Lamrim Meditation Course at Chenrezig Institute

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Eudlo, Australia (Archive #163)

These teachings were given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at a one-month meditation course held at Chenrezig Institute, Eudlo, Australia, in May 1975. This historic event, attended by 120 students, was the first meditation course at the center. The course was based on The Wish-fulfilling Golden Sun, Rinpoche’s first lamrim book, and includes many checking meditations led by Rinpoche. First edit by Ven. Thubten Labdron (Trisha Donnelly), second edit by Sandra Smith, August 2021.

Go to the Index page to view an outline of topics and click on the links to go directly to the lectures. You can also download a PDF of the entire course.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Chenrezig Institute, Eudlo, Australia, May 1975.
Lamrim Course Index Page

The Index Page provides an outline of the topics discussed in each of the lectures. Click on the links below to go directly to a particular lecture.

Lecture 1
  • The purpose of the course
  • Mind is the source of all suffering
  • Only Dharma can cure suffering
  • Why we need to check up
  • Beginningless mind
Lecture 2
  • Mind is the source of suffering
  • How the Dharma is the source of happiness
  • Introduction to the course
  • Pain and fear
  • Qualifications of a guru
  • Finding a qualified guru
  • Marpa and Naropa
Lecture 3
  • Qualities of the guru
  • Story of Atisha and his guru, Serlingpa
  • Qualities of the disciple
  • How to practice
  • The power of buddha images
Lecture 4
  • Shantideva
  • Finding a perfect human rebirth
  • Teaching and listening to the Dharma
  • The existence of other realms
  • Karma
  • How visualization works
  • Meditation on the six realms and the eight freedoms
Lecture 5
  • Watching the mind
  • Meditation techniques
  • The meaning of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha mantra
  • How karmic imprints make it easy to learn new things
Lecture 6
  • The importance of bodhicitta
  • Meditation on the perfect human rebirth
  • No difference between ordinary actions of humans and animals
  • The purpose of the outlines
  • How to practice meditation
Lecture 7
  • The evil thought of the worldly dharmas
  • We will experience the suffering results of our actions
  • Removing the causes of suffering
  • Enduring hardships of Dharma practice
  • Dharma is the method to cut the cause of suffering
  • Checking meditation
Lecture 8
  • Bodhicitta brings sublime happiness to sentient beings
  • Checking the usefulness of our lives
  • Why negative minds are not pure
  • Is there a creator God?
  • Spiritual and non-spiritual actions defined
  • The shortcomings of attachment
  • Renouncing the evil thought of the worldly dharmas
Lecture 9
  • Karma
  • The rarity of a perfect human rebirth
Lecture 10
  • The blind turtle
  • Meditating on the rarity of the perfect human rebirth
  • Overcoming laziness to meditate
  • Making this human life meaningful
  • Offering food while eating
Lecture 11
  • Causes of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s holy body
  • Our perception is not reliable
  • Story of Lekpai Karma
  • Need to purify obscurations and collect merit to see the buddhas
  • Story of Aredoba
  • Story of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo
  • We cannot trust our ordinary view
  • The mistaken view of self-existent appearance
    • Precepts 1
      • Motivation
      • Ceremony
      • Awareness of each precept
      • Karmic results of breaking precepts
Lecture 12
  • The jewel of bodhicitta
  • The objects of refuge
  • The knowledge of Buddha’s holy speech
  • Buddha gives different answers according to our level of mind
  • The knowledge of Buddha’s holy mind
  • Omniscient mind is everywhere and sees everything all the time
  • Story of Kadampa Geshe Ben Gungyal
  • “Abandon dirt, abandon smell”
    • Precepts 2
      • Motivation
      • Four immeasurable thoughts
    • Precepts 3
      • Importance of equanimity
      • Equanimity meditation
Lecture 13
  • We cannot measure the benefits of bodhicitta
  • Understanding the objects of refuge
  • Knowledge of Buddha’s understanding
  • Knowledge of Buddha’s compassion
  • Knowledge of Buddha’s power
  • Knowledge of Buddha’s actions
  • The dharmakaya of transcendental wisdom
  • Hinayana, Mahayana and the five paths
Lecture 14
  • Knowledge of Dharma
  • The five Hinayana and Mahayana paths
  • Gross and subtle obscurations
  • Ten bhumi
  • Knowledge of the lamrim
  • Meditating on the qualities of Buddha and Dharma
Lecture 15
  • The great benefits of bodhicitta
  • Refuge: respecting the Buddha
  • How to practice Dharma in everyday life
  • How to offer water bowls and other offerings
  • The benefits of offering food
  • Doing virtuous actions
  • How to make water offerings
  • Remember the benefits of taking refuge
Lecture 16
  • Prayer to receive the blessings of the Triple Gem
  • Rinpoche’s mother’s prayers
  • Praying for others and leading them in the path of refuge
  • The eight major benefits of taking refuge
  • The meaning of “inner being”
Lecture 17
  • Fighting the worldly dharmas is pure Dharma
  • Stories of Geshe Ben Gungyal
  • Techniques to overcome attachment to praise and gifts
    • Precepts 4
      • Motivation
      • Four immeasurable thoughts
      • Ordination ceremony
Lecture 18
  • The power of bodhicitta
  • Refuge
  • Suitable objects of refuge
  • Two causes of taking refuge: fear of suffering and trust in the Triple Gem
  • Why Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are suitable objects of refuge
  • How the maras tried to prevent Buddha’s enlightenment
Lecture 19
  • Stories of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s power
  • Refuge meditation
  • Visualization for taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha
    • Precepts 5 and 6
      • Motivation
      • Four immeasurables
Lecture 20
  • Refuge
Lecture 21
  • Read Dharma books not worldly books
  • Karma
  • Karma is definite
  • The results cannot get mixed
  • Karma is expandable
  • The result of karma is never lost
  • How to stop karma
  • Confession
  • The four opponent powers
Lecture 22
  • The eight types of suffering
  • The three types of suffering
  • Suffering is due to karma and delusions
  • What is samsara?
  • The six types of suffering
  • The twelve links
  • Delusions and karma bind us to samsara
  • Generating compassion
  • How to practice
  • Concluding advice
Lecture 23
  • Motivation for Tara initiation
  • The faults of self-cherishing
  • Why the buddhas have become enlightened before us
  • The story of Asanga and Maitreya
  • Ngagpa Chöpawa and Getsul Tsimbulwa
  • All our happiness comes from sentient beings

Next Chapter:

Lectures 1 and 2 »