shedra

lama tsewang
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shedra

Post by lama tsewang »

Greetings , I am writing this to see if a few pwople are interested in joining , or becoming students of a shedra , that will be done live and also , be available online?
I have spoken with the Khenpo and he told me if we gathered together enough interested students that he would make such teachuing available . the khenpos english is excellent , so that we dont need any translator . I have expressed the aspiration that such a shedra must lead to training some western khenpos . The cost would be very inexpensive. One of the reasons i want to get this going, is so that my son, a novice monk, can get get Khenpo training.
Please write me with expressions of interest.
Alfredo
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Re: shedra

Post by Alfredo »

I am interested and grateful. Details please!
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lelopa
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Re: shedra

Post by lelopa »

Yes - very interesting - i need details too!
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lama tsewang
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Re: shedra

Post by lama tsewang »

thank you , i hope that more peopleexpress interest, then we could start to do this
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Tsultrim T.
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Re: shedra

Post by Tsultrim T. »

I am just curious, what texts will be used and are they translated into English?
lama tsewang
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Re: shedra

Post by lama tsewang »

most of the texts are already in english
from the five books of maitreya, i know that all five except for mahayana sutralankara are in english
the texts on madhyamika are in english .
so, i think theres a lot
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Grigoris
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Re: shedra

Post by Grigoris »

When are you thinking of starting AND how much will it cost?

Thanks!
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KonchokZoepa
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Re: shedra

Post by KonchokZoepa »

im very interested but im not sure if it will fit in my schedule, depends how my monastery plans go.
If the thought of demons
Never rises in your mind,
You need not fear the demon hosts around you.
It is most important to tame your mind within....

In so far as the Ultimate, or the true nature of being is concerned,
there are neither buddhas or demons.
He who frees himself from fear and hope, evil and virtue,
will realize the insubstantial and groundless nature of confusion.
Samsara will then appear as the mahamudra itself….

-Milarepa

OMMANIPADMEHUNG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6P9tOYmdo
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Palzang Jangchub
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Re: shedra

Post by Palzang Jangchub »

Also interested. Please send details when they are available. Thanks, Lama-la!
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རྗེ་བཙུན་བླ་མ་མཁས་གྲུབ་ཀརྨ་ཆགས་མེད་མཁྱེན་ནོ། ཀརྨ་པ་མཁྱེན་ནོཿ
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Thomas Amundsen
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Re: shedra

Post by Thomas Amundsen »

I am interested! Is this a program that is feasible for people who work full-time jobs?
lama tsewang
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Re: shedra

Post by lama tsewang »

yes , i cant see how it might not be feasible , if you have a job .
i have asked khenpo sonam the teacher at lhundrup choling to do this . look him up
.
on google please send me a phone number and ill tell you more.
untxi
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Re: shedra

Post by untxi »

I might be interested. I can't really say, as I would need many more details. Would one need to attend the sessions live, as in Skype-in type of teaching? Would the teachings be available after the fact? Would they be downloadable? If this is shedra, would the fundamental textual material be available in translation? How much time would be required "in person" with Khenpo Sonam in Los Angeles (If any)?

-Untxi
untxi
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Re: shedra

Post by untxi »

I got a prompt note back from Lama Tsewang offering to call me and personally give me the particulars about the program. I suggested that they be posted here so that everyone who might be potentially interested can benefit. Having been involved with on-line shedra before, I would categorize the pertinent questions into:

Costs: What are the costs for participation? If there are costs for attending the cyber shedra, what are the other anticipated costs? The costs for texts, supporting teaching materials, and if some portion of the shedra requires travel to be on site in LA, that should be disclosed.

Texts: What textual materials will be made available? Will the shedra only be teachings *from* root texts, or will the root texts be available in translation? If not, will it be built around texts already in translation? What other supporting materials will be given? Will lungs of the root texts be given?

Teaching Format: Will the teachings have to be attended on line in real time, like a Skype-in sessions? Will the past teachings be view-able in an archive? Will they be downloadable? Will Khenpo teach in English, or through a translator?

General Format Questions: Will this be a traditional "the lama lectures and one listens" format, or will there be opportunities to address questions? Will these formats be provided separately at different costs as with the Rangjung Yeshe shedra? If there is an interactive format that allows for Q&A, will this format be directly with Khenpo in real time via a Skype sessions, or will it be facilitated by email, personal Skype sessions, etc.? What should be expected as "homework"?

Travel Requirements: Will participation require travel to LA to be with Khenpo in person? If this is a traditional Nyingma shedra, it would include material on tantric topics such as Guhyagarbha, etc. Will the appropriate transmissions and empowerments be given as part of the shedra?

These are just things that came up with some friends in discussion of such a shedra.

-Untxi
untxi
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Re: shedra

Post by untxi »

... hoping for details?...

-untxi
KonchokZoepa
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Re: shedra

Post by KonchokZoepa »

untxi wrote:I got a prompt note back from Lama Tsewang offering to call me and personally give me the particulars about the program. I suggested that they be posted here so that everyone who might be potentially interested can benefit. Having been involved with on-line shedra before, I would categorize the pertinent questions into:

Costs: What are the costs for participation? If there are costs for attending the cyber shedra, what are the other anticipated costs? The costs for texts, supporting teaching materials, and if some portion of the shedra requires travel to be on site in LA, that should be disclosed.

Texts: What textual materials will be made available? Will the shedra only be teachings *from* root texts, or will the root texts be available in translation? If not, will it be built around texts already in translation? What other supporting materials will be given? Will lungs of the root texts be given?

Teaching Format: Will the teachings have to be attended on line in real time, like a Skype-in sessions? Will the past teachings be view-able in an archive? Will they be downloadable? Will Khenpo teach in English, or through a translator?

General Format Questions: Will this be a traditional "the lama lectures and one listens" format, or will there be opportunities to address questions? Will these formats be provided separately at different costs as with the Rangjung Yeshe shedra? If there is an interactive format that allows for Q&A, will this format be directly with Khenpo in real time via a Skype sessions, or will it be facilitated by email, personal Skype sessions, etc.? What should be expected as "homework"?

Travel Requirements: Will participation require travel to LA to be with Khenpo in person? If this is a traditional Nyingma shedra, it would include material on tantric topics such as Guhyagarbha, etc. Will the appropriate transmissions and empowerments be given as part of the shedra?

These are just things that came up with some friends in discussion of such a shedra.

-Untxi
i heard the costs would be around 20-25 dollars a month

other costs would be the study books.

according to my information no travelling to LA is required or needed.

im not going to answer to the other questions but these questions answers i received from Lama Tsewang
If the thought of demons
Never rises in your mind,
You need not fear the demon hosts around you.
It is most important to tame your mind within....

In so far as the Ultimate, or the true nature of being is concerned,
there are neither buddhas or demons.
He who frees himself from fear and hope, evil and virtue,
will realize the insubstantial and groundless nature of confusion.
Samsara will then appear as the mahamudra itself….

-Milarepa

OMMANIPADMEHUNG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6P9tOYmdo
lama tsewang
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Re: shedra

Post by lama tsewang »

I havent written much about this , because things havent been fully clarifiesd. Also, there is one big problem for me , and that is that I cant type , cant , its hard for me to do typing like this , it takes me a lot of time.

now, on talking with Khenpo Sonam , some weeks back , I asked that we dont just have talks , that there would be two things , added on to that ,
1) an evaluation process , that i hope would be rigorous and demanding.
2) a proces where there would serious discussions of topics in the teaching , that would perform the same function as the debating that tibetans use.
As far as when to start it , he wasnt clear some time after the start of 2014 , when is the lunar new year?
I am going to need help with a website for all of this , how can this be facilitated?
As far as the first book it looks like it will be "introduction to the middle way " as that has the commentary by lama Mipham.

. He said he wanted to focus on things that have the commentaries by Khenpo Shenga and Lama Mipham ( thwe thirteen texts)
so, all of you please contact me ask more questions , and help me with making this work please
tsewang
my email is also [email protected]
lama tsewang
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Re: shedra

Post by lama tsewang »

Also, the question of travelling , of personal contact with khen[po sonam , is a good one which should be discussed.
With anything like this , there is one thing important for particiopants , precepts, bestr is a bhikshu , next , anovice monk after that tsang cho genyen lastly upasika , so people have to consider that, there is an ethical component to this of some importance , its not merely information. At the very least there are the five precepts, etcc
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kirtu
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Re: shedra

Post by kirtu »

lama tsewang wrote: As far as when to start it , he wasnt clear some time after the start of 2014 , when is the lunar new year?
Losar is 2 March, 2014.
I am going to need help with a website for all of this , how can this be facilitated?
It's trivial for most things. Presumably you don't want it to be a web service but something along the lines of a wiki or a private forum. That is trivial and may even be actually free. Otherwise it's very low cost.

Kirt
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fosterryanlac
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Re: shedra

Post by fosterryanlac »

A little more info on the shedra idea:

We are working on the concept. We are working on the software questions and the streaming options. We are making definate progress, and have already been doing online classes for some time, but need better solutions and ones that can handle higher volume. Still, there'ss no idea it's going to happen, but we are taking the steps toward it and if there's interest that certainly makes it more likely to come together.

We are likely to start the madhyamika class early in the next year- maybe February? It will be on Saturday mornings, Los Angeles time. OTOH, we will certainly have audio for the classes that can be listened to at any time. Video is live only at this time.

We already have a collection of five years of classes- primarily Guhyagarbha tantra classes, and are soon finishing our second text.
We are also presently engaged in Longchenpa's seven treasures. We are part way through the Choying Dzo- The Treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena. We will likely study the Treasury of Philosophical Systems next- but that will probably start next summer.

Khenpo has also been teaching Words of My Perfect Teacher. on thursdays. Still, there's no guarantee that this will happen, but we are taking steps in that direction- but there are still issues to work out.

Also, in February we will be starting a practical class on Shitro meditation on Monday nights. This would require Peaceful and Wrathful Deity empowerment because it will include the Shitro meditation.

As far as cost- we have no idea- but it will depend on how many classes you are taking at a time. Our regular sangha membership is $125 for 2 classes plus tsoks per month at this time- so how that translates to online fees I don't know- maybe half that? OTOH, if we have to oversee students and do grading and have discussions it could be more. Honestly, I don't know, but I do know that that takes time and resources to do, and we are in Los Angeles, California so we have real overhead. Still, it wouldn't likely be too much, but we still have to figure that out.

I'll let Tsewang know more as we know more.

I hope that helps.
lama tsewang
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Re: shedra

Post by lama tsewang »

greetings , Now as I said , in my previous posts Khenpo Sonam will start teaching a madhyamika text , he will start this in March. As far as whattext he will Teach , this is not certaain . Ill explain why. He wants to taeach the Muladhyamikakarika first . For those of you who have looked at this text you will know that what is important is to have a commentary with it to explicate the meanin.
In the case of Khenpo Sonam he is familiar with the commentaries of Lama Mipham and Khenpo Shenga on the Mahyamika texts and on the other texts included in the usual five topics .
As far as the major Mahyamika works, only two are readily avaiable with the suitable commentaries , the Mahyamakavatara ,sold as introduction to the middle way , this has with it the commentary by Lama Mipham. The other is Mahyamikalankara , it is sold as Adornment of the middle way , I believe. there are many translations out there of Mula madhyamika karika but I dont know of a translation in English of Lama Miphams commentary.

So, I am asking, is there a translation that someone has done , of Lama Miphams commentary to Mulamadhyamika
does anyone out there know of such a thing , it would be helpful ,if you could tell me about this.

Secondly and very important , can anyone volunteer to help with helping to make or create a means for establishing an online study group , forum , blog where the online students can exchange ideas about the books hes teaching , and also an online way to give out exams etc. This is not to be merely a listening to someone give talks but , it must be accompanied by as tudy program and a means of evaluating the participants understanding just as is done in shedras now, in the east

Lama Tsewang
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