An Introduction to Buddhism in Three Parts, Part I: The Four Noble Truths

Join us onsite at Lhagsam in Zurich * (see note below) for this three-parts series that will provide a basic introduction to Buddhism: from the Four Noble Truths to the foundations of Mahayana Buddhism and up to the presentation of the gradual Path to Enlightenment as practiced in Tibetan Buddhism.

The sessions, of three hours each, will provide a simple and accessible presentation of the Buddhist foundations. A balanced mix of presentation, meditation and group discussion (with plenty of opportunity to ask questions) will provide an interactive setting: active participation of the attendees is encouraged and welcome!

Session 1, Sunday, September 29: The Four Noble Truths 3:00-6:00 pm CET
Session 2, Friday, October 18: The Foundations of Mahayana Buddhism 6:00-9:00 pm CET
Session 3, Saturday, November 23: The Gradual Path to Enlightenment 2:00-5:00 pm CET

* Please note: The sessions are onsite only right now.  However, you may request online attendance. Please contact spc@lhagsam.ch if you desire that these events to be online on Zoom (minimum one week before the event happens).

The three sessions are intended for beginners, non-beginners and those who are just curious to learn more about Buddhism – everyone is welcome! The presentations build upon each other to provide a comprehensive overview of Buddhism in the Tibetan tradition as practiced as Lhagsam. However, it is also possible to attend the sessions singularly

Session 1: Introduction to the Four Noble Truths:

The Four Noble Truths are the very first teaching that Lord Buddha Shakyamuni gave after reaching Enlightenment 2’500 years ago. The are the very foundation of Buddhism and are widely taught in all Buddhist traditions and lineages worldwide.

In this session, we will go through the Four Noble Truths and also take a look at frequent misunderstandings that we may have about them and that prevent us from fully reaping their benefits.

WHEN: Sunday, September 29, 3:00-6:00 pm CET
WHERE: Onsite at Lhagsam Gompa, Gablerstrasse 51 – Zurich. Online by request! 
LANGUAGE: English
LEVEL: No previous knowledge required, everyone welcome!

ABOUT THE TEACHER

Native Italian, Francesca Paoletti was educated as an environmental engineer. In 2010 she took a career break to deepen her Dharma understanding and complete the FPMT residential Basic Program at Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Italy and to earn the Master in Wisdom accreditation from the University of Pisa. At this time, she also served as interpreter for several Western Dharma teachers and wrote an essay on the relation between environmental awareness and Buddhist ethics. She later moved on to complete the Master’s Program, FPMT’s most advanced education program, which is inspired by and adapted from the traditional Geshe Studies at the Gelugpa monastic universities. Francesca currently lives nearby Zurich and is engaged in projects on climate protection. Her main areas of interest are the application of Dharma in everyday life and presenting the depth of Buddhist philosophy in a clear and accessible way. She is a certified trainer for the program Cultivating Emotional Balance, developed by Alan Wallace and Paul Ekman upon request by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

WE INVITE YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT

Suggested donation: Please consider supporting us with a donation. Suggested donation per day is 40 CHF. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds. You can donate online (via Paypal, Twint or E-Banking).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Language: English

Level: No previous knowledge required, everyone welcome!