Refining the View of Emptiness: Appreciating the Sakya and Gelug perspectives
Part Two: The Gelug View of Emptiness with Geshe Sonam Ngodrup
When: Sunday, February 9th, 2025, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET
Where: To watch the teachings online on Zoom please register here. (this is a very simple and quick registration process by email), or watch the sessions live-streamed on Facebook or YouTube.
Please note: The teachings will be online only this week.
Of all of Buddha’s teachings, the view of emptiness has attracted the most commentary and debate, because this wisdom is the crucial key to complete and final release from all suffering, while also being a truth that is very subtle and difficult to understand.
Through a curious non-dogmatic contemplation of differing presentations of the wisdom of emptiness, we will find an explanation that helps us to develop a deeper experience. As our experience grows, we will be able to make sense of ever more subtle expressions of this wisdom and come to appreciate differing perspectives as stages towards fully experiencing the truth directly.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s unique presentation of the Madhyamika Prasaṅgika (Middle Way Consequence) school of emptiness is rooted in the understandings of the great Indian Paṇḍitas such as Candrakīrti. However, he emphasizes how to develop understandings of difficult issues such as recognizing the object of negation and the harmony of emptiness and dependent arising with refreshing clarity and profundity. Although this profound topic is beyond the scope of a single session, Geshe la hopes to highlight the basics of Lama Tsongkhapa’s presentation of emptiness in a way that helps students develop a foundational understanding.
Supplemental Readings
The Gelug Prasangika & Svatantrika Views of Emptiness — Study Buddhism
Part One: A Sakya View of Emptiness with Venerable Pema Sherpa
Part One of this series was presented on Sunday, November 24th, 2024. You can watch the video of this talk below.
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