The Gateway to Knowledge, Part 1: Abhidharma: The Buddhist Science of Mind
Abhidharma is often translated as "higher dharma"--some say implying that one needs to be high in order to understand the profound subtleties of the true dharma. In this course we will critically test this assumption by approaching this material through dialogue, debate, and contemplation. Penetrating the depths of our experience reveals the building blocks of our reality: elements, skandhas, dhatus, and so forth. Fully understanding how these elements function together to create the magical show of our world is the first step towards shattering the myth of a unified self and transforming this into the display of the five wisdoms. Based upon the summary of Vasubandhu’s Treasury of Abhidharma by Mipham the Great called "The Gateway to Knowledge."