Dharma talk - The Paramita of Wisdom

An introduction to the Middle Way

Shantideva's Bodhicharyavatara is considered one of the most important foundational texts of the Mahayana. The title translates roughly as "Introduction to the Way of a Bodhisattva". The ninth chapter on wisdom is notorious as a comprehensive introduction to the philosophy of the Middle Way (Madhyamaka). It shows above all the special role of wisdom in this context, as one can already see in the first stanza of the chapter:

All these branches of the doctrine
The enlightened sage expounded for the sake of wisdom
Therefore they must cultivate this wisdom
who wish to have an end of suffering.

During this one-hour online lecture, Lopön Sonam Jamtsho gives an introduction to the role of wisdom in the Madhyamaka tradition. He draws on the three wisdom tools (listening, contemplation and meditation).

Lopon Sonam Jamtsho was born to a semi nomadic family in remote village of Bhutanese Himalaya, and he finished his high school in Bhutan, where he got exposure to English at a very young age. After his graduation from high school, he pursued traditional monastic curriculum, initially in Nepal, and after a decade of studies, he graduated with distinction from renowned Dzongsar Shedra in India.

While in India, inspired by the life and works of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Jamgon Kongtrul Lodroe Thaye, and by the Khyentse lineage, he studied with scholars and teachers from all denominations of Tibetan Buddhism, though his main teacher is Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche.

Currently he is researching for a PhD degree in Tibetan and Buddhist studies from the University of Hamburg. He also works for the 84000 Project, is a translator, and review teacher for the Milinda Program. He plans to teach, translate and research on Buddhism in the future, mainly focussing on Tibetan Buddhist textual tradition.

This Dharma talk was organised by Rigpa Germany for more information on their upcoming events visit their website here.