Foundation Series Two: Introduction to Mahayana

The Foundation courses introduce students to understanding Buddhist principles and practices. If you know little or nothing about Buddhism and are willing to put in a little reading and study time each fortnight, these courses are an excellent place to start.

About the Facilitators

Lianne and Pete are dedicated long-term students of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, having embraced his teachings for many years. For the past 13 years, they have served as coordinators for SIA in Melbourne, where they have successfully organised numerous courses and retreats. With two decades of experience in Yoga Teacher Training, they are also the co-developers of the Foundations series, which was created in collaboration with Jakob Leschly five years ago. The series premiered as a pilot in 2022, with Lianne and Pete running the first full course, Foundations One: The First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, in 2024.

Study course: 14 lessons running between April and October 2025

Starts: 10 April 2025

Cost: By donation

This course is an introduction to the practice and principles of Mahayana.

We’ll investigate the main Mahayana sutras, examine Mahayana wisdom, including the two truths, and explore Bodhicitta and Mahayana compassion.

Participants will be sent a workbook PDF. This is an integral part of the course providing a systematic and comprehensive approach to exploring the path of Mahayana practices and principles in a step-by-step manner. An invitation to a private Facebook discussion group will be included.

We’ll be using study materials including Mediation in Action by Chogyam, Trungpa Rinpoche, Not for happiness by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, articles, videos and more.

You can attend in person (Melbourne CBD) or Online via Zoom.

Dates

Students will work through lessons provided in their workbook, and the course will include seminars based on each lesson.

The Seminar times are Thursdays 7PM to 8.30PM that will take place fortnightly. If you miss any seminar, they will be recorded for participants to watch after the dates, The seminars will run on the dates listed below.

Term 1

April 10, 24

May 8, 22

June 5, 19

July 3

Term 2

July 31

August 14, 28

September 11, 25

October 9, 23

To express your interest in registering , please email [email protected]

Foundations One: The First Turning of the Wheel will return later in 2025

Foundations Series One is an excellent starting point for anyone interested in exploring Buddhism.

The course will introduce practical methods and practices to help one become more mindful of thoughts and emotions. The application of these techniques facilitates the recognition and cultivation of happiness in daily life.

Course dates will be announced later in 2025