Kurukulla Center

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Date: 

Wed, February 10, 2016

Time: 

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm 

Event: 

The Heart Sutra with Geshe Ngawang Tenley

 

 

The Heart Sutra (lit. "heart of wisdom") is one of the most concise among all Perfection of Wisdom sutras. Along with other Perfection of Wisdom scriptures, the Buddha gave this discourse during the second turning of the wheel of Dharma at Vulture Peak in Rajagriha. The intended audience was not the general public, but rather, a congregation of uncommon disciples whom the Buddha regarded as most suited to receive these teachings.

Like other Perfection of Wisdom sutras, the Heart Sutra shows two subject matters on two different levels. Explicitly, this sutra presents teachings of emptiness -- the ultimate nature of reality -- in great detail through enumeration of categories of both pure and impure phenomena. Simultaneously, it implicitly presents the stages of the path to enlightenment in terms of progressive levels of insight into emptiness. "By the power of the Buddha," these teachings are conveyed to others through a short exchange between two of the Buddha's most illustrious disciples, Avalokiteshvara and Shariputra.

Geshe Ngawang Tenley was born in 1969 and in 1989 began preparation to become a monk under the guidance of his uncle, Geshe Tsulga. He was ordained by the late Gyume Khensur Geshe Urgyen Tseten Rinpoche in 1990 and began the program of studies to become a geshe at Sera Je Monastery. During the course of his studies, he has received many teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama as well as other highly qualified masters. In 1998, he received his full ordination (gelong) vows from His Holiness, and in November 2008, after eighteen years of rigorous studies, he completed his final exams to be conferred the geshe degree at Sera Je Monastery. He began teaching at Kurukulla Center in 2009, and was appointed the resident teacher by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 2010 following the passing away of Geshe Tsulga. His cheerfulness and humility endear him to everyone he meets.

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