program. However, we are committed to offering these important teachings accessible to everyone who will significantly benefit from them. We ask everyone to contribute something, and invite you to consider your own financial situation, the value of the program, comparable cost for other programs, and your intention in participating - and choose an amount that is fair for you. Please see our pricing policy page for information about tiered pricing, MyPrice, cancellations and more. 

FAQ Common questions might be answered on our FAQ page.