(A) COURSE ON "INTRODUCTION TO VAJRAYANA"

Tibetan Buddhism has a long history of more than one thousand years. Due to the fact that it has many different ways of Dharma practices, with a lot of rituals and ceremonies, it maybe a little bit exhilarating at the very beginning to the newcomers. But as time passes, some of those practitioners whose basic foundations in the Buddhist teachings are weak, or those whose intentions are impure, will soon found themselves to be frustrated or at a lost as to where they are and what they should accept or abandon. In this regard, they will find that the more they practice the Dharma, the more they are confused as a result.

In receiving a lot of questions from among our readers, as well as from the followers of the Dharma, we have found that they complained a lot that it is, indeed, not easy to cross the threshold of Vajrayana. And even when they have entered the door of Vajrayana, as it is so full and rich in various arrays of outward fascinations that it often distracts the eyes and confuses the minds. Hence, the more they go deeper and enter into the more inner dimensions towards the center of Vajrayana teachings, the more questions and difficulties they will encounter, even so much so that distorted conceptions and perceptions of Dharma practices start to arise. All in all, these are long and winding roads with many twists and turns, just like a "maze" and that it is usually more easy to get in but very hard to get out, and is very difficult to have a holistic view of what's going on with a sense of direction.

How about all those skillful means, as well as the methods of perfect liberation and enlightenment within a single life-time, as taught by Vajrayana? These are usually all the "attractions" of Vajrayana, and yet they are sometimes quite confusing to a lot of Dharma practitioners, whether they are novice or long-time practitioners alike. In view of all these, our association has decided, in the very near future, to put up a course on "Introduction to Vajrayana" so as to introduce the basic concepts, fundamental principles and teachings, as well as the crucial points, distractions, misunderstandings and the pitfalls of practices in Vajrayana.

In so doing, we will be using the Vajrayana teachings as the frame of reference, the Mahayana teachings as the central theme, and the Thervada teachings as the point of departure. For those practitioners who have already practiced the sadhanas for years but still have a lot of questions, as well as for those who have not yet correctly mastered the crux of the practices, the course will serve as a useful guide. "All practices are rooted in life itself" and so how to practice, and how to maintain pure intention and awareness, in our daily life will be the main focus of this course.

Our association sincerely invites all those who desire to learn more about Vajrayana, as well as those who have practiced Vajrayana for years and yet would like to review and to consolidate on their practices, to write to us and seek admission to this course, which will be scheduled for a three-monthsÕ period of 12 sessions (each session to be comprised of 1 1/2 hours per week). It will be delivered by our instructor-in-charge Yeshe Thaye (Dr. David Kin-keung Chan), and will have both Cantonese sessions (for locals on Sundays) and English sessions (for expatriates on Weekday evenings).

As we will need to hire public lecture halls or rooms for the course, all participants will have to pay for a course fee of $300 per person for the whole course. (This will have to be paid in advance, and we are sorry that we cannot accept tuition fees for one or two lectures only. Members will have a 20% discount).

Please include the following when applying for admission to this course: (i) two photographs; (ii) a crossed cheque of $300 addressed to "Dudjom Buddhist Association International Limited"Ó; (iii) with your name, address and contact telephone number; together with (iv) a self-addressed stamped envelope. Please send them to our address at P.O. Box 44346, Shau Kei Wan Post Office, Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong.

As we would need time to do the processing, we will try our best to send back the course admission cards to our participants within one month's period. If there is any queries, you are most welcomed to telephone us at (852) 2558-3680.


 

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