Lojong: Teachings, Practices, and Applications
About this Course
In this powerful Wisdom Academy online course, Thupten Jinpa provides an in-depth presentation on the teaching and practice of Tibetan mind training (lojong). He thoughtfully considers lojong’s links with contemplative practices such as mindfulness, emotion regulation, loving-kindness meditation, and compassion training. He also explores the psychology and theory of transformation behind mind training to develop clear differentiations between “self-centeredness” and “self-compassion,” “self-criticism” and “critical self-awareness,” and “stoicism” and “cognitive reframing.” You’ll gain access to a wealth of resources to help you engage more deeply with the writings of the great lojong masters and discover how to effectively apply these teachings to everyday life.
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Lessons
Lesson 1: Key Teachings of Lojong and Their Sources
In this lively introduction, you’ll discover vital insights into the lojong tradition and a clear roadmap for training your mind. Thupten Jinpa illuminates the essence of mind training and its profound significance within the wider Buddhist tradition. He breaks down how these essential practices and powerful mental antidotes are captured in seven key points, empowering you to transform your mind and accelerate your progress.
In this lively introduction, you’ll discover vital insights into the lojong tradition and a clear roadmap for training your mind. Thupten Jinpa illuminates the essence of mind training and its profound significance within the wider Buddhist tradition. He breaks down how these essential practices and powerful mental antidotes are captured in seven key points, empowering you to transform your mind and accelerate your progress.
Lesson 2: The Wheel of Sharp Weapons
You’ll join Jinpa as he introduces the extraordinary origin story of the lojong teachings, recounting Lama Atisha’s transformative encounters with masters Serlingpa, Dharmarakṣita, and Maitrīyogi. He reflects on Dharmarakṣita’s Wheel of Sharp Weapons, a dynamic self-exhortation that inspires us to transmute our afflictions, embrace “karmic justice,” and vanquish self-grasping and self-cherishing through the fierce invocation of the deity Yamāntaka.
You’ll join Jinpa as he introduces the extraordinary origin story of the lojong teachings, recounting Lama Atisha’s transformative encounters with masters Serlingpa, Dharmarakṣita, and Maitrīyogi. He reflects on Dharmarakṣita’s Wheel of Sharp Weapons, a dynamic self-exhortation that inspires us to transmute our afflictions, embrace “karmic justice,” and vanquish self-grasping and self-cherishing through the fierce invocation of the deity Yamāntaka.
Lesson 3: Atisha’s Mind Training in Seven Points
In this lesson, Jinpa will help you discover the importance of the 16 commitments and 22 precepts of mind training as ingredients for a life dedicated to nurturing the two awakening minds. Guided by Jinpa, you’ll dive deep into the seven key points of mind training as brought into sharper focus by Geshe Chekawa and others. Taking The Root Lines on Mind Training as the basis, you’ll learn about how these seven points provide essential guidelines for applying the appropriate practices in any situation.
In this lesson, Jinpa will help you discover the importance of the 16 commitments and 22 precepts of mind training as ingredients for a life dedicated to nurturing the two awakening minds. Guided by Jinpa, you’ll dive deep into the seven key points of mind training as brought into sharper focus by Geshe Chekawa and others. Taking The Root Lines on Mind Training as the basis, you’ll learn about how these seven points provide essential guidelines for applying the appropriate practices in any situation.
Lesson 4: Training in Ultimate Awakening Mind
In this lesson, you’ll uncover the vital distinction between the space-like perception during your sitting practice and the illusion-like perception that arises afterward. You’ll be inspired by five powerful analogies—dreams, magical illusions, clouds, water bubbles, and space—in the context of cultivating the ultimate awakening mind. Plus, you’ll explore the significance of the language of “the two awakening minds” within the lojong teachings and its connection to the broader Mahayana framework of wisdom and method.
In this lesson, you’ll uncover the vital distinction between the space-like perception during your sitting practice and the illusion-like perception that arises afterward. You’ll be inspired by five powerful analogies—dreams, magical illusions, clouds, water bubbles, and space—in the context of cultivating the ultimate awakening mind. Plus, you’ll explore the significance of the language of “the two awakening minds” within the lojong teachings and its connection to the broader Mahayana framework of wisdom and method.
Lesson 5: Training in Conventional Awakening Mind
You’ll accompany Jinpa as he provides a heartfelt summary of the methods for cultivating the conventional awakening mind according to the great Indian masters and the mind training tradition. You’ll be inspired by a deeper understanding of how the shoot of bodhicitta arises from the seed of compassion, planted in the even soil of equanimity moistened by loving-kindness.
You’ll accompany Jinpa as he provides a heartfelt summary of the methods for cultivating the conventional awakening mind according to the great Indian masters and the mind training tradition. You’ll be inspired by a deeper understanding of how the shoot of bodhicitta arises from the seed of compassion, planted in the even soil of equanimity moistened by loving-kindness.
Lesson 6: Transforming Adversities into the Path of Enlightenment
Jinpa introduces you to the unique mind training instructions on transforming life’s challenges, including sickness and misfortune, into conducive conditions for spiritual advancement. You’ll discover the deeper meaning of powerful slogans such as “banish all blames to a single source.” You’ll also learn how to reconceptualize personal obstacles and develop powerful antidotes to the afflictions that accompany them by relying on the fourfold practice and the five ways of taking into the path.
Jinpa introduces you to the unique mind training instructions on transforming life’s challenges, including sickness and misfortune, into conducive conditions for spiritual advancement. You’ll discover the deeper meaning of powerful slogans such as “banish all blames to a single source.” You’ll also learn how to reconceptualize personal obstacles and develop powerful antidotes to the afflictions that accompany them by relying on the fourfold practice and the five ways of taking into the path.
Lesson 7: "Leveling Out All Conceptions” and Other Instructions
Available on: 08-Nov-2024
You’ll join Jinpa in probing deeper into the crux of the instructions on transforming adversities into the path. Reading through key passages from the wisdom of masters like Serlingpa, Chengapa, and Thokme Sangpo, you’ll elevate your appreciation of the essential lojong concepts of cognitively reframing challenges, reflecting on “stoic-like” aphorisms, seeing suffering as a display of ultimate reality’s vastness, and cultivating a joyful, resilient, and decisive mindset.
You’ll join Jinpa in probing deeper into the crux of the instructions on transforming adversities into the path. Reading through key passages from the wisdom of masters like Serlingpa, Chengapa, and Thokme Sangpo, you’ll elevate your appreciation of the essential lojong concepts of cognitively reframing challenges, reflecting on “stoic-like” aphorisms, seeing suffering as a display of ultimate reality’s vastness, and cultivating a joyful, resilient, and decisive mindset.
Lesson 8: A Lifetime’s Practice in Summary and Measures of Progress
Available on: 15-Nov-2024
With Jinpa as your guide, you’ll lay out a groundwork for how to train in lojong for each day of the rest of your life and discover how to evaluate the level to which your practice has progressed. You’ll also learn how to apply the five powers and rely on the “witness” of self-awareness, propelling your mind training journey to new heights.
With Jinpa as your guide, you’ll lay out a groundwork for how to train in lojong for each day of the rest of your life and discover how to evaluate the level to which your practice has progressed. You’ll also learn how to apply the five powers and rely on the “witness” of self-awareness, propelling your mind training journey to new heights.
Lesson 9: Psychology and Theory of Transformation Behind Mind Training
Available on: 22-Nov-2024
You and Jinpa will delve into the psychological underpinnings of the mind training methodology to uncover an iterative process where perception drives interpretation and then emotion, behavior, and finally habit formation. You’ll learn about the mechanics involved with the lojong theory of motivation, the use of reinforcing “slogans,” the psychology of joy, and the application of imagination and intention.
You and Jinpa will delve into the psychological underpinnings of the mind training methodology to uncover an iterative process where perception drives interpretation and then emotion, behavior, and finally habit formation. You’ll learn about the mechanics involved with the lojong theory of motivation, the use of reinforcing “slogans,” the psychology of joy, and the application of imagination and intention.
Lesson 10: Daily Practice and Applying Mind Training in Everyday Life
Available on: 29-Nov-2024
You’ll join Jinpa for one final time as he summarizes the entire mind training journey of the previous nine lessons, drawing thoughtful conclusions about the attendant attitudes, prescribed affect, emotional regulation, adversity response, and maintenance of serenity involved with fully qualified lojong practice. You’ll obtain a holistic understanding of the mind training tradition and easy-to-understand instructions on how to integrate learnings from the course into your everyday practice.
You’ll join Jinpa for one final time as he summarizes the entire mind training journey of the previous nine lessons, drawing thoughtful conclusions about the attendant attitudes, prescribed affect, emotional regulation, adversity response, and maintenance of serenity involved with fully qualified lojong practice. You’ll obtain a holistic understanding of the mind training tradition and easy-to-understand instructions on how to integrate learnings from the course into your everyday practice.
About the Teacher
Thupten Jinpa was educated in the classical Tibetan monastic academia and received the highest academic degree of Geshe Lharam (equivalent to a doctorate in divinity). Jinpa also holds a BA in philosophy and a PhD in religious studies, both from the University of Cambridge, England. Since 1985, he has been the principal translator to the Dalai Lama, accompanying him to the United States, Canada, and Europe. He has translated and edited many books by the Dalai Lama, including The World of Tibetan Buddhism, Essence of the Heart Sutra, and the New York Times bestseller Ethics for the New Millennium.
Jinpa has published scholarly articles on various aspects of Tibetan culture, Buddhism, and philosophy, and books such as Songs of Spiritual Experience: Tibetan Poems of Awakening and Insight (co-authored) and Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Thought. He serves on the advisory board of numerous educational and cultural organizations in North America, Europe, and India. He is currently the president and the editor-in-chief of the Institute of Tibetan Classics, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to translating key Tibetan classics into contemporary languages. And he also currently chairs the Mind and Life Institute and the Compassion Institute.