The first class will discuss Volume one, up to page 39. Questions we will toss around:
So what is enlightenment anyway?
What about the skandhas? How does this framework help us work with our experience?
So like what is non-theism
What is “dharma?”
What is the point of the Hinayana, or Foundation vehicle?
Never Forget the Hinayana!
This class is a facilitated discussion group, though we will discuss aspects of more challenging material if warranted. Each week, we will read assigned sections of the first volume, and discussion questions will be posted before the following class.
FORMAT: After five minutes of meditation together, we will have a five to ten-minute summary of the week’s readings (in case you didn’t get through it!), and then move to group conversation. This format allows for a personal approach with plenty of room for humor, and practical, kitchen-sink analysis.
INTENT: We will make our way through the material together, which encourages insight that one might not discover when reading on one’s own. This class will continue in the winter of 2018.
We will continue to read through the Profound Treasury of Dharma, Volume One, and progress to Volume Two.
Meg writes: “Warning: Not a lecture. This group employs animated, probing discussion. Unless everyone is tired, and then I just talk. All are welcome. You don’t need to have participated in the first session of this class from last fall.”
Purpose:
To read through the text and gain a feeling for the subject matter—to know what’s there for future reference. Through weekly meetings and group discussions, we explore the practical dimension and personal experience of dharma that we might not discover when reading on our own.
Format:
We read approximately 40 pages per week. We start with a brief sitting, and I provide a brief overview for those who didn’t get through the assignment, followed by group discussions.