Mitra Study – The Inconceivable Emancipation: The Vimalakirti Nirdesa
Mondays, September 15 to Nov 3, 7pm to 9
Sometimes Dharma study can be very down-to-earth and practical, giving us straightforward advice and precepts about how we can practice the Dharma in our everyday life. At other times, as in this module, it can be an antidote to the hum-drum daily round of our ordinary lives and lift us instead into a new vision of things. Connecting with this expanded vision of spiritual life can be both liberating and inspiring.
This 8 week course is for SFBC Mitras who have already completed the Foundation Course. Ideally you will also have studied the Bodhisattva Ideal (and Path), and read the Drama of Cosmic Enlightenment. It’s the first Module of year 4 of the Triratna Dharma Training Course for Mitras. Here’s the link to the Study Materials and discussion questions.
Primary Study Material
The primary study material for this module is The Inconceivable Emancipation: Themes from the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa, Sangharakshita, Windhorse Publications, ISBN 0904766888. We have a few copies in the bookstore and in the library, or probably there are people in the sangha who will lend you their copy. It is out of print but is now included in Volume 16 of Sangharakshita’s complete works. Let us know if you need help with this.
The original lectures can also be accessed from Free Buddhist Audio.
It would be great if you can find time to read the original text upon which the lectures are based. Whilst it is great to have a guide to the text as eloquent and insightful as Sangharakshita, it is also important as Buddhists that we read at least some of the original scriptures. Fortunately, with the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa, we have a very readable modern translation by Robert Thurman, available here.
Please pre-register.