Être un bodhisattva: Explorer le vœu du bodhisattva

Saturdays from 1:00 pm - 3:00 après-midi. EST

Novembre 2 / 9 / 16, 2024

Planting such a seed as the bodhisattva vow undermines ego and leads to a tremendous expansion of perspective. Such heroism, or bigness of mind, fills all of space completely, utterly, absolutely. Within such a vast perspective, nothing is claustrophobic and nothing is intimidating. There is only the vast idea of unceasingly helping all sentient beings, as limitless as space, along the path to enlightenment…

—Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoché

Aperçu du cours

This three-session course explores the moment in a person’s life when they decide to go one step further than “being Buddhist”—and make a profound commitment to put all others before themselves. It is open to all who are interested in the Bodhisattva vow, or to anyone who would like to reconnect with their original inspiration for taking this vow. It is also an excellent follow up to the Being Buddhist: Exploring the Refuge Vow course, but you do not have to have taken it to participate in this course.

The Bodhisattva Vow is a traditional vow that has been part of the Buddhist path for centuries. Taking a vow in a formal ceremony is a way to set our intention and to plant a deep seed of aspiration for the unfolding of our spiritual path.

One first takes the Refuge Vow, and this marks the decision to commit oneself wholeheartedly to the Buddhist path and to further one’s practice and training. C'est l'engagement formel d'être bouddhiste, suivre l'exemple du Bouddha Shakyamuni, ses enseignements (le dharma), et rejoindre la communauté (sangha) des compagnons de pratique.

Après avoir prononcé le vœu de refuge et une période de pratique supplémentaire, the Bodhisattva Vow is a further expression of commitment to the Buddhist path. This vow is the commitment to put others before oneself. It is a statement of willingness to give up one’s own well-being, even one’s own enlightenment, for the sake of others. And a bodhisattva is simply a person who lives in the spirit of that vow, perfecting the qualities known as the six paramitas [perfections]—générosité, discipline, patience, exertion, méditation, and transcendental knowledge—in his effort to liberate beings.

Taking the bodhisattva vow is a powerful moment on a Buddhist practitioner's path. Join us and explore if this is the right moment for you—ou utilisez-le comme une puissante opportunité de vous connecter à votre inspiration originale pour ce moment sur votre chemin spirituel personnel..

Répartition des sessions

Session 1 - What is the Bodhisattva vow? 

Session 2 - A personal exploration of why one would consider taking this vow - or has already taken this vow

Session 3 - An exploration of the the paramitas (générosité, discipline, patience, etc…), a key aspect of the Bodhisattva vow

About Judith

Judith Simmer-Brown, doctorat, Professeur émérite d'études contemplatives et religieuses à l'Université de Naropa, where shehas taught for over 40 années. Simmer-Brown est formatrice en compassion pour la Compassion Initiative à Naropa. Elle est auteur deSouffle chaud de Dakini: Le principe féminin dans le bouddhisme tibétain (Shambhala) et éditeur, avec Fran Grace, deMéditation et salle de classe: Pédagogie contemplative pour les études religieuses (SUNY). Pour Shambhala, elle enseigne les niveaux de formation Shambhala, Sujets Mahayana et Vajrayana, avec un amour particulier pour White Tara, principe féminin, travailler avec les émotions, compassion et engagement social.