From Proliferation to Clarity:
Transforming the Conceptual Mind
with Venerable Losang Gendun
Join us for a rich and reflective Sunday morning and afternoon dedicated to exploring prapañca—the habitual proliferation of concepts that silently shapes our mental world. This process doesn’t just color what we see; it generates our very perceptions, interpretations, and emotional responses—often undermining our mental well-being with automatic, unexamined thought patterns.
Prapañca is the main engine of saṃsāra. But within its machinery lies the very key to transformation. While many seek relief in stillness, Je Tsongkhapa warns that mere quiescence is not enough. Instead, we must harness thought’s self-referential capacity to recognize, deconstruct, and reconstruct our conceptual frameworks—transforming poison into wisdom. Drawing on Tsongkhapa’s profound teachings and Bhikkhu Ñāṇananda’s seminal work Concept and Reality, we will explore how all Buddhist traditions grapple with this challenge. The day will offer a blend of teaching, guided meditation, reflection, and Q&A, creating space not only for intellectual clarity but also for personal insight.
Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or simply curious about how Buddhist thought meets modern concerns about mental health and perception, this day offers an opportunity to deepen your understanding and experience the liberating power of transforming conceptuality.
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.
