DATE: August 28 to 30, 2026 - Weekend Intensive Teaching Through Zoom with Geshe Ngawang Gyatso - TOPIC: Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Chapter 2, Confession, and the Five Paths

Weekend Intensive Teaching Through Zoom with Geshe Ngawang Gyatso at Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, Ithaca.

TOPIC:  Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Chapter 2, Confession, and the Five Paths

DATE:  August 28 to 30, 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:

The Bodhisattva’s Way of Life by Shantideva is one of the most important texts within Tibetan Buddhism.  This text provides clear instruction on essential practices for making progress on the path to enlightenment.  Chapter 2, entitled Confession, first expounds on the multitude of offerings to make to the Buddhas.  Shantideva then explains the need to disclose wrongdoings and to take refuge in the Three Jewels, given the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time of death.  Geshe la will go through this chapter and give commentary on the verses.

The Five Paths outline different stages of progress on the path to enlightenment.  The Five Paths are: 1) the path of accumulation; 2) the path of preparation; 3) the path of seeing; 4) the path of meditation and 5) the path of no more learning.  During this part of the intensive Geshe la will describe the hallmarks of each path and practices required to progress from one path to the next.  He will also explain the five paths from the different perspectives of the Hinayana (hearers and solitary realizers) and Mahayana (bodhisattvas) practitioners.  More specifically he will describe the role that the mind of enlightenment, bodhichitta, plays in the five paths of the Mahayana.

During this weekend intensive, Geshe-la will provide instruction and opportunity for discussion on these topics. These teachings are suitable for students just beginning a practice as well as students with more experience.

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: August 28the 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
12:00 – 2:00 Lunch Break
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