Update: Book price will be $15 even. Buy at the door on September 3. See more below.*
Compared to the sutra approach, the tantric path enables us to transcend our presently obscured condition and experience unencumbered enlightenment much more rapidly. In fact, a fully qualified tantric practitioner can achieve enlightenment within one short lifetime! That is why tantra is sometimes called the Lightning Vehicle.
This swift attainment of enlightenment can be accomplished because tantra, as distinct from the causal approach of sutra, is what is known as a resultant vehicle. What does it mean to be a resultant path or vehicle? As I mentioned, the sutra path is called causal because through it we are creating causes now for experiencing enlightenment in the future. But what tantra enables us to do is to take this future result, enlightenment itself, and bring it into the present moment as the very basis of our practice.
Through the various methods contained in tantra, we train to visualize ourselves as if we were already fully enlightened. We learn to transcend our ordinary, limited self-identify and view ourselves as possessing the holy body, speech, and mind of a buddha. By doing so, we are able bring about our enlightened self-transformation much more rapidly than if we were following only the causal approach of sutra.
– Jon Landaw, Discovering Buddhism at Home transcript
Join us in learning about the part of the Mahayana path known variously as Secret Mantra, Vajrayana, or Tantra. We are thrilled to be able to offer this course by someone who is especially qualified to teach this particular topic, Jon Landaw.
About the Instructor
Jon Landaw has many years of experience teaching the Discovering Buddhism program, at Land of Medicine Buddha and elsewhere. He is the teacher of the home-study version of this module, as well as the editor of the book Introduction to Tantra, which will be the textbook for this course.
Participation
Drop in on the first class to see if it suits you. Online registration below gives various options for donating to support this program. The Dharma center depends on your contributions to make classes like this possible. However, we don’t want anyone to feel that there is an obstacle if they are unable to donate. All are welcome.
Reading Materials
*Text book:
We will have copies of the book Introduction to Tantra for sale at the first class (Sep 3). This will be the main text book for the course.
Buy the text book on the first night at the door for a discounted price of $15 (even). Pay with cash, check (payable to: Land of Medicine Buddha), or major credit card.
After the first class, any leftover copies of the book will be available in the bookstore during regular business hours (10am to 5pm).
Introduction to Tantra is also available as an eBook from the publisher, Wisdom Publications.
Other materials:
If any other materials are provided by the instructor, look for them on our DB Homework page:
Get password in class.
See more about the whole Discovering Buddhism program at Land of Medicine Buddha, here.
Benefits of Membership
Scholar-level membership covers donations for regular classes. Look into becoming a Scholar.
| Date(s): | Thursdays, Sep 3 to Oct 15 (no class on Oct 1) |
| Times: | 7:00 pm - 8:45 pm |
| Instructor/Leader: | Jon Landaw |
| Type of event: | Discovering Buddhism |
| Number of sessions: | 6 |
| Level: | introductory |
| Participation: | best to join at beginning of course; drop-ins allowed |
| Location: | Main Gompa |
| iCal Link: | iCal |
| Add to Google Calendar: |  |
Registration and Donations for DB13: Intro to Tantra
Online registration is now closed for this event.