The Heart Sutra and the Eight Verses of Mind Training

Welcome to Heart Sutra, Australian Tour 2013. Venerable Geshe Sonam Thargye is honoured to present a one-day teaching by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on the Heart Sutra and the Eight Verses of Mind Training on Wednesday 19 June 2013 at the Quang Minh Temple in Braybrook, Melbourne. Aussie promoter and friend of the New Spirit Festival Chris Hooper is the event manager for this presentation, so we know it is going to be top class!

The invitation to come to Melbourne in 2013 to teach on the Heart Sutra and the Eight Verses of Mind Training was extended in person by Geshe Sonam during a visit to His Holiness in India early in 2012. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s 2013 Melbourne teachings will be based on two complementary texts, The Heart Sutra and the Eight Verses of Mind Training. Together these texts teach us how to skillfully generate wisdom and method in order to transform our minds and achieve enlightenment.

The Heart Sutra is a concise presentation that brings out the essence or ‘heart’ of the Buddha’s teachings. Through the gradual process of cultivating wisdom, we can develop our ability to cut through delusions, and understand the ultimate nature of the way in which ‘I’ and all phenomena exist. The Eight Verses of Mind Training by Langri Tangpa explains the importance of the method aspect of the path. It shows us how, through generating compassion, loving-kindness and altruism, we can transform our ordinary mind into attaining enlightenment. His Holiness will offer the teachings in Tibetan and English. Translation from Tibetan to English will be given by His interpreter on stage.

Venerable Geshe Sonam Thargye is the Spiritual Director of Drol Kar Buddhist Centre, which is located in the Surf Coast Shire, south west of Melbourne. The centre was established in Geelong in 1999 by Geshe Sonam and a group of his students. Drol Kar Buddhist Centre is a not-for-profit incorporated association with the sole purpose of providing Tibetan Buddhist teachings, Dharma practice, meditation and study in the Mahayana tradition. The centre also supports Geshe Sonam with various projects that aim to enhance the socioeconomic conditions, sustainable livelihoods, continuing education and spiritual practices of Tibetan people within Tibet, and in exile in India.

In addition to the one-day teaching in Braybrook, Melbourne, the Board and Staff of Dalai Lama in Australia Ltd are presenting a number of events. For an overview of all public events offered by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama during his June 2013 Beyond Religion: the Benefits of Living Ethically Australian visit. His Holiness will be touring Australia for ten days during 2013 and will visit Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Darwin. Scheduled events in these cities will focus on basing our ethical behaviour on a deep appreciation of our common humanity – the message from His Holiness’ recent book Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World.

Droi Kar Buddhist Centre

http://www.quangminh.org.au