The Nalanda Tradition - Our Non-sectarian Roots
His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, describes the Buddhism of Tibet as the "Nalanda Tradition." His description firmly places the roots of all Mahayana Buddhist schools in the Indian tradition that was studied, debated and practiced at Nalanda, the ancient Indian monastic university. Nalanda flourished for nearly 1,000 years and as many as 10,000 students at a time studied there. It was a center of thriving discussion where students of all Buddhist schools, Theravada as well as Mahayana, studied and practiced together in a spirit of open ecumenical enquiry.
Emphasizing this shared Indian well-spring of Buddhism highlights the commonality between various Buddhist sub-schools. The commentaries written and studied by the scholars of Nalanda are still studied and honored in all Mahayana traditions. Thus, this common textual tradition creates a strong basis for a non-sectarian approach to Buddhist study. BodhiHeart's non-sectarian program is built upon this common textual and philosophical heritage.
The Nalanda Tradition - The Indian Sutras & Shastras
His Holiness has repeatedly urged His Western and Tibetan students to make the Indian Sutras and shastras (commentaries) their primary study. He himself often teaches the texts written by the great Nalanda yogi-scholars such as Nagarjuna and Shantideva. In 2004 and 2005 Ven. Dhammadinna and Tenzin Jesse participated in a series of private interviews with His Holiness discussing the best curriculum for serious western Dharma students. His Holiness recommended over and over the study of the great Indian texts.
As students of His Holiness, BodhiHeart Sangha aspires to follow his suggestions to the best of our ability. Thus the Bodhiheart program begins with an emphasis on the lam rim, a practical survey of Buddhist insights, which His Holiness considers the foundational study for Dharma students. It is not unusual for Bodhiheart students to spend several years studying the lam rim. Each of the various sub-schools of Buddhism have a basically equivalent series of foundational teachings.
Students who have this basic understanding of Buddhism, whether acquired through BodhiHeart or elsewhere, may enter Bodhiheart's meditation program and/or the Nalanda Seminars. BodhiHeart's Nalanda Seminars will roughly follow the curriculum presently studied by monks in the great 'modern' Tibetan monasteries.
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