Who Are We ... Really?
with Venerable Losang Gendun
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.
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.
