Summer Course 2004
July 5 to August 8, 2004
Je Tsongkhapa’s Illumination of the Thought,An Extensive Explanation of Chandrakirti’s
‘Supplement to the Middle Way’
For Summer Course 2004 Ven. Geshe Sopa will continue teaching from Je Tsongkapa's dGongs pa rab gsel, a commentary on Chandrakiriti's Madyamakavatara. (Tibetan: dU ma la aJug pa). The primary subject of this text is the 10 Perfections. Geshe-la will continue from the point in the Wisdom chapter where he left off at the end of the 2003 Course.
Geshe Sopa-la will teach Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM -12:00 noon and from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM from Monday, July 5th through Friday, August 6th. Each day there will be a discussion session from 4:00 to 5:00 PM, hosted by a senior sangha member or layperson. Although Geshe-la's commentary is offered primarily in English, a reading knowledge of Tibetan is recommended. The course will end with the Long Life Puja for Geshe Sopa-la on Sunday, August 8th.
Please read the rest of this announcement and the registration form carefully.
With limited housing available for ordained sangha only, Deer Park is unable to provide accommodations for students. Please see the list provided for housing options in the Madison area. We ask that you please contact the establishments yourself and make arrangements.
Sangha Housing: Ordained monks should contact Ven. Lobsang Thapkey or Ven. Lhundup Sherab (608-835-5572 or lthapkey@hotmail.com) at Deer Park to see if space is available. Ordained nuns should contact Ven. Lhundub Drolma (drolma@powercom.net or 608-835-6990). To help cover the costs of the facilities, sangha staying at either of the Deer Park residences are asked to pay a per-night fee, with fundraising undertaken for those who need assistance**. Ask about the rates when making arrangements. Please send in a registration form even if you speak to someone at Deer Park regarding sangha housing or otherwise inform him or her of your intention to attend the course.
Course Fee: The course fee is $375 (the same rate as last year on a per week basis). There is no charge for ordained sangha. Since attendance is limited to 60 students, to secure your registration for the course, lay people are asked to please send a deposit of at least $150.00 as soon as you are able. The balance will be due by final registration on July 4th.
Lunch: At this time we are not sure whether lunch will be provided during
the course. However, so we can get an estimate, please indicate on the form if you would like vegetarian or non-vegetarian food if lunch were provided. Sangha wanting lunch should be prepared to pay in full**. We hope to keep the cost around $6 or $7 a meal.
**Donations for Sangha Needing Financial Assistance: As in the past we are soliciting donations from course attendees to help cover sangha expenses. Donations received will first be used to help those sangha members most needing assistance in paying for housing at Deer Park and for lunches. If any additional donations are received, they will be used to defray those costs for the remaining sangha.
If you are arriving late because of the Dharma Celebration in Mongolia or
other reason, please indicate your estimated date of arrival on the form.
Please complete the registration form and mail it with your deposit*.
Indicate on the check what the money is for; i.e., course fee, additional
donation, or other purpose. Checks should be made payable to Deer Park and mailed to:
Deer Park Buddhist Center
* Sangha not sending any money can send the completed form via email.
Summer Course 2004
4548 Schneider Dr.
Oregon, WI 53575
Final registration will be on July 4th following Deer Park's Sunday morning teachings. Please come between 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM to confirm your participation, to sign up for the lunch program (if provided), to determine who needs a copy of the Tibetan text, to learn how you can help with maintenance of the teaching facilities and grounds during the course, and more. This will be very helpful for the course coordinators and for preventing the little bit of chaos that usually occurs the first days of a
course. Thanks in advance for helping us with this.
We hope that you will be able to join us. Questions should be mailed to the address above or emailed to deerparkcourse@hotmail.com; or call Cathy or Frank at 608-233-6954.
In Peace,
Cathy Kennedy and Frank Barone