October 30-November 1, 2026 - Weekend Intensive Teaching Through Zoom with Geshe Ngawang Gyatso - TOPIC: Exploring the Nature of Reality.

TOPIC: Exploring the Nature of Reality 

DATE: October 30-November 1, 2026

Cost: $100 Through Zoom meeting.

Note: To register please sending an email to office@namgyal.org. Please register by noon of the Friday of the weekend intensive start date. This is necessary so there is time to send Zoom invitation. Payment can be made through the website. www.namgyal.org Click - Donation page and make payment OR send a check to Namgyal Monastery, 201 Tibet Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850

Description:

Establishing the correct view of the nature of reality is a primary goal of all Buddhist practice and an important milestone on the path to enlightenment. A key concept for attaining the correct view is dependent origination. Nagarjuna describes dependent origination as “Since there are no phenomena that do not occur interdependently, there are no phenomena that are not empty.” Je Tsong Khapa explains and elaborates this key concept in his precious text In Praise of Dependent Origination. Although all Buddhist schools accept dependent origination as a key concept, their methods for directly realizing dependent origination (emptiness) are different.

The Gelug practitioners focus on the logic and reasoning of the Prasangika Madhyamaka view of emptiness, using the Diamond Slivers analysis to realize “Neither from itself, nor from others, nor from both, nor without a cause, does anything anywhere arise.” In contrast, the Nyingma practitioners of Dzogchen focus on the mind that realizes emptiness. “How does the mind arise, how does it abide, and how does it cease”. In his Dzogchen teachings in San Jose in 1989, His Holiness the Dalai Lama described these practices as “comparable”. 

During this weekend intensive, Geshe-la will explain the key concept of dependent origination based on Je Tsong Khapa’s In Praise of Dependent Origination. He will also describe the compatibility of the Prasnagika Madhyamaka and Dzogchen views of the nature of reality as well as the contemplative methods that Gelug and Nyingma practitioners use to directly realize emptiness. As usual, there will be plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion.

Biography:

Geshe Ngawang Gyatso joined Sera Je Monastery in India in 1993. He studied for twenty two years on five major Buddhist Philosophical texts. He received his doctorate in Buddhist Philosophy in the year 2013 and Tantrayana Degree from Gyudmed Trantric monastery. He was Buddhist Philosophy teacher for two years in Serjhi Jamyang Choehorling Mopnastery in Arunachal Pradesh. He attended special Buddhist Philosophy teacher's training organized by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama office at Central institute of higher Tibetan Studies and received two years courses in English at Bangalore. At present he is faculty at Namgyal Monastery – Tantric College in Dharamsa-la, India and Geshe Ngawang Gyatso will be the main teacher at Namgyal Mon-astery Institute of Buddhist Studies, Ithaca, NY.

Schedule: Friday - Introductory Talk: October 30th 2026 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

Saturday:

9:00 – 10:15 Morning Session

10:15 – 10:30 Tea Break

10:30 – 12:00 2nd Morning Session

Lunch Break 12:00 – 2:00

 2:00 – 3:15 Afternoon Session

 3:15 to 3:30  Tea Break 

3:30 – 5:00 2nd Afternoon Session

 Sunday

9:00 – 10:15 Morning Session

10:15 – 10:30 Tea Break

10:30 – 12:00 Last Session