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THE THREE TURNINGS OF THE DHARMA WHEEL, part 2: THE ABSENCE OF CHARACTERISTICS
December 2, 2023 @ 10:00 am – December 3, 2023 @ 3:30 pm
Teachings by: CHRISTIAN BERNERT
Date: 2-3 DECEMBER
Time: Saturday & Sunday 10.00 – 12.00 & 13.30 – 15.30
Place: Thupten Changchup Ling, Arosio/CH & ZOOM
Language: EN
Translations available: ITSuggested donation: 30 CHF/ 25 € https://sakyafamily.eu/donations-ch
The Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel
To guide his disciples to liberation and awakening, the Buddha’s gave a wide range of teachings adapted to their individual needs and capacities. These teachings were later grouped together into three classes of teachings referred to as the Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel, each turning revealing another essential dimension of the path. In the summer seminars over the course of the next three years (2022-2024), we will discuss each of these classes of teachings in turn.
2022: The Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel, part 1: Freedom from Samsara
In the First Turning of the Dharma Wheel, the main topic of the Buddha’s teaching is the Four Noble Truths. This teaching is the foundation for the entire system of Buddhist thought and practice of all traditions and lineages. In this seminar, the discussion of this topic will be supported by a reading of the Sutra of the Turning of the Dharma Wheel and explore important related aspects of the Abhidharma teachings.
2023: The Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel, part 2: The Absence of Characteristics
The special topic of the Second Turning of the Dharma Wheel is the profound wisdom of emptiness. This was expounded at great length in the Perfection of Wisdoms Sūtras and later commented upon by many great masters, most notably Ārya Nāgārjuna and the teachers of the Madhyamaka school.
In this seminar we will explore the notion of reality as taught in the Sūtra of Perfection of Wisdom. Our study of the ‘Heart Sūtra’ will be based on a commentary by a great Sakya master, Rongton Sheja Kunrig, and accompanied by an introduction to the middle way school (Madhyamaka).
2024: The Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel, part 3: Luminous Mind and the Three Natures
In the Third Turning of the Dharma Wheel, the Buddha taught what is known as the definitive meaning of his teachings. In this class of teachings, the Buddha revealed extraordinary teachings on the mind, buddha nature and profound ways to understand conventional and ultimate reality, in this way complementing the earlier teachings. The exploration of this topic will be supported by readings from the Sūtra on Buddha Nature, the Sūtra on the Descent into Lanka, and the Sūtra Unraveling the Intent.
Christian Bernert
Of Franco-Austrian background, Christian grew up in Vienna and lived for about five years in Kathmandu. His connection with the Buddhadharma was formally forged in 1999 under the guidance of his first teacher, the late Khenchen Sherab Gyaltsen Amipa Rinpoche. He received an MA in religious studies and Tibetology from the University of Vienna in 2009, followed by a two-year translator training at the International Buddhist Academy (IBA) in Kathmandu, where he had participated in yearly summer programs since its inception in 2001. A founding member of the Chödung Karmo Translation Group, the vision of which is the translation of important works of the Sakya tradition, he continues to work closely with IBA. He currently coordinates for IBA The Complete Path program with His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin Ratna Vajra, a seven-year course on the core theory and practice of the Sakya lineage. In 2021 he joined the in-house translators team of the Khyentse Vision Project, the mission of which is the translation of the collected works of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.
Christian has published translations of classical Tibetan texts on Buddhist thought and practice, as well as teachings of contemporary masters. His publications include Words of a Gentle Sage: Collected Teachings of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, Vol. 1 (2018), Adorning Maitreya’s Intent: A Commentary on the Madhyāntavibhāga by Rongtön Sheja Kunrik (2017), and various sūtras for 84000.
Christian currently lives in Hoi An, Vietnam. In his spare time, he looks after another project close to his heart—the Bodhisvara Project—recordings of classical Buddhist texts chanted in Sanskrit.
Join us at the temple in Arosio (CH):
Please register at least two days before the event to participate in person in Arosio (using the link below).
Register in advance for this meeting on Zoom at least one day in advance.
You will receive a confirmation email from “Sakya Dharma Family Admin” with the Zoom link to participate (click “Click Here To Join”) on the day of the event.
