Level: Intermediate

Find out what it means to take refuge in the Three Jewels and the essential practices of refuge. Learn about the advantage of taking lay vows and their role in enhancing our spiritual growth. WHEN: 4 Thursdays, March 3–24, 6:30 - 9.00 pm (CET – Zurich) WHERE: Online and Onsite LEVEL: Beginner to Advanced REGISTRATION: REGISTER HERE The formal entry point for becoming a Buddhist is to participate in a ceremony in which one takes refuge in – commits to rely upon – the Three Jewels or, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, the Three Rare Sublime Ones: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Students will learn about absolute Buddha, Dharma and Sangha – the enlightened mind, the experiential knowledge in that mind, and the superior beings who’ve realized emptiness; and relative Buddha, Dharma and Sangha – the buddha of our time, Shakyamuni, the texts that present his teachings, and the ordained monks and nuns. Students also learn about the power of living in vows. Of the three levels of vows – those of individual liberation, the bodhisattva, and tantra – the first are taken after having taken refuge. Schedule 6:30 pm Meditation 6:50 pm Break 7:00 pm Teaching by Ven. Robina 8:30 pm Discussions 8.50 pm Conclusion & Dedication 9.00 pm End Discovering Buddhism is an FPMT study program aimed at giving Buddhist and non-Buddhist students a solid footing in the practice of Mahayana Buddhism. The program is not meant to be an academic study of Buddhism, it is meant to change our daily lives through experiential training in meditation and thought transformation. About the Teacher Ven. Robina Courtin, Australian-born, has a powerhouse personality and has been a Buddhist nun for nearly 40 years. Well known for her work with people in prisons, Ven. Robina’s life and work is the...

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