[ CLASSES ONLINE - Dharma Essentials ]

Tibetan Texts The Asian Classics Institute has condensed the essence of these Six Great Books of Buddhism into a series of 15 Formal Study Courses. Geshe Michael Roach taught these Courses to a group of teacher-trainees in Manhattan over a period of seven years.

The Dharma Essentials Courses provide "essential" versions of these 15 ACI Formal Study Courses for those who just want the "bottom line" or do not have the time for the full Formal Study Course. Each Dharma Essentials Course consists of four classes of oral instruction and assumes no previous background in Buddhism. Each class is based on a few pages of reading from the original texts (often translated from the Tibetan for the first time).

Unlike the Formal Study Courses, Dharma Essentials Courses require no homeworks, quizzes, or final examination. Each class comes with a fifteen minute per day meditation assignment correlated to the material covered in that class and designed to help your practice and improve your life.

"Dharma Essentials" -- everything you need to know to begin, renew, or enhance your spiritual life!

The following topics are presently available. More courses will be uploaded as they become available.

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 1: The Principal Teachings of Buddhism
Level One of the Steps to Buddhahood (Lam Rim)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 2: Buddhist Refuge
Level One of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajna Paramita)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 3: Applied Meditation
Level Two of the Steps to Buddhahood (Lam Rim)

Audio
Class 1 - part 1   |   Class 1 - part 2
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 4: Proof of Future Lives
Level One of Buddhist Logic and Perception (Pramana)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 5: How Karma Works
Level One of Higher Knowledge (Abhidharma)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3 - part 1   |   Class 3 - part 2
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 6: The Diamond-Cutter Sutra
Level One of Middle-Way Philosophy (Madhyamika)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 7: The Bodhisattva Vows
Level 2 of Middle-Way Philosophy (Madhyamika)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 8: Death and the Realms of Existence
Level 2 of Higher Knowledge (Abhidharma).

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 9: The Ethical Life
Level 1 of Buddhist Discipline (Vinaya).

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 10: A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Part I
Level 3 of Middle-Way Philosophy (Madhyamika)

Audio
Class 1 - part 1   |   Class 1 - part 2
Class 2 - part 1   |   Class 2 - part 2
Class 3 - part 1   |   Class 3 - part 2
Class 4 - part 1   |   Class 4 - part 2
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 11: A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Part II
Level 4 of Middle-Way Philosophy (Madhyamika)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 12: A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Part III
Level 5 of Middle-Way Philosophy (Madhyamika)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 13: The Art of Reasoning
Level 2 of Buddhist Logic and Perception (Pramana)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2 - part 1   |   Class 2 - part 2
Class 3 - part 1   |   Class 3 - part 2
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 14: Lojong, Developing the Good Heart
Level 3 of the Steps to Buddhahood (Lam Rim)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4 - part 1   |   Class 4 - part 2
 Written
Classes 1 - 4

DHARMA ESSENTIALS COURSE 15: What the Buddha Really Meant
Level 2 of The Perfection of Wisdom (Prajna Paramita)

Audio
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4 		Written
Classes 1 - 4



Should you have any technical difficulties with any of these classes, please contact ACI.