The Buddhist Path of Awakening Course

The Path of Individual Liberation

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The Path of Individual Liberation

The Buddhist Path of Awakening Course (Fall 2020-Spring 2021):

The Path of Individual Liberation

Scroll down to listen to the Zoom video recordings from the Course, from Fall 2020 to Spring, 2021. To join our ongoing live-streamed Zoom course every Tuesday evening, go to this page.

Zoom Recordings

Fall 2020: Chapters 1-22

The class covers Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume I, The Path of Individual Liberation

Click on the class link below to watch and listen to the video recordings on YouTube. Enjoyed the class recording, please consider making a donation in any amount here.

  • Class #2 , Volume 1, Chapter 1 & 2: "Beginning at the Beginning" and "The Frozen Space of Ego." Recorded September 8, 2020.

  • Class #3, Volume 1, Chapter 3: "The Four Marks of Existence," (suffering, impermanence, egolessness, and nirvana (peace). With Laura Read and John Baker. Recorded September 15, 2020.

  • Class #4, Volume 1, Chapter 4 & 5: “Opening to the True Dharma” and “Joining Study and Practice.” Barry Cunningham discusses the many meanings of the Sanskrit word dharma. John Baker discusses sila (discipline), samadhi (absorption), and prajna (transcendent knowledge), and more. With group discussion. Recorded September 22, 2020.

  • Class #5 Volume 1, Chapters 5 & 6. “Study and Practice.” With Barry Cunningham and John Baker. With group discussion. Recorded September 29, 2020.

  • Class #6 Volume 1, Chapters 7 & 8. “The Path, the Vehicle, and the Traveler” and “Relating with a Teacher.” With Barry Cunningham and John Baker with group discussion. Recorded October 6, 2020.

  • Class #7, Volume 1, Chapter 9 (Part 1).” The Painful Reality of Samsara.” Presentation by John Baker on The 12 Nidanas with group discussion. Recorded October 13, 2020.

  • Class #8, Volume 1, Chapter 9 (Part 2). ” The Painful Reality of Samsara.” Laura Read discussed the Six Realms (Loka) of samsaric existence, portraits of the different styles of confusion which we can be reborn into, psychologically and physically. John Baker discusses the Three Worlds and the Buddhist teachings on rebirth. Recorded October 20. 2020.

  • Class #9, Volume 1, Chapter 10. “Buddhadharma Fever.” John Baker and Barry Cunningham of the Path of Awakening Buddhist Center presented Chapter 10 of Chögyam Trungpa's The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume 1, The Path of Liberation. The subject of this chapter and discussion: Taking the Refuge Vow. Recorded November 3, 2020.

  • Class# 10; Refuge Vows – A presentation by John Baker on Refuge vows, based on Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's The Heart of the Buddha, Chapter 5, "Taking Refuge"
    This chapter can be downloaded as a PDF here. The recording of this class, unfortunately, ends about half-way through. The last half of the class was not recorded, due to technical difficulties. Recorded November 10, 2020

  • Class# 11; We discuss the first Jewel described in The Sutra of the Recollection of the Noble Three Jewels: The Buddha, his history, his epithets, his qualities, and what it means for us as we tread the path. Recorded November 17, 2020

  • Class# 12; Chapters 14 -15 Dharma. A presentation by Barry Cunningham and John Baker. Barry Cunningham and John Baker teach from The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume I, by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Chapters 14 and 15 on "The Dharma" and "The Sangha," from The Sutra of the Recollection of the Three Jewels. Recorded Nov. 24, 2020

  • Class#13; (not part of class) Buddhist Refuge Ceremony. Dec. 1, 2020. See also Three versions of Prostrations video

  • Class#14: Chapter 16-18. Chapter 16 "The Loneliness & Joy of Discipline," Chapter 17 "Taming the Neurotic Mind," Chapter 18 "Cutting the Root of Samsara." Presented by Laura Read and John Baker; dealing with the necessity and profundity of mindfulness meditation, the commitment to sanity. Recorded Dec. 8, 2020.

  • Class #15; Chapter 19. The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Vol. I, Chapter 19 “Continually Gnawing Rock.” Recorded Dec. 15, 2020.

  • Class #16; Chapter 20 -21. The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Vol. I, Chapter 20 “Becoming a Dharmic Person” and 21 “Refraining From Harm” Recorded Dec. 29, 2020.

Winter - Spring, 2021

  • Class #17; Chapter 22-23. The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Vol. I, Chapter 22 “Simplicity” and Chapter 23 “Following the Example of the Buddha”” Recorded Jan. 5, 2021.

  • Class #18: Chapter 25 - 26. The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Vol. I, Chapter 24, “The Basic Minimum,” Chapter 25, “Taking Your Seat,” and Chapter 26, “Breathing Out". Taught by Barry Cunningham and John Baker. Recorded January 12, 2021

  • Class#19; Chapter 27 -29, Presentation by Barry Cunningham and John Baker on Chapter 30 and 31 from the book from the book The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Vol. I pp. 207-222: Chapter 27 “Labeling Thoughts, ”Chapter 28 “Touch and Go, ” Chapter 29 "Encountering Problems." Recorded Jan. 26, 2021.

  • Class #20: Chapter 30 - 31; Meditation in Action and the 9 Stages of Shamatha. Presentation by Barry Cunningham and John Baker on Chapter 30 and 31 from the book The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Vol. I, I pp. 223-242: Chapter 30 “Leading a Spotless Life” and Chapter 31 “Resting in Shamatha.” Recorded February 2, 2021

  • Class 21: Chapter 32-33; “Identifying Obstacles to Shamatha,” “Antidotes to the Obstacles to Shamatha” from the book The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma on the obstacles to shamatha meditation and their antidotes. Presented by John Baker. Recorded Feb. 9, 2021

  • Class 22: Chapter 34-36; Chapter 34, “Cutting Thoughts and Short-Circuiting the Klesha,” Chapter 35, “An Element of Magic,” and Chapter 36, “Transcending Dualistic Mind." Presented by Barry Cunningham and John Baker. Recorded Feb. 16, 2021.

  • Class #23: Chapter 37-38, “Rediscovering Your Own Mind" and Chapter 38, "Mixing Mind with Space."Buddhist Path of Awakening Course; 'Rediscovering Your Own Mind' 'Mixing Mind with Space'. This class covered the abhidharma categories of the five skandhas, eight consciousnesses, 12 ayatanas, 18 dhatus, and their relevance for our progress on the path. Presented by John Baker. Recorded Tuesday, February 23, 2021. (Download PDF Files: Vasubandhu Abhidharmakosha Seventy Five Dharmas and The 5 Skandhas, 12 Nidanas, 12 Ayatanas, 18 Dhatus, 8 Consciousnesses

  • Class #24: Chapter 39 -40, “Mindfulness of Body" and"Mindfulness of Life." Recorded on March 2, 2021. Presented by John Baker

  • Class #25: Chapter 41-41. pp.304-328: “Mindfulness of Effort,” and “Mindfulness of Mind." Recorded March 9, 2021. Book mentioned in the class: The Treasury of Knowledge Book by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye

  • Class #26: Chapter 43-45. pp.329-47: Chapter 43, “The Freshness of Unconditional Mind,” and Chapter 44, “Beyond Picking and Choosing.” Presentation by John Baker. Recorded March, 16, 2021

  • Class 27: Chapter 45-46. The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume I, The Path of Individual Liberation, pp.343-352. Chapter 45, “The Art of Everyday Living,” and Chapter 46, “Glimpses of Emptiness."Presentation by Laura Read and John Baker. Recorded March 23, 2021

  • Class #28: Chapter 47-49. "Investigating the Subtleties of Experience," “Sharpening One's Perception," "Self-Perpetuating Awareness." Presentation by John Baker. Recorded Tuesday, March 30.

  • Class #29: Chapter 50-52. pp.373-396. Chapter 50, "The Snowballing of Deception," Chapter 51, “Recognizing the Reality of Suffering," and Chapter 52, "Dissecting the Experience of Suffering. Recorded Tuesday, April 6. Presentation by Barry Cunningham and John Baker.

  • Class #30: (NO RECORDING AVAILABLE) Chapter 53-52. pp.373-396. Chapter 50, "The Snowballing of Deception," Chapter 51, “Recognizing the Reality of Suffering," and Chapter 52, "Dissecting the Experience of Suffering. The recording of this Class #30, Tuesday, April 13, failed due to technical problems.

  • Class #31: Chapter 55 - 56. The reading assignment: Chögyam Trungpa's The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume I, The Path of Individual Liberation, pp.406-425: "Perpetually Re-Creating Suffering" and “Awakening and Blossoming." Recorded Tuesday, April 20, 2021

  • Class #32 (part 1 & part 2): Chapter 57 - 58. Chögyam Trungpa's The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume I, The Path of Individual Liberation, pp.426-442: "Meditation as the Path to Buddhahood" and “Transcending Samsara and Nirvana." Tuesday, April 27, 202. The two recordings (due to technical difficulties, there are two in sequence) of this week’s Class #32, Part 1 at https://youtu.be/dtr9DSFcZUM and then Part 2 at https://youtu.be/REB7sVGvCZA

  • Class #33: Chapter 59 - 60: The reading assignment covered our study of the Fourth Noble Truth, The Truth of the Path (leading to the end of suffering): The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Vol. I, The Path of Individual Liberation, pp.443-464: Chapter 59, “The Doubtless Path,” and Chapter 60, “The Five Paths."Taught by Michael Kern and John Baker. May 4, 2021

  • Class 34: Chapter 61 - 62: Chögyam Trungpa's The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume I, The Path of Individual Liberation, pp.467-488: Chapter 61, "Sravakayana: The Yana of Hearing and Proclaiming" and Chapter 62, “Pratyekabuddhayana: The Yana of Individual Salvation." Taught by Michael Kern and John Baker. May 11, 2021. Additional documents for class. Click on link to download PDF The 5 Skandhas, 12 Nidanas, 12 Ayatanas, 18 Dhatus, 8 Consciousnesses and Vasubandhu-Abhidharmakosha seventy five dharmas

  • BONUS MEDITATION CLASS: Peter Goldfarb taught techniques for relaxing the body and working with the emotions. You can view the 18-minute video of his teaching at https://youtu.be/_6fDOCzDnVA

  • Class 35: Chapter 63 - 65 (pp.489-510): Chapter 63, “The Lesser Path of Accumulation,” Chapter 64, “The Middle Path of Accumulation,” and Chapter 65, “The Greater Path of Accumulation." Recorded Tuesday, May 18, 2021

  • Class 36: Chapter 66 - 67 (pp.511-525): Chapter 66, “The Path of Unification,” and Chapter 67, “Ego: the Thought that We Exist.” Recorded Tuesday, Tuesday, May 25, 2021.

  • Class 37: Chapter 68 (pp.526-534): Chapter 68, “Cutting through the Numbness of Ego.” Recorded Tuesday, June 1, 2021.

  • Class 38: Chapter 69 (pp.535-545): Chapter 69, “Taking the Teachings to Heart.” June 8, 2021

  • Bonus Class on Chanting: Understanding the Tibetan Chanting here. Led by John Baker

Resource Links

Meditation books, videos, articles and poems mentioned in the Buddhist course.