This program comprises five subjects, based on Buddha’s Sutra teachings and the corresponding commentaries by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.
1. The Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, based on the commentary Joyful Path of Good Fortune
Benefits: We gain the ability to put all Buddha’s teachings of both Sutra and Tantra into practice. We can easily make progress on and complete the stages of the path to the supreme happiness of enlightenment. From a practical point of view, the Stages of the Path, or Lamrim, is the main body of Buddha’s teachings, and the other teachings are like its limbs.
2. Training the Mind, based on the commentaries Universal Compassion and The New Eight Steps to Happiness
Benefits: We gain the ability to integrate Buddha’s teachings into our daily life and solve all our human problems.
3. The Heart Sutra, based on the commentary The New Heart of Wisdom
Benefits: We gain a realization of the ultimate nature of reality. By gaining this realization we can eliminate the ignorance of self-grasping that is the root of all our suffering.
4. Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, based on the commentary Meaningful to Behold
Benefits: We transform our daily activities into the Bodhisattva’s way of life, thereby making every moment of our human life meaningful.
5. Types of Mind, based on the commentary How to Understand the Mind
Benefits: We understand the relationship between our mind and its external objects. If we understand that objects depend upon the subjective mind we can change the way objects appear to us by changing our own mind. Gradually we shall gain the ability to control our mind and in this way solve all our problems.
If we just dabble superficially in a spiritual path we will never gain a deep and stable experience, and our wisdom will never develop to its full potential. This is why these spiritual programs are so important.