In collaboration with Jampel Nyingpo Ling (Essence of Wisdom), a center for Tibetan Buddhist studies, Hampshire Spiritual Life Office sponsors a biweekly program which includes Tibetan Buddhist teaching, meditation practice, discussion, and tea-time. This program will be taught by Geshe Ngawang Singey. Geshe Ngawang was born in Tibet and left at age 17 to enter Sera Jey Monastery in south India, receiving novice and ordination vows from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. After 20 years of rigorous instruction in Buddhist philosophy and psychology, he completed the Geshe degree.  Geshe Ngawang then taught dialectics (logic and debate) at Sera for 8 years, moving to the U.S. in 2003 where he established a center in Vermont, and in 2012 founded JNL.  Geshe Ngawang teaches regular meditation sessions and occasional courses at Smith College, where he serves as a Community Religious Adviser.  

Based on the Nalanda tradition of Mahayana Buddhism originated in India and later practiced in Tibet, Geshe Ngawang will teach two methods for developing the awakening mind and why this is relevant for us today. 

September 14 & 28, October 12

The Seven-Point Cause and Effect Method, from the Maitreya/Asanga tradition:  recognizing all beings as our mothers, recollecting their kindness, repaying their kindness, generating loving-kindness, extending compassion, taking responsibility, and aspiring to awaken our minds in order to help others 

October 26, November 9 & 23

Equalizing and Exchanging Oneself with Others, from the Manjushri/Nagarjuna tradition: cultivating equanimity, considering the disadvantages of self-cherishing and the advantages of appreciating others, exchanging self with others, and taking and giving (tong-len)

December 7:  Review and discussion of the two methods for generating the awakening mind