Who Are We ... Really?
with Venerable Losang Gendun
Mondays, Sep 16, 23 & 30, 7:30–9pm EDT
IN-PERSON & ONLINE
According to Buddhism, the root of all our problems lies with misunderstanding. We hold onto a narrow, solid view of ourselves, often referred to as “ego-grasping”. Based on this limiting view, we search frantically for things that will maximize status, praise, gain and pleasure – only to find that we are never satisfied and live in constant anxiety over losing the things we have.
The Buddha gave an alternative description of who we are: an ever-changing collection of elements related to the body and mind. Known as the “five aggregates”, this more accurate view of ourselves helps us more easily embrace change and let go of the neurotic, self-centered habits that hold us back from mental freedom and happiness. Instead of living in a fantasized world of ego-projection filled with negative emotions and dashed hopes, we become empowered to see ourselves in new ways, accept our bodies and its limitations with grace, and develop healthier mental qualities to an endless level of progression.
We can also look more deeply at our five aggregates to see that beyond these solid-seeming entities, there are subtler levels of understanding that bring even greater freedom and joy. With deeper understanding comes a deeper sense of possibility and fuller awakening to our enlightened potential.
In this three-session series, Venerable Gendun will help us see ourselves in new ways. He will help us dissolve our limiting ego views, demystify the “five aggregates”, and apply these insights to living in the world with greater ease, confidence, and compassion.
Important Note
This is an in-person and online event. Please review our latest Covid-19 policy if you are attending in person. For online, the events will be administered using Zoom*.
After registering, the system automatically sends a confirmation and/or a receipt email that contains the Zoom meeting link and/or other instructions. If you don’t immediately receive the system email(s) or you have any other questions, please contact us at registration@shantidevanyc.org.
*Zoom is an interactive video-conferencing tool that allows participants to see one another and ask questions. You will need a computer, a tablet or a smartphone with the Zoom application to attend. If you are using Zoom for the first time, please login earlier to allow any necessary installations on your device.
Registration / Schedule
Suggested: $20/session
Other offerings: free, $5, $10, $30
The suggested amount helps support teacher offerings and expenses, direct costs and rent. Shantideva member benefits will apply automatically if you have a membership in MindBody.
Shantideva Center may publish recorded sessions in the public domain (e.g., on YouTube). By registering for this event, you are agreeing to give your consent to this process. To protect your privacy, we recommend being conscious about any personal information you share during the sessions. To further enhance anonymity, you may want to consider turning off video or naming yourself using abbreviations.
Time zone: US Eastern Daylight Time (GMT/UTC-4)
For questions regarding registration, please email registration@shantidevanyc.org for assistance.
Recordings
If you are a registered student, you may access the recordings on our password protected page. After registering, an online receipt will be sent to the email address that you used to register. The page link and password will be on the receipt. Please contact us at registration@shantidevanyc.org if you have questions about accessing this page.
Sponsorship
“According to the Tengyur, Buddha said:
For any sentient being, who during the period of my teachings
Makes charity well (even if the material is the size of hair),
For 80,000 eons will experience the great result of great enjoyment;”
– Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Due to Ven. Gendun’s extended stay, our costs for hosting will be higher than normal – anticipated to be around $5,000 for housing, transportation, and food (plus additional for teacher offerings).
We welcome your support to enable these precious teachings to happen. Any amount is greatly appreciated and very karmically beneficial! Here is a teaching by Lama Zopa Rinpoche about the immense benefits of offering to the Sangha.
You can do so by either registering above, or separately through this link if you just want to support us. Please remember to select “Ven. Gendun – New York Visit 2024”. If you plan to attend in-person or via Zoom, please also notify us at registration@shantidevanyc.org.
Cook a Meal
In observance of the Vinaya (the monastic code of discipline), Ven. Gendun generally does not prepare his own meals and welcomes food offerings.
If you are inspired to cook a meal for him, please contact cookameal@shantidevanyc.org to coordinate details. Otherwise, you can contribute to sponsorship, which will be a wonderful offering!
Dana for the Teacher
About the Teacher
Venerable Losang Gendun has dedicated nearly four decades to practicing Buddhism and has served as a Bhikshu (Buddhist monk) in the Tibetan tradition for the past 18 years. Prior to his ordination, he worked in diverse fields such as palliative care, technology, refugee organizations, and commercial management. His extensive training includes ten years of studying Buddhist philosophy and practice in monasteries across France, India, Nepal, and Myanmar. Additionally, he spent over four years in retreat, immersing himself in Tibetan sutra and tantra, as well as the Burmese Theravada Forest Tradition.
For the last 15 years, Ven. Gendun has been a dedicated teacher, sharing his knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, psychology, and meditation worldwide. He serves the aspirations of H.H. the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche as part of the FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition). Ven. Gendun is also a member of Mind & Life Europe, a multidisciplinary laboratory that brings together researchers and contemplative practitioners to explore the nature of experience.
Beyond his Buddhist affiliations, Ven. Gendun serves as an interreligious canon at the Peace Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia, and feels at home at a Mevlavi Sufi dargah in Istanbul. In 2023, he founded The Buddha Project, which engages in long-term guidance for Buddhist meditators, scientific research, art projects, and intercontemplative social engagement.
