Insight into Emptiness: A Rime Shedra NYC Course on the Profound View of the Middle Way
This course will be an in-depth exploration of the Middle Way view of the nature of reality as presented in the Tibetan Prasangika tradition. We will focus primarily on the method of the Geluk tradition as presentation in the fine book Insight into Emptiness by Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Tegchok. However, we will supplement this with handouts and other selected readings provided in both digital and hard copy.
This book presents the essential concepts to facilitate our investigation into how things actually exist. When learning about the nature of reality, we will encounter some technical vocabulary as well as concepts that are new to us. The philosophical terms are explained, and a glossary can be found at the end of the book. Key concepts are unpacked in a clear manner. Thus, this book is an excellent, in-depth introduction to the topic of emptiness that will help prepare the reader for the study of the great Indian and Tibetan works. This clear explanation also includes instructions on how to reflect and meditate on emptiness.
The nature of reality is not easy to understand and realize. So this book is not a “one-read” book, where we receive some useful information and go on to something else afterward. The topic of emptiness entails great effort in study and contemplation, and thus rereading this book will enable us to derive more and more benefit. Each time we read the material, new understandings will develop in our mind, even though the words are the same.
Core Materials
Supplemental Materials
Excerpt from “Ordinary Middle Way School” from The Essence of Other Emptiness
“The Five Great Reasonings of the Middle Way” by Tyler Dewar from The Karmapa's Middle Way
Types and Stages of Understanding and Unraveling of the Self