Register for a courseIntroductory Courses

The Path to Freedom:
Introduction to Buddhism Courses (DB3)

These residential courses provide an overview of the entire Tibetan Buddhist path to enlightenment through teachings, guided meditations and discussion groups. You will...

PRE-REQUISITES: There are no pre-requisites to join these courses; you do not need to have any previous experience with meditation or Buddhism. Those with previous experience will also enjoy these courses in order to review and contemplate more deeply the essential points of the path. (When teachings and guided meditations are heard from different teachers, their varied perspectives and styles--combined with one’s own personal experiences acquired since one’s last course--can stimulate fresh insights for even the most experienced students.)

Note: These courses qualify for the FPMT Discovering Buddhism Program (Subject Area Three). Please click here for more information about Discovering Buddhism.

Note: No deposit is required to register for these introductory courses.

Introductory Course Teachers

Venerable Sumati (Kabir Saxena)

Venerable Sumati (Kabir Saxena)Venerable Sumati (Kabir Saxena), born to an English mother and an Indian father, was raised in both Delhi and London and attended Oxford University.  In 1979 Ven. Sumati met his main teachers Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the founders of Root Institute.  For more than 20 years Ven. Sumati has been living and working in FPMT Centres, including helping to establish Root Institute and serving as its Director for many years, and was ordained as a monk in 2002.  Ven. Sumati has been teaching Buddhism to Westerners and Indians in India and Nepal since 1988 and is well known for his sincerity, humility and gentle guidance.

Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi

Venerable Tenzin ChogkyiVenerable Tenzin Chogkyi, from the USA, has been studying Buddhism for over 25 years with teachers such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.  She has been ordained as a Buddhist nun for 4 years and recently completed 6½ years of solitary meditation retreat. Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi currently resides at Land of Medicine Buddha in Santa Cruz, California where she teaches courses, facilitates a support group for women with chronic illness, provides spiritual support to hospice patients, and teaches in a local prison, with a teaching style described by her students as straight forward, engaging, inspiring, sincere and fun.

Special opportunity! Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi will lead "Walking the Buddha's Path" a pilgrimage to the Eight Places of Buddhist Pilgrimage in India and Nepal 16 - 31 January 2008. For more information, please visit: www.hightreks.com. (Note: this pilgrimage is NOT organised by Root Insitute.)

Venerable Lhundup Damcho

Venerable Lhundup DamchoVenerable Lhundup Damcho, from the USA, worked for seven years as a financial journalist in New York and Hong Kong until she took an Introduction to Buddhism course 10 years ago in Nepal.  Shortly thereafter she left her work to devote herself full time to Buddhist study and practice with such teachers as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Yangsi Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Geshe Soepa.  She has already completed a Masters degree in Asian languages and cultures (specializing in Sanskrit and Tibetan) and is now completing her PhD in Buddhist studies.  Ven. Damcho became a Buddhist nun 8 years ago and in recent years has begun teaching at her teachers' request. Most recently, she has completed a three-months' residence teaching in Spanish at Yangsi Rinpoche's Dharma center in Puerto Rico.  Ven. Damcho is well-loved for her warmth, sense of humour and clear presentation of Buddhism.

Glen Svensson

Glen SvenssonGlen Svensson, from Australia, has been studying Buddhism for more than 12 years with teachers such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Geshe Jampa Gyatso.  After completing his Bachelor’s Degree in IT at the University of Queensland, Glen spent eight years working and traveling around the world and says he “bumped” into Buddhism in Dharamsala, India in 1995.  He then attended two of the famous November Courses at Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, followed by seven years of intensive Buddhist philosophical studies and nine months of meditation retreat in the FPMT Master’s Program (a teacher-training course) at the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Italy.  Since completion of the Master’s Program in 2005, Glen has taught in Australia and Europe with a teaching style emphasizing clarity and simplicity.

Approximate 10-day Course Schedule

During the first six full days of the course, the daily schedule combines teachings with various styles of meditation and discussion groups. The course ends with a two-day intensive meditation retreat to give you the chance to familiarize yourself with and gain insight into the topics that were covered in the teachings.

Day 1
1.30 - 3.00pm: Check in
4.30 – 6.00pm: Orientation talk
6.00: Dinner
7.30pm: Introduction to Meditation

Day 2 - 7
6.00am: Wake up
6.45 - 7.30am: Mindfulness Meditation
7.30am: Breakfast
9.00 - 11.00am: Teaching
11.15 – 12.00pm: Optional Simple Yoga (if teacher available)
12.00 – 2.00pm: Lunch
2.00 – 3.00pm: Discussion Groups
3.30 – 5.00pm: Teaching
5.30 - 6.15pm: Guided Meditation
6.15pm: Dinner
7.30pm: Evening Meditation

Day 8 - 9 (Meditation Retreat)
6.00am: Wake up
6.45 - 7.30am: Mindfulness Meditation
7.30am: Breakfast
9.00 – 9.45am: Guided Meditation
10.15 - 11.00am: Guided Meditation
11.15 – 12.00pm: Optional Simple Yoga (if teacher available)
12.00 – 2.15pm: Lunch
2.15 - 3.00pm: Guided Meditation
3.45 - 4.30pm: Guided Meditation
5.15 - 6.00pm: Guided Meditation
6.00pm: Dinner
7.30pm: Evening Meditation (Day 8) or Light offering meditation at the Mahabodhi Temple(Day 9)

Day 10
6.00am: Wake up
6.45 – 7.30am: Mindfulness Meditation
7.30am: Breakfast
8.30 – 10.30am: Now what? Advice, resources and inspiration for further study and daily meditation
10.45 – 11.45am: Tour and final meditation at Root Institute’s charitable medical clinic
12.00pm: Farewell Lunch
1.30 – 2.30pm: Check out

Approximate 6-day Course Schedule

Day 1
1.30 - 3.00pm: Check in
4.30 – 6.00pm: Orientation talk
6.00: Dinner
7.30pm: Introduction to Meditation

Day 2 - 5
6.00am: Wake up
6.45 - 7.30am: Mindfulness Meditation
7.30am: Breakfast
9.00 - 11.00am: Teaching
11.15 – 12.00pm: Optional Simple Yoga (if teacher available)
12.00 – 2.00pm: Lunch
2.00 – 3.00pm: Discussion Groups
3.30 – 5.00pm: Teaching
5.30 - 6.15pm: Guided Meditation
6.15pm: Dinner
7.30pm: Evening Meditation

Day 6
6.00am: Wake up
6.45 – 7.30am: Mindfulness Meditation
7.30am: Breakfast
8.30 – 10.30am: Now what? Advice, resources and inspiration for further study and daily meditation
10.45 – 11.45am: Tour and final meditation at Root Institute’s charitable medical clinic
12.00pm: Farewell Lunch
1.30 – 2.30pm: Check out

Course discipline

We ask our guests to observe the following discipline in order to create an atmosphere conducive to inner reflection and meditation.

All guests are asked to:

Additionally, during courses students are asked to:

Meals and Accommodation

Root Institute serves delicious Indian and Western vegetarian meals three times per day. These include wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts, sugar and salt and we are NOT able to provide for special dietary needs.

During courses, men and women must have separate accommodation and friends/family of the same gender are strongly encouraged to stay in separate rooms to help support your silence.

Please be aware that we will note the room preference listed on your registration form, but we cannot confirm any specific room bookings until you arrive for the course. We will at least offer you a dormitory bed and will do our best to fulfil any other requests when you arrive.

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