Shantideva Center

Meditations on Love and Impermanence with Marisa Viola
2021-05-17 19:00 - 20:30, 2021-05-24 19:00 - 20:30, 2021-05-31 19:00 - 20:30, 2021-06-07 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Love and Impermanence: In theory, it’s easy to accept impermanence as one of life’s most fundamental truths. Everything changes. We know this. But when what felt like stable ground begins to shift, it can be hard to stay open. How do we keeping loving in a world that hands us one change after another? What can we ever settle into? In this ongoing class, we’ll explore practices and teachings that allow us to open in surprising ways. We might even find that, come what may, we have access to joy, warmth, and courage.

Developing Perfect Wisdom: Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Chapter 9 (Pt. 1)
2021-05-17 19:30 - 21:00, 2021-05-24 19:30 - 21:00, 2021-06-07 19:30 - 21:00 | Zoom
In order to reach the goal of enlightenment, the bodhisattva ultimately must overcome the fundamental ignorance that keeps all beings bound in the cycle of suffering. In the first part of the ninth chapter, Shantideva commences a refined and detailed explanation of the most profound wisdom teachings of the Buddha, including a refutation of the various mistaken interpretations of other Indian Buddhist schools.

Lunchtime Meditation
2021-05-18 13:00 - 14:00, 2021-05-20 13:00 - 14:00, 2021-05-25 13:00 - 14:00, 2021-05-27 13:00 - 14:00, 2021-06-01 13:00 - 14:00, 2021-06-03 13:00 - 14:00, 2021-06-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Join us during your lunch break to pause, center, refresh, and welcome the rest of the day with a happier and more peaceful mind! Meditation is a powerful tool for healing and reducing stress. During our lunchtime session, participants will be guided through establishing an optimal posture for the body and mind using traditional meditation techniques. Relaxation and focus will help generate a positive outlook for the rest of the day. Join us for 40 minutes or one hour (the last 20 minutes are not guided).

Three ​Visions of Profound Reality​​ with Prof. Guy Newland
2021-05-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
When Buddha meditated on the causes of human suffering and dissatisfaction, he found liberation by realizing what he called the Profound Reality. Professor Newland explains the distinctive power of Tsongkhapa’s articulation of this vision, contrasting it with the approaches of other Tibetan masters such as Dölpopa Sherap Gyaltsen and Goram Sönam Senge.

Discovering Buddhism: How to Develop Bodhicitta
2021-05-19 19:00 - 21:00, 2021-06-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
“The most precious mind of all, that which cherishes all beings, can become a genuine part of our life, a real gut feeling that motivates us in everything we do, and not just a vague wish.” –Geshe Tashi Tsering, The Awakening Mind
After spending some time considering how the spiritual path can bring joy and peace to our lives, we may notice the countless living beings all around us who also want to be happy and free from problems. Steadying our love and compassion, we may ask what we can do to bring joy to others, and to help them with their troubles. According to Mahayana Buddhism, the answer is straightforward, though not easy: attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. A mind focused on that goal is called bodhicitta. Delve deeply into the rich topic of bodhicitta with Gus Cutz as he takes you through the step-by-step instructions on how to kindle a vague wish to help others so that it becomes the blazing mind of enlightenment. Gain clarity on often-confused concepts, such as the differences between self-esteem and self-cherishing, equanimity and indifference, compassion and pity, and bodhicitta and compassion. Learn beginner techniques and advanced aspirations, including meditating on exchanging self for others and the 18 bodhisattva vows. Cultivating bodhicitta makes our lives meaningful, and it is at the very heart of the Buddha’s teachings! This is the tenth of 14 modules in the Discovering Buddhism series. Students may join at any point in the cycle. Discovering Buddhism was designed for students interested in deepening their understanding of fundamental Buddhist concepts, and provides an experiential taste of the Buddha’s teachings and the skills we need to make our lives most meaningful. Each module includes teachings, meditations, readings, discussions, and a short retreat. For more information on the Discovering Buddhism program, please click here.

Discovering (Self) Compassion: Metta Meditation with Kimberly Brown
2021-05-20 19:00 - 20:30, 2021-05-27 19:00 - 20:30, 2021-06-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
When practicing loving-kindness, it’s best to start wherever you are, close to yourself. In that way it’s realistic. —Lama Yeshe
Though compassion is often confused with putting others’ welfare above our own, real wisdom understands that genuine self-concern is a necessary foundation for kindness and compassion toward all beings. In this meditation, we’ll look at the difference between self-compassion and self-indulgence, transform emotional barriers and resistance, and practice responding to self-judgment and criticism with understanding and patience.
This program is open to everyone and beginners are welcome. No experience with meditation is necessary.

Cittamani Tara Puja
2021-05-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Cittamani Tara, the highest yoga tantra manifestation of the deity Tara, can lead us to liberation and enlightenment within a single lifetime. Tara, a female personification of the enlightened mind, is known as Tara the Liberator, an embodiment of enlightened activity, and mother of all the buddhas. On this ultimate level, she manifests perfect wisdom.
Cittamani Tara Puja is a practice that invokes Cittamani Tara, well-known as a source of swift assistance in all temporal and spiritual matters. She is called upon to bring success – including for situations involving family, relationships, business, and career – and for protection from all negativities and fears. She is also invoked in times of emergency, personal distress and difficulty, health problems, for the quick removal of obstacles, and when rapid wisdom is needed.
The Cittamani Tara Puja includes four mandala offerings, fourfold offerings including flowers, optional prostrations, and a twofold recitation of the Praises to the 21 Taras. This puja is a powerful support for our Dharma practice and achieving our temporal and ultimate goals.
“There are so many inner obstacles to the development of your mind, and these inner obstacles create many outer obstacles. Therefore, for the success of your Dharma practice, of your actualizing the graduated path to enlightenment, you must rely upon a special deity or buddha, such as Tara.” —Lama Zopa Rinpoche (Kopan Monastery, May 1987)
Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche has specifically advised that the Cittamani Tara Puja be practiced by Shantideva Center.

Guru Rinpoche Puja
2021-05-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
A potent practice for removing obstacles to achieving liberation and enlightenment for all sentient beings.

Breaking Free from the Terminal Lifestyle: Infinite Life by Robert Thurman (Book Club)
2021-05-23 19:30 - 21:00, 2021-05-30 19:30 - 21:00 | Zoom
In Infinite Life, Professor Robert Thurman shares his joyous, exuberant, expansive, yet realistic view of the multiverse, as viewed from inner space. Infinite Life is richly written and inspiring as it delights, softens, and opens the heart.
Infinite Life has different editions with different subtitles: Awakening to Bliss Within, Seven Virtues for Living Well, but Prof. Thurman’s favorite subtitle (which his publisher would never agree to) is “Breaking Free from the Terminal Lifestyle.”
“If the infinite life is free and full of endless possibilities, then what is the terminal, constricted, finite life? It is just the opposite—a life limited in possibilities and human potential, a life that does not motivate us to achieve fulfillment for ourselves or for those around us.” (p. 10)
And who needs that?
With Prof. Thurman’s superb guidance, we’ll be pointed away from the terminal lifestyle, and warmly encouraged to at least consider as an “experimental idea”—or embrace, if we can—a realistic view, free and full of possibility.
After introducing us to the nature of reality and Buddhism as “a joyous science of the heart,” Infinite Life presents seven transcendent and universal virtues: Wisdom, Generosity, Justice, Patience, Creativity, Contemplation, and The Art of of Infinite Living. The Art of Infinite Living is the summation, culmination, practice, application, or personal performance of all of the transcendent virtues combined.
Infinite Life invites us all, people of all religions and no religion at all, to expand our view of reality, and to entertain the idea of our “infinite intertwinement with all beings,” which Thich Nhat Hanh calls “interbeing.” And you’re invited to join us.

Three ​Visions of Profound Reality​​ with Prof. Guy Newland
2021-05-25 19:00 - 20:30, 2021-06-01 19:00 - 20:30

Meditations to Train the Mind in the Mahayana Path with Ven. George Churinoff
2021-05-27 19:00 - 20:30, 2021-06-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
The lamrim, the gradual path to enlightenment, is a textual tradition that presents the Buddhist teachings in a concise yet comprehensive manner. Lamrim meditations are essential for actualizing the various teachings after we have heard and reflected on them. Venerable George Churinoff, a precious Dharma scholar and practitioner, guides us through this profound sequence of meditations so we can gain a full understanding of the Buddha’s teachings, nourish our minds, and create the causes for contentment. This is an excellent opportunity for new students to understand the structure of the entire Buddhist path and for more experienced students to deepen their understanding and practice.

Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga (Puja)
2021-06-05 16:00 - 18:00 | Zoom
A powerful practice for receiving the blessings of one’s teacher and developing the realization of guru devotion.

Breaking Free from the Terminal Lifestyle: Infinite Life by Robert Thurman (Book Club)
2021-06-06 19:30 - 21:00
