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Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at the Light of the Path Retreat, May 2014, Black Mountain, NC. Photo by Ven. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.
Living in the Path is an FPMT online and center-based program drawn exclusively from the teachings of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. In particular, it makes use of teachings given at events recorded by qualified media technicians using high quality video and audio equipment.
While the original modules of Living in the Path were developed on the basis of the Light of the Path retreats held in North Carolina, USA, in 2009 and 2010, new modules are being created to reflect the change in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teaching style that followed the manifestation of a stroke in 2011. Since then Rinpoche has been teaching with a force, animation, and speed that clearly transmits the urgent need for us to practice Dharma right now.
Living in the Path was created primarily to transmit Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s very unique way of teaching the path to enlightenment. As such it provides access to Rinpoche’s heart advice on the particular practices he would like his students to do in their daily lives. It also offers Rinpoche’s instructions on why and how to do certain traditional prayers and practices for the purification of negative karma and the collection of merit. In addition, it makes available Rinpoche’s extensive teachings on the lam-rim topics in a format that encourages reflection, meditation, and practice. This is achieved by dividing the teachings into short segments, and supplementing them with guidelines for study and meditation, as well as mindfulness and service practices to be done throughout the day, all of which are based on quotations taken directly from Rinpoche’s teachings.
All the modules of Living in the Path consist of a combination of video excerpts and transcripts of the actual teachings. These are supplemented by video, audio, and text resources aimed at helping students understand and integrate the teachings into their minds.
Given that Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings often assume familiarity with teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and, in particular, with the lam-rim teachings, students of Living in the Path should ideally have already done some basic introductory courses, such as Buddhism in a Nutshell and Meditation 101, and even some courses at an intermediate level, such as Discovering Buddhism. As Living in the Path is designed to encourage students to go deeply into the essential points of the path and to integrate them into their lives, this program can also be done in conjunction with other FPMT education programs, such as Discovering Buddhism, Basic Program, or Masters Program.
We invite you to visit Living in the Path on the FPMT Online Learning Center study, reflect, and meditate on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s unique way of presenting the Buddhadharma.
The original modules of Living in the Path are currently being revised and new modules are gradually being created, many of which are offered free of charge. You are invited to visit Living in the Path on the FPMT Online Learning Center to see a full list of available modules.
Centers wishing to host this program can contact the FPMT Foundation Program Coordinator at fpc@fpmt.org. Please note that the teacher of Living in the Path is Lama Zopa Rinpoche and that modules are to be presented in centers by a registered FPMT teacher who is also a registered Living in the Path facilitator.