‘AWAKENING WISDOM’ NEW ONLINE COURSE: Read, study and understand the Heart Sutra in Tibetan (September 2023)

Read and Understand the Heart Sutra in Tibetan with Adele Tomlin, scholar-translator and founder  of Dakini Translations

Ever wanted to read and understand a well-known text in Tibetan? But lack of time and guidance? Well here is your chance! At the beginning of the Autumn season this September 2023, due to requests for Tibetan language classes, a new five-week online course (one hour per week) is being offered for those who can already read Tibetan script (at a basic level at least) with Adele Tomlin, scholar-translator and founder of Dakini Translations.

• One hour class once per week, for five weeks.
• Minimum class number 5, maximum 20.  
• Platform: Google Meet.
• Saturdays or Sundays, September 2023.
• Day/time to be discussed and agreed with interested participants.
• 20/25 USD (18/22 Euros) per class (converted to your currency if different)

If you wish to register your interest in joining the class, please fill in this form.

Completed course certificates will also be provided for those who complete the course and a special certificate for those who are able to recite the Heart Sutra from memory in Tibetan! 

Proposed week-by-week schedule:

1. History and background of the Heart Sutra in Tibetan and 15 minute Q&A (with class handouts).
2. Reading and chanting the Heart Sutra in Tibetan. Reading the sentences in Tibetan, with pronunciation guidance and phonetics. 
3. Sentence by sentence reading and analysis of the meaning and translation. Short 5 minute meditation.
4. Review of previous class, then as above. Short 5 minute meditation.
5. Philosophical interpretations of the Heart Sutra, in particular the Empty-of-Other view based on Jetsun Tāranātha’s commentary. Short 5 minute meditation.

It will be a non-scholarly, relaxed and practical approach to reading, understanding and chanting the Heart Sutra in Tibetan, for practice and study purposes.

Fees

Special donation rate for regular supporters/donors (and/or those who have given significant one-off donations) of Dakini Translations of 20 USD/18 Euros per class. Otherwise, 25 USD/22 Euros per class.  

Five classes must be booked in advance via Paypal or Stripe. If the class has to be cancelled a new class will be arranged and/or the cancelled hour refunded to the student.

Pre-requisites/Application to join

If you wish to attend the classes, please send an email, or a message here, saying a bit about yourself, your prior study of written Tibetan and why you want to join these classes (no more than 500 words). Applications will be vetted and not accepted if they are not suitable, or there are no more available places.

Anonymous/pseudonym applicants will not be accepted as all people must switch on their videos so they can be seen and, if necessary, heard during the course.  This is to ensure not only an open, safe, friendly and secure space for all participants, but to emulate as close as possible a real classroom environment and community with fellow human beings!  Microphones may be muted during teaching parts of the class.

Class materials

The Heart Sutra text in Tibetan, with phonetics and English translation will be provided free of charge to all students. It is recommended to buy the book Tāranātha’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra (with foreword by Prof. Matthew Kapstein), available to purchase online at most Amazon sites. It is not essential for the classes but will aid your study and understanding of the meaning and philosophy of it within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

Teacher’s Biography

For more about Adele Tomlin and her background and qualifications please visit the About section of this website here, as well as a recent video interview she gave  here.

For more about her book publication Tāranātha’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra, see here.  For a recent Tricycle Magazine Dharma talk given by Adele on the two views of emptiness in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Empty-of-Other (Zhen-tong) and Empty-of-Self (Rang-tong), see here.  Also, read Adele’s short Introduction to the view of Empty-of-Other, excerpted from the book Tāranātha’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra, here.

Music? Heart Sutra mantra by Deva Premal. For Empty-of-Self view  Just An Illusion by Imagination, for Empty-of-Other, All is Full of Love by Bjork.

May we all awaken the eternal wisdom, love and compassion ever- present in all our minds at all times!