Sutra Study Sunday – The City Beggar Woman

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. This sūtra tells of a beggar woman’s modest lamp offering at a park in Śrāvastī, contrasted with King Prasenajit’s lavish lamp offerings. Despite her tiny amount of oil, her lamp burns brightly and cannot be extinguished, symbolizing her sincere desire for enlightenment. The Buddha smiles and prophesies her future rebirths and awakening as a buddha.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Nagarāvalambikā: The City Beggar Woman

Sutra Study Sunday – The Bodhisattvas’ Prātimokṣa: The Fourfold Accomplishment Part 2

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. In the Accomplishment of the Sets of Four Qualities: The Bodhisattvas’ Prātimokṣa, Venerable Śāriputra requests the Buddha Śākyamuni to explain the conduct of bodhisattvas.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Bodhisattva­prātimokṣa­catuṣkanirhāra – The Accomplishment of the Sets of Four Qualities: The Bodhisattvas’ Prātimokṣa

Sutra Study Sunday – Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic was the first of the Buddha’s discourses during which his listeners became arahants.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Anatta-lakkhaṇa Sutta

Sutra Study Sunday – Gayāśīrṣa Hill – Continued

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. Gayāśīrṣa Hill is a pithy Buddhist scripture that describes various aspects of the Mahāyāna Buddhist path.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Gayāśīrṣa

Sutra Study Sunday – An Analysis of the Path

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. In the An Analysis of the Path Sutta, the Buddha Śākyamuni explains and defines the Eightfold Noble Path.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: An Analysis of the Path Sutta: Magga-Vibhaṅga Sutta

Sutra Study Sunday – The Bodhisattvas’ Prātimokṣa: The Fourfold Accomplishment

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. In the Accomplishment of the Sets of Four Qualities: The Bodhisattvas’ Prātimokṣa, Venerable Śāriputra requests the Buddha Śākyamuni to explain the conduct of bodhisattvas.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Bodhisattva­prātimokṣa­catuṣkanirhāra – The Accomplishment of the Sets of Four Qualities: The Bodhisattvas’ Prātimokṣa

Sutra Study Sunday – The Gold Sūtra

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. In The Gold Sūtra, the Buddha explains that the mind of awakening is like gold because it is pure. He also teaches the analogy that just as a smith shapes gold into various forms, yet the nature of the gold itself does not change, so too the mind of awakening manifests in various unique ways, yet the nature of the mind of awakening itself does not change.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: The Gold Sūtra

Sutra Study Sunday – All the Defilements Sutta

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. In The All the Defilements Sutta, the Buddha lists seven approaches for eliminating the āsavas: deep-seated defilements that “flow out” of the mind and prevent liberation.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Sabbāsavasutta – All the Defilement Sutta

Sutra Study Sunday – Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion Sutta

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. Said to be the Buddha’s very first sermon, or discourse, after this awakening. According to other suttas in the Pali Canon, the Buddha had doubts about whether to even try teaching what he had realized, figuring no one would be able to comprehend or master it. However, the god Brahma assured him there would be at least a few people “with little dust in their eyes,” and begged the Buddha to teach.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion Sutta

Sutra Study Sunday – Declaring What Is Supreme

Join us as we explore the rich repository of Buddhist Sutras, both Pali Canon and Tibetan Kangyur every first Sunday of the month after the Sunday Service. Sūtra (Pali. sutta) means ‘something that was heard from someone else’ and usually connotes ‘a discourse’. In The Sūtra “Declaring What Is Supreme”, the Buddha, while spending the rainy season at the Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha, teaches his saṅgha of śrāvakas that the Buddha is supreme among all beings, the Dharma of being free of attachment is supreme among all dharmas, and the Saṅgha is supreme among all communities and groups.

Facilitators: Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) and Daniel Scharpenburg
Text: The Sūtra “Declaring What Is Supreme”