Activities and Events of The Nalanda Institute

2009 Events

May, 2 - 3, 2009, Annual Retreat

Registration: Please bring the form and payment to a Thursday or Saturday practice or mail it to us at: The Nalanda Institute, P.O. Box 11361, Olympia, WA 98508. Also, please notify us of your intent to attend just by hitting "reply" to this message and providing your name, phone number and when you expect to turn in the form and payment. Registration Form

When: Sat, May 2: 9 am to 5 pm Sun, May 3: 9am to 12:30pm.

Purpose: Practitioners deepen their insights and experiences in various meditations and integrated them into day to day life moments.

Topics:
Saturday with Geshe Jamyang:

Existential experiences: Life and its purposes
Cultivation of Bodhicitta and personalized lojong (Mind Training) practices

Sunday with Lama Lungrik:

Training and Practice on Chenrizig and Tara Practice.

What you should know: Everyone is welcome, these teachings will be suitable for all levels of Dharma practitioners and for those with no background but but want to learn more. This one day Saturday event will be a very good and easy way to connect more strongly with Geshe Jamyang. The half day Sunday event will be a very good way to connect more strongly with Lama Lungrik.

The Saturday topics will definitely help you gain more understanding of Buddhism and learn some effective ways to utilize those insights in your own life. The Sunday topics meditations will improve your abilities to effectively engage in the Vajrayana practices.

Directions to the Retreat Site The address is 2415 Heritage Ct. SW Olympia 98502 It is the new 4-story bldg across from the ARCO station that is right off the Hwy 101 Auto Mall exit. The actual entrances are via driveways from the first cul-de-sac to the east (towards the Courthouse). Exit freeway towards auto mall, then take first right at the ARCO station.

Cost: For both days, including lunch on Saturday: $75.00 for non-members $60.00 for members

April, 26 - 2009, 4nd Teaching, Thursday –7:00pm to 8:45pm

Dharma Talk: The Way of the Bodhisattva

Suggested Donation: $15.00, no one will be turned away.

Geshe Jamyang Tsultirm

Discussion of "Happiness"

This Thursday will be the follow-up session to last month's topic which was "Happiness". Last month Geshe gave us a definition of Happiness and related this contemporary defintion to concepts in classical Buddhism. We also had a very good discussion of what people usually think happiness means. This month session is a follow-up in which the discussion of Happiness will continue and we will delve more deeply into it. It will be part presentation by Geshe Jamyang and part discussion. If you are reading the root text for these teachings "Clarifying the Sage's Intent", then the chapters for this teaching are: -- Producing the Aspiration to Engage in Buddha's Teachings, and -- Generating the Great Enlightenment Thought

Overview: 2009 Teachings

Location: Vietanamese Temple, 12th & Wilson Directions

March, 26 - 2009, 3nd Teaching, Thursday –7:00pm to 8:45pm

Dharma Talk: The Way of the Bodhisattva

Suggested Donation: $15.00, no one will be turned away.

Geshe Jamyang Tsultirm

Developing and Cultivating Spiritual Aspiration

The third talk will cover the topic of developing and cultivating spiritual aspiration. It's based on the second and third chapters of our text "Clarifying the Sage's Intent" The two chapter titles are explanatory: Producing the Aspiration to Engage in Buddha's Teachings, and Generating the Great Enlightenment Thought The first two talks addressed the potential we all have for spiritual development. This third talk now progress to the next stage which is how to develop that potential. As the titles suggest, it starts with the thought, or aspiration to develop spiritually. This months teaching will illuminate how to cultivate and nourish that spiritual aspiration and how to then actually generate the key elements for firmly establishing and maintaining it.

Overview: 2009 Teachings

Location: Vietanamese Temple, 12th & Wilson Directions

March, 7 - 2009, Film, Saturday – 2:30pm

Film: Dreaming Lhasa at Olympia Film Society

Ticket prices: $8.00 General (non-OFS members), $5.00 OFS members

A Film Benefit for Nalanda

“Dreaming Lhasa” is a beautiful and moving look into Tibetan exile life that becomes a universal reflection on justice, relationships, and personal responsibilities. Karma, a Tibetan filmmaker from New York, goes to Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama's exile headquarters in India, to make a documentary about former political prisoners who have escaped from Tibet. She wants to connect with her roots but is also escaping a deteriorating relationship back home. One of Karma's interviewees is Dhondup, an enigmatic ex-monk who has just escaped from Tibet. As he confides his real reasons for coming to India, we journey deeper into Tibet's fractured past but also into self-discovery and universal themes.

This sensitive and intriguing film will both delight and inspire. “Beautifully shot imagery… delicate and graceful exploration of cultural identity -- San Francisco Bay Guardian.

After the film members Geshe Jamyang Tsultrim, Tibetan Buddhist teacher and former monk will answer questions for those interested.

This film is mainly about human rights and the dilemmas of the Tibetan refugees. It’s not about Buddhism. It’s beautifully made and is a treat for anyone that enjoys quality independent films and sensitive investigation into fundamental questions about life and responsibility.

Film Announcement

Location: Capitol Theatre - Olympia Film Society

February, 26 - 2009, 2nd Teaching, Thursday –7:00pm to 8:45pm

Dharma Talk: The Way of the Bodhisattva

Suggested Donation: $15.00, no one will be turned away.

Geshe Jamyang Tsultirm

DISCUSSION of IS PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION POSSIBLE?

The topic of the first talk was: Is personal transformation possible? February's second talk will be a discussion of topics covered in first talk. Some of the topics were:

General views on the idea of transformation

Buddhist concept of altruistic mind, or Bodicitta

Buddhist concept of Buddha nature

Role of aspiration

The six perfections

Freedom from samsara and nirvana

Luminosity of mind

The role of tantric practice

It's not essential to have heard the first talk. The discussion of these topics will undoubtedly increase your understanding of dharma and of the Buddhist path. For those that did hear the first talk, please bring your own questions and concerns for discussion.

Overview: 2009 Teachings

Location: Vietanamese Temple, 12th & Wilson Directions

February, 17 - 2009, Tuesday – 6:00pm

Tibet, A Modern Pilgrimage - Slide show of the 2007 Tibet trip organized by Geshe Jamyang

Jan Vleck is giving this show, it will include some of the slides he showed at the benefit dinner last winter, but other ones too. We spent three weeks in Tibet, we saw many of the major monasteries and other holy places of Tibetan Budhism. We saw the cities, the, the countryside and the mountains (in two different short treks). For anyone with curiousity about what Tibet really looks like (in the summer at least), this is a great opportunity. Jan's photos are excellent and the narrative is crisp and informative.

This show is part of the City of Olympia's Ethnic Celebration.

Location: The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NW, 6 PM

January, 22 - 2009, 1st Teaching, Thursday –7:00pm to 8:45pm

Dharma Talk: The Way of the Bodhisattva

Suggested Donation: $15.00, no one will be turned away.

Geshe Jamyang Tsultirm

IS PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION POSSIBLE?
Is the Bodhisattva ideal achievable, is this path something the average person can
follow, is this path an effective way to live in a troubled world, how can a person activate
their inherent potential to live the Bodhisattva Way? Geshe will address these
fundamental questions in the opening talk of the series.

Overview: 2009 Teachings

Location: Vietanamese Temple, 12th & Wilson Directions

2008 Monthly Teaching Programs

2007 Monthly Teaching Programs

2006 Monthly Teaching Programs

For information or to sign up for our e-mailing list contact:

robertssaunders@comcast.net