Welcome to the FPMT Basic Program
“Learning Dharma means less ignorance and more wisdom. It means more light in your life, no darkness in your mind. It means you have more freedom in your life to achieve liberation from samsara and great enlightenment. The more you understand Dharma, the more you can benefit others.”
What is the FPMT Basic Program?
*Please note that this course is temporarily paused due to unforeseen circumstances. We will announce when we are able to resume this series. Thank you for your patience.
The FPMT Basic Program (BP) is a five-year* Intermediate Level course of studies designed by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. It includes nine core subjects and sometimes three optional supplementary topics. The BP has been devised for Dharma students who wish to progress beyond introductory courses and are ready to commit themselves to more in-depth study and practice. While it is encouraged to join for the whole five years, it is also possible to just join individual subjects. [*Offering this program in a non-residential city center setting usually takes us 7 – 8 years to complete the nine core subjects.]
The BP offers the chance to develop a good understanding of the complete path to enlightenment, and experience the benefits of serious, practice oriented study, meditation and retreat. Successful students develop a level of understanding and training which will also serve as an excellent basis for advanced study, meditation and retreat or for service in the wider community.
Dorje Chang Institute has hosted the FPMT Basic Program for two full rounds of the nine core subjects and is now offering a third round of the BP beginning from 2024. The subjects of the BP program can be repeated by students multiple times for greater and greater benefit and depth of understanding, as some of our senior students can attest.
The Curriculum in Brief
In brief, the nine core subjects of this inspiring program cover the following areas:
- Stages of the Path – Middle Length Lamrim: the stages of the path to enlightenment of beings of low, middling, and great capacity
- Heart Sutra: emptiness and the phenomena qualified by it
- Mahayana Mind Training – Wheel of Sharp Weapons: the law of actions and results, or karma, and the states of mind that shape our future experiences
- Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds: the six perfections—generosity, morality, patience, joyous effort, concentration, and wisdom—and how to practice them in everyday life
- Mind and Cognition: the way the mind knows phenomena and the mental factors that constitute the basis of our daily experience
- Tenets: the philosophical systems, or tenets, of the four main schools of ancient Buddhist thought
- Ornament for Clear Realization, Chapter 4: the aspects of the omniscient mind and the practices that enable to achieve them
- The Tathagata Essence (Sublime Continuum): the buddha potential or tathagata essence that exists within every sentient being
- Grounds and Paths of Secret Mantra: the four classes of tantra with emphasis on the generation and completion stages of highest yoga tantra
The order in which the subjects are offered can vary.
Upcoming Subjects
The classes take place on Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm at Dorje Chang Institute. The supporting discussions evenings, occurring fortnightly on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm, will be noted on the calendar closer to the time.
Current Subject: 16 July 2024 – July 2025 Stages of the Path (Approximately 1 year minus the summer break)*
*Please note that this course is temporarily paused due to unforeseen circumstances. We will announce when we are able to resume this class. Thank you for your patience.
Learn More About How the BP Classes Work
Learn more about the class format, requirements, discussion evenings and BP completion cards.
Learn More about the BP Subjects, Register or Log In
Learn more about the subjects and their content, Register for a class or Log In as a current student.
A note for those who have already studied a particular BP subject at DCI
Have you already attended this current Stages of the Path BP subject previously at DCI?
Wonderful!
If you attended this subject at DCI during the first or second round of the BP, Geshe-la highly encourages you to attend this subject again in order to deepen your knowledge.
As there is a new version of the root text for this Stages of the Path subject it is recommended to purchase this new version. Now that the book has been officially published by Wisdom Publications, we are no longer allowed to make previous drafts of this book available for students. The handouts will also be new for this year-long course.
If you already completed this subject, including the subject completion test, you will not need to do the subject completion test again.
If you would like to join us again for this subject please register for this class using the main Stages of the Path subject registration form.
