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