Light of Longchenpa:

the Greatest Master of the Nyingma Tradition

Sundays, 10AM-11:30AM PST (1PM EST; 2PM Rio de Janeiro time; 7PM Amsterdam time)*
Seven sessions: October 30; November 6, 13, 20, 27; December 4, 11

This course introduces students to the life and teachings of Longchenpa, revered as the greatest master of the Nyingma Buddhist tradition and a heart-son of Padmasambhava. Nyingma teachers throughout the centuries have taught that the immeasurable blessings of Longchenpa (1308-1364, Tibet) are available to us for inspiration and transformation if we learn how to open to Longchenpa’s presence.

In our seven sessions, we aim to create a deepening appreciation for Longchenpa and for what he offers us by studying selections from his life-story, his teachings, and his instructions on practice. We will learn from the ways in which Longchenpa dealt with challenges during his life. We will savor the beauty and clarity of his writings that are famed throughout Tibetan Buddhist history for their depth and vastness of realization. Finally, after discovering how previous Nyingma masters have connected with the light of Longchenpa, we will follow their guidance to do the same.

The course prepares students to understand better and participate more deeply in the annual prayer ceremony to Longchenpa held at Nyingma centers in February of 2023.

Classes will be recorded in case students cannot attend all sessions in person. They will be viewable online for the duration of the classes, and not available for download. 

Please note that there will be a Longchenpa workshop held from 10 am – 1 pm PST, on Saturday, December 17, 2022 following the end of this class. It will be taught by Pema Gellek, Lama Palzang, and Elon Goldstein. Students may enroll for only the class, only the workshop, or both together. 

*Don’t forget about Daylight Savings Time!
  • Europe:  On October 30, Europe will have changed to Daylight Savings Time, so the time difference for start of class 1 is different than class 2-7. In the US, Daylight Savings will not take effect until November 6 (class 2).
  • Brazil:  In Brazil there is no Daylight Savings change, however class 2-7 will start later due to the change in the US on November 6.
  • US: Please don’t forget to change your clocks on November 6!

INSTRUCTOR

Elon Goldstein began training in Buddhist practice in 1987 and began studying the teachings of Tarthang Tulku at Nyingma Institute in 1992. Having participated in a number of programs at Nyingma Institute during the 1990s, he finished the six-month Human Development retreat in 1999. Elon currently teaches at Harvard University where he has served as Lecturer on Buddhist Studies at Harvard Divinity School from 2017 to the present. Prior to that, he was Assistant Professor of Buddhism, Comparative Religion, and of Psychology and Religion at the University of South Carolina. He holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University in Buddhism and South Asian Religions with training in reading Sanskrit and Tibetan Buddhist texts. Additionally, he has an M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School, an M.A. in Education from Claremont Graduate University, and a B.A. from Harvard University. In his first career, he taught literature and history in California public schools. Elon assists with projects related to Tarthang Tulku’s Sarnath International Nyingma Institute and other organizations in the Nyingma mandala. He is involved in the communal study and teaching of the Space, Time, and Knowledge vision. At home, he is an active parent to two school-aged daughters.