NITARTHA BLOG
Buddha Nature: The Most Powerful Antidote
Buddha Nature: The Most Powerful Antidote Written by Israel Lifshitz We, as 21st century Westerners, have a strong historical, religious and cultural background of low self-esteem and self-deprecation. Our ideas about sin and guilt are so deeply ingrained that even the non-religious, free thinking scientist Sigmund Freud said in Civilization
Key Qualities of Mahamudra Meditation
Key Qualities of Mahamudra Meditation Written by Michael Miller Nitartha CFO Nalandabodhi Karunika and Practice Instructor As we embark on our journey through the Mahamudra practices, it is important to note the differences between Mahamudra meditation and simple shamatha. The differences are subtle but profound, and we can miss
Improve your meditation with thangka drawing
Drawing the Awakened Heart Improve your meditation with thangka drawing, one of the courses offered by Nitartha’s Department of Science of Creativity and the Arts. This is a powerful tool for developing our visualization and creation stage practices. After taking this course, many students have found it easier to
Mind and Its World II: How Mind Engages with its World
Mind and Its World II: How Mind Engages with its World After exploring how mind cognizes in a valid or non-valid way in the first course in the Mind and Its World series, we are ready to look at how the mind works from the perspective of the way in
Dharma without Compromise: How to take our practice off the cushion
Dharma without Compromise: How to take our practice off the cushion Advice for those familiar with insight meditation and the study of the view, based on an oral presentation by Jirka Hladis. You might ask, “How can I use my formal dharma studies and meditation in practical ways, in everyday
Mind and Its World I: Valid Cognition
This is the first course in Nitartha’s curriculum, and one of many that will be offered at this year’s Summer Institute in July. This course explores the question: How do you obtain accurate and valid knowledge about the world? That’s the subject of pramana, or Buddhist epistemology. We typically assume
How To Practice In This Time Of Strife – Part 1
How To Practice In This Time Of Strife Part I: In this time of strife and war there is desire in the practitioner to send positive thoughts of compassion, some prayers. But there might also be a strong tendency to show anger, and blame one of the sides. And,
How To Practice In This Time Of Strife – Part II
How To Practice In This Time Of Strife - Part II Read Part I... Part II : The view of the dependent origination of the mutual dependence of the perceiver and the perceived, which is brought into life through the practice of mindfulness of breathing in such an immediate and
BUD 692 Treasury of Valid Cognition and Reasoning – Chapter 1 (SPOC)
BUD 692 Treasury of Valid Cognition and Reasoning - Chapter 1 (SPOC) Faculty: {!{types field='faculty' style='text'}!}{!{/types}!} This is the first of a series of teachings by Acharya Lama Kelzang Wangdi on Sakya Paṇḍita’s entire Treasury of Valid Cognition and Reasoning. Acharya Lama Kelzang will begin to teach
Non-Thinking through Clear Thinking
Non-Thinking through Clear ThinkingIt sometimes feels like study proliferates our thoughts, when what we really want is for the mind to be still. But our thoughts are a tool. We can use them to undermine our belief in solidity. In fact, Nitartha’s Clear Thinking course offers a method to arrive
The Elegance of Union
The Elegance of Union:Joining Study and MahamudraAt Nitartha's Summer Institute study and Mahamudra meditation are joined. Why?Jirka Hladiš says, “It's very simple -- that’s the elegance of it. The whole point of studying the view is to clarify the object of meditation. When you get the object of meditation right,
The five sciences
The Five Sciences: Accomplishing the Aim of the Bodhisattva This year at the 2023 Summer Institute, thefive sciences will be taught on site at the University of Colorado, Boulder In order to benefit all sentient beings, one needs to be able to communicate according to the interests and abilities of
Nitartha Faculty, Mitra Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl, on Wisdom Podcast
Nitartha Faculty, Mitra Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl, on Wisdom Podcast In this podcast episode, listen to Buddhist scholar, translator and Nitartha Institute teacher Mitra Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl discuss the profound practice of Mahamudra in Tibetan Buddhism. He highlights the importance of recognizing the true nature of mind as well as the
Yogacara: the remedy for the poor diet of “Mind Only”
Yogacara: the remedy for the poor diet of "Mind Only" by Mitra Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl. Mitra Brunnhölzl will be teaching on Yogacara at July's Summer Institute. To remedy the poor diet of “Mind-Only” always being refuted by Madhyamaka as the highest Buddhist view and do justice to the great Indian
Enhance Your Mahamudra Practice through Space Awareness
Enhance Your Mahamudra Practice through Space Awareness Space Awareness will be offered on site at this year's Summer Institute (for details, check out the Summer Institute Enhancement Activities page). I wonder, how would we be able to experience the "spaciously relaxed" quality of Mahamudra meditation without having a sense of
Sautrantika Philosophical System: The Path of Vipashyana
Once we have developed calm-abiding to some degree, the mind becomes settled enough that we can take anything that arises in our present moment experience as the object of meditation. For example, in this course we will explore the key vipashyana practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which encompasses
The Sautrantika Philosophical System: The Path of Shamatha
What is a path? It is something that, once we have entered it, will bring us to more supreme states. The previous blog discussed one aspect of the view of the Sautrantika philosophical system — that our sense perceptions do not perceive outer appearances, but rather they perceive mental
Is there a real world out there?
The Sautrantika response to “Is there a real world out there?” In Mind and Its World IV, the last course in Nitartha’s foundation curriculum, we arrive at the Sautrantika view. The Sautrantikas share a lot with the Vaibashikas, who are the topic of Mind and Its World III, but go
Madhyamaka: a crucial stage on our journey to emptiness
Madhyamaka and many more courses will be offered at this year’s Summer Institute in July. The topics are incredible. Don’t miss out! Check out all the information about the 2024 Nitartha Summer Institute here: https://bit.ly/nsi24retreat Madhyamaka:a crucial stage on our journey to emptinessOn our journey to emptiness, the
Buddhist Studies starting in January 2022
Nitartha Institute courses begin in January. There is a lot happening, and all online. Join us! MIND AND ITS WORLD IV: SAUTRANTIKA PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITION Faculty: Dr. Sandra Roscoe and Susan Stewart Learn about the Sautrantika presentation of the ground, path and results, including: objects,
Thank you for your generosity!
Financial Assistance for Nitartha Institute Students Generosity and demand for Nitartha’s courses at all-time highs. Please Give Now! Thank you to all who have donated to our Giving Tuesday campaign to replenish our financial assistance fund, which provides partial and full tuition discounts to students who otherwise
Financial Assistance for Nitartha Institute Students
Financial Assistance for Nitartha Institute Students Generosity and demand for Nitartha’s courses at all-time highs. Please Give Now!While the last two years have been difficult for many of us around the world, the demand for Nitartha's courses was higher than ever. And even though the tuition for the
PRESENTATION OF THE BASIS I (Part 2 of 2)
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. This is an excerpt from the sourcebook we use in our Mind & Its World II class. Mind & Its World II explores the criteria of valid cognition based on the
PRESENTATION OF THE BASIS I (Part 1 of 2)
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. This excerpt is from our sourcebook we use for the Mind & Its World IV course. This course is an extensive exposition of the Sautrantika philosophical tradition, based on the expanded version
The Way Consciousness Apprehends Objects
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. This is an excerpt from the sourcebook we use in our Mind & Its World II class. Mind & Its World II explores the criteria of valid cognition based on the teachings
What is Analytical Meditation ?
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Sign up and receive the detailed instruction on Analytical Meditation: Taming the Mind by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche.What is analytical meditation?The first step in a session of analytical meditation thus is the proper attitude and motivation. The second step is to sit in the correct posture.
Reissuing Nitartha Series Books
Shambhala publications is reissuing two of Nitartha series books by Karl Brunnholzl. In Praise of Dharmadhatu Nāgārjuna’s works sit at the heart of Mahāyāna Buddhist thought and practice, but he was renowned in Asia not only for his Madhyamaka work, but also his poetic collection of praises, most
How Bodhisattvas Take Birth in Samsara
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. This is an excerpt from the sourcebook we use in our Buddha Nature course. This course is part of Level 4, along with Cittamatra. The teachings on Buddha Nature present an overview
Skandha & Mental Events
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. This is an excerpt from the sourcebook we use in our Mind & Its World IV class. Mind & Its World IV presents the path and result of foundational Buddhism. Students explore
Mind That Apprehends Particulars
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. This is an excerpt from the sourcebook we use in our Mind & Its World II class. Mind & Its World II explores the criteria of valid cognition based on the teachings
No Ground For The Two Realities (Part 2 of 2)
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. The following is an excerpt from The Center Of the Sunlit Sky by Karl Brunnholzl. This course is an exposition of the Middle Way philosophical tradition, based on Part One of The
No Ground For The Two Realities (Part 1 of 2)
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. The following is an excerpt from The Center Of the Sunlit Sky by Karl Brunnholzl. This course is an exposition of the Middle Way philosophical tradition, based on Part One of The
Explanation Of Generalities
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. This course completes the introductory exposition of topics drawn from the Pramāna and Abhidhama traditions, based on the Classifications of Mind and Collected Topics root text. It provides students with the tools
Explanation Of The Seventh Consciousness
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. The following is an excerpt from 2008 Commentary on Mind Only Tenet System by Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen. This is included in the section, Ways Of Asserting Perceiving Minds III, of the
Minds That Apprehend Appearance
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. The following is an excerpt from Minds that Apprehend Appearance by Acharya Sherab Gyaltsen. This is included in the sourcebook we use in our Mind & its World II course. This course
Hearing, Contemplation & Meditation Part II of II
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. The following is part II of an excerpt from Commentary on Hinayana Tenets by Acharya Sherab Gyaltsen (You can read part I here). This is included in the introduction section of the
Hearing, Contemplation & Meditation Part I of II
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. The following is part II of an excerpt from Commentary on Hinayana Tenets by Acharya Sherab Gyaltsen (You can read part I here). This is included in the introduction section of the
The Wheel Of Analytical Meditation by DPR
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications.This excerpt is taken from our ebook that we are giving away this year, Analytical Meditation: Taming the Mind. Please sign up here to receive this detailed, 20-page ebook on analytical meditation by
Meditation On Repulsiveness
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications.This excerpt is taken from our ebook that we are giving away this year, Analytical Meditation: Taming the Mind. Please sign up here to receive this detailed, 20-page ebook on analytical meditation by
How To Look For The Self In The Skandhas
This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications.This is a continuation of the presentation of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche from Nitartha Institute, July-August 2007, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA. Arranged by Jirka Hladiš How to Look for the Self in
Mind & Mental Events
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications.This excerpt is from the sourcebook that we use for the Mind & Its World II course. This course completes the Classification of Mind (Lorik) root text, from the
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications. This excerpt is from our sourcebook we use for the Mind & Its World IV course. This course is an extensive exposition of the Sautrantika philosophical
Meditation On Selflessness
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications.This excerpt is from our sourcebook we use for Mind & Its World IV class. This course is an extensive exposition of the Sautrantika philosophical tradition, based on the
Appearing Object & Referent Object
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena This excerpt is copyrighted material, please do not use or copy without written permission from Nitartha Publications.This excerpt is from Lorik Oral Commentary by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche: Objects of Conceptual Mind & Direct Perception. This is one of the topics we study in our popular
A Gift of a Tibetan-language Dharma Ebook from Nitartha International
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena In order to help bring all positive conditions together in support of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, as the calendar moves toward the year of the Ox (the birth year of His Holiness), Nitartha International is offering for free download
The 2020 SUMMER INSTITUTE ONLINE
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Join us online this year for Nitartha’s Summer Institute! Nitartha’s Summer Institute is a month-long program divided into three 9-day sessions, with courses continuing from one session to another. You are welcome to join us for one, two, or all three sessions! This year,
Thank you to our Global Outreach donors!
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Thank you to all those who contributed to our 2019 Global Outreach campaign! We are very happy to report that we raised more than $19,000 of our ambitious goal of $20,000. Thanks to your support, we will be able to reach more people by:
How Tibetan translators can benefit from attending Nitartha Institute classes
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Are you a professional or an aspiring Tibetan translator? Here are 5 reasons how studying at Nitartha Institute – with its foundation, intermediate and advanced curriculum classes – can help you: You learn to understand basic Buddhist terminology and ideas/concepts, that are common in
2020 Offerings
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Don’t Miss This Year’s Offerings! Pre-Summer Online Course Registration is Now Open! Click here for information about the pre-summer Mahamudra shamatha, Mahamudra Vipashyana-I, and Luminous Essence (Guhyagarbha) courses, including eligibility requirements and applications. (For those who are going to attend the 2020 Summer Institute
A Lullaby to Awaken the Heart
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena The new book “A Lullaby to Awaken the Heart -The Aspiration Prayer of Samantabhadra and Its Tibetan Commentaries” by Nitartha faculty member and renowned translator Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl will be available in November! In this book Karl offers translations of three versions of The
Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche teaching at the Summer Institute 2018!
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena We are delighted that Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche will teach two classes at the Summer Institute 2018! The classes will be held during Module 1 (July 6-14) and Module 2 (July 16-24) and will be offered on alternating days. Distinguishing the Views and Philosophies: A
Save the dates for Gomdra & Shedra at the Summer Institute 2018!
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Please find below the exact dates for the Shedra sessions and the Gomdra modules at the Summer Institute 2018: Shedra Shedra Session 1 (14 days) July 6 (Friday) – July 19 (Thursday) Travel Day: July 20 (Friday) Shedra Session 2 (14 days) July 21
Renowned Thangka Painter RD Salga will be back at the Summer Institute!
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena In the Science of Creativity and the Arts track of the Summer Institute 2018, master thangka painter RD Salga will offer hands-on studio classes which focus on drawing and painting Buddhas using the guides and techniques of the Karma Gadri tradition, the painting tradition of
Join us for Tibetan Language Classes at the Summer Institute 2018
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena We are happy to announce that we will again offer Tibetan language classes at the Summer Institute 2018! The Introduction to Tibetan class is oriented toward beginners who have little knowledge of Tibetan butwould like to gain some familiarity with the language and how
Smiling Radiance of the Laughing Mañjugośa — 12–21 January 2018 in Warsaw, Poland
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Karma Dechen Choling is honoured to host this historical, very first presentation of the 6th Shamarpa’s Presentation of a Summary of the Common Teachings, Smiling Radiance of the Laughing Mañjugośa in the West. Acharya Lama Kelsang Wangdi will present the teachings with translation into
Mudra Space Awareness with Mitra Lee Worley at the Summer Institute 2018!
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena We are happy to announce that Mitra Lee Worley will again offer Mudra Space Awareness at the Summer Institute 2018! Mudra Space Awareness is a series of physical and vocal exercises derived from the Mahamudra and Maha Ati traditions of Tibetan Buddhism as presented
Save the date! Summer Institute 2018
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena The Summer Institute 2018 will be held from July 6 – August 2, 2018 in Bellingham, Washington! Join us for another summer of incredible teachings. The two primary tracks at the Summer Institute are complementary and feed back into each other. The Shedra track
Thank you for an incredible summer!
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena The Nitartha Summer Institute in Bellingham, Washington July 7–August 5, 2017 was an incredible experience. Thank you for your participation and support. We hope to see you again next year!
9-Day Intensive in Poland
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena 30 Sept–8 Oct 2016 Warsaw, Poland A nine day intensive Nitartha program was held Friday 30 Sept – Saturday 8 Oct, 2016 in downtown Warsaw’s beautiful, brand new, Dharma center. Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen has said that the center, known as Karma Dechen Choling,
Mind & Its World I and Clear Thinking
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Fall 2016 Boulder, CO This fall in Boulder, Colorado we have many students both local and online studying the foundational curriculum in the BUD 501 Mind & Its World I and BUD 502 Clear Thinking courses. Our own long-time faculty member Jirka Hladiš is presenting Mind & Its
Science of Creative Arts (SoCA) in Mexico
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena October 2016 Morelia, Mexico Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl taught on the Heart Sutra for a weekend and also gave an excellent two hour overview of The Five Treatises of Maitreya*. 於二零一六年十月份，導師卡爾•賓賀素 (Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl)為墨西哥莫里利亞的同學教授了一個以<心經>為題的週末課程，並舉行了一個關於<彌勒五論>的講座。* To complement the Heart Sutra teachings, Stephanie Johnston, taught three classes based
EMOTIONAL RESCUE with Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Friday, July 22, 2016 — A Public Event with Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche Emotions bring color and meaning to our lives, but they can also put us on an exhausting rollercoaster ride that takes us to blissful peak states, the depths of delusion and despair, and everything
The Science of Healing and Mindfulness
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena A Nine-Day Program: August 4-12, 2016 Teaching mindfulness meditation and mindfulness based interventions (MBIs) in health care and society is a mind-body discipline joining experiential understanding, practice competencies, and conceptual knowledge the pedagogy integrating contemplative wisdom with evidence-based psychological and scientific inquiry. For those
Abhidharmakosha with Acharya Kelzang Wangdi
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena At Nalanda West, Seattle: May 9-28, 2016 Join us for Acharya Kelzang Wangdi’s third year of teachings on Eighth Karmapa’s commentary for Vasubandhu’s Treasury of Higher Knowledge (Abhidharmakośha) at Nalanda West, in Seattle, Monday, May 9th through Saturday, May 28th. He will be teaching Chapter 6, which is
Summer 2016 Buddhist Studies Program
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena Join us for the Summer 2016 Buddhist Studies Program! July 15-Aug 13, 2016 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Explore how everyday thought and speech serve as tools for discovering definitive meaning, the unconditioned wisdom and spontaneous compassion of the buddhadharma. Combining an in-depth course of
Mind and Its World III at Nalanda West, Seattle
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena BUD 520 Mind and Its World III: Causality, Karma Cause & Effect, and Four Applications of Mindfulness Instructor: Stuart Horn, PhD Teacher in Training: Sandra Roscoe, PhD Attendance: Online & In-class Residential Location: Nalandabodhi Seattle Nalanda West, Vajra Spot Meeting Times: 11 Wednesdays: March
SAVE THE DATES! Nitartha Summer Institute 2016
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena We’re pleased to announce that the dates and new venue for the 2016 Nitartha Summer Institute have been confirmed. Mark your calendars! Friday, July 15 through Saturday, August 13, 2016 at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, BC, Canada. This year’s complete
Reopened! Self-Paced Online Courses
Manifest & Hidden Phenomena After a period of hiatus, Nitartha Institute is happy to announce that we have reopened our Self-Paced Online Courses! (SPOCs) Our entire Foundation and Intermediate curricula are available as SPOCs. These are full, complete, archived versions of courses that were previously taught by experienced