Dharma Deep Dive | Course Two
Living the Bodhisattva Path: A 6-Week Exploration of Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra (The Way of the Bodhisattva) is one of the most beloved and influential texts of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition. For centuries, practitioners have turned to it for guidance on how to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage in the midst of everyday life.
In this six-week course, we will explore Chapters 4–6, which focus on how the aspiration to awaken for the benefit of beings is sustained and expressed in lived experience.
These chapters examine three essential qualities of the bodhisattva path:
Carefulness — recognizing the responsibility that arises when we orient our lives toward awakening and compassion
Vigilance — learning how to work skillfully with the mind so that clarity and compassion are not carried away by habitual patterns
Patience — discovering how anger, frustration, and adversity can become gateways to strength, resilience, and deeper understanding
Shantideva’s teachings are both profound and practical. They invite us to look closely at the movements of our own minds and to discover how wisdom and compassion can remain steady even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge.
Through teaching, reflection, discussion, and contemplative practice, participants will explore how these classic teachings illuminate contemporary life and offer powerful tools for cultivating a courageous and responsive heart.
No prior study of the Bodhicaryāvatāra is required, and students are welcome to join the exploration at this point in the text.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$185 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Bodhi Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in Bodhi, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Dharma Training Program. If you are enrolled in DTP and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.
About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.