Nitartha Institute

Mind and Its World IV is a systematic study of the foundational schools of Buddhist philosophy. Vaibhāshika and Sautrāntika tenets are valued for their presentation of a contemplative world-view of radical impermanence, without needing to postulate either a personal identity or any principle of divine creation. Only momentary entities are able to perform functions; since concepts are not able to perform functions like their referent objects, they are nominally classified as "permanent" and relegated to the realm of near non-existence. 

In addition to taking Mind and Its World IV, you also have the option of taking Foundational Debate II during this 9-day program.

Foundational Debate II continues a methodical training in elementary debate skills on the basis of Foundational Debate I class. We will learn how to challenge the second mode of a reasoning, as well as the debate strategies of the challenger and the defender and how to bring a debate to completion. Thus we will cover all the basic skills needed for engaging in a formal debate. Regarding the content, we will continue debating the classification of objects in terms of entity and the methods that lead to the cognition of objects and subjects, as well as primary minds and mental events.

2 credits for Mind and Its World IV.
1 credit for Foundational Debate II.

Course codes: BUD 530i-B and BUD 554i-B

Prerequisites: BUD 501 and BUD 502 for Mind and Its World IV. BUD 553 for Foundational Debate II.

Class Topics

Mind and Its World IV:

• Introduction to philosophical traditions
• Three turnings, two vehicles and four schools
• Vaibhāshika philosophical tradition
  • Five bases, contaminated and uncontaminated phenomena
  • Ultimate and seeming reality
  • Partless particles
  • Eighteen constituents, twelve sources, five aggregates
  • Three times
  • The way consciousness apprehends objects
  • Path: shamatha and vipashyanā
  • Path: four noble truths
  • Four results: stream-enterer, once-returner, nonreturner and arhat
• Sautrāntika philosophical tradition
  • Ultimate and seeming reality
  • Specifically characterized and generally characterized phenomena
  • Manifest phenomena and hidden phenomena
  • Three times
  • The way consciousness apprehends objects
  • Valid cognition

Foundational Debate II:

• Incorporating formulation of a reasoning and refutation of modes into a debate
• Formulation of reasoning on the basis of the analysis of the errors
• Six strategies of challenger when defender refutes first and second mode
• Strategies of the defender
• Bringing debate to a completion

Required Texts (Mind and Its World IV)

• Root text: The Gateway that Reveals the Philosophical Traditions to Fresh Minds (Truptha), by The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche and Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen, Nitartha Institute Publications: nitartha.institute.pubs@gmail.com
• Mind and Its World IV Sourcebook, Nitartha Institute Publications:
  nitartha.institute.pubs@gmail.com

For Nitartha Institute Publications, please allow 3 weeks for delivery of texts in North America, and for overseas shipping, please allow 2–3 weeks for airmail and 4–6 weeks for surface shipping.