BUD 530
Mind and Its World IV: Vaibhasika and Sautrantika Philosophical Tradition
Faculty: Francis Sullivan
About this course: This course is a presentation of the path and result of foundational Buddhism as found in the Vaibhāṣika and Sautrāntika philosophical traditions, based on The Gateway that Reveals the Philosophical Traditions to Fresh Minds root text. The path consists of calm abiding and
superior insight. Key topics such as the 4 Realities, the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness, the 12 links of dependent origination, and the 37 branches of enlightenment will be discussed. Each topic will have an experiential component of analytical meditation.
PREREQUISITE:
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- BUD 501 is required. It is highly recommended to take BUD 510 and BUD 520 before taking this course.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
- Root text: The Gateway that Reveals the Philosophical Traditions to Fresh Minds
(Truptha), by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen and Acharya Kelsang
Wangdi, Nitartha Institute Publications - Mind and Its World 4 Sourcebook, 2024 edition, Nitartha Institute Publications
DATES & TIMES:
Tuesdays January 20 - May 5, 2026, 4:00 – 5:30 am US Pacific Time
COST:
$250
Nitartha’s Payment Plan and Financial Assistance (PPFA) program is funded by fellow students to support those who would not be able to attend the Institute’s courses without this assistance. To request aid, please fill out the PPFA application before you register for the course.
LEARN WITH OUR RENOWNED FACULTY
Francis Sullivan
Francis Sullivan has been a practitioner and a student of Tibetan Buddhism since the early 1980s. He began his studies at Nitartha Institute in 2008 and in 2019 was made a fully authorized faculty member for the Shedra program. Francis holds a PhD in Biochemistry and lives and teaches in Boulder Colorado.