Overview of Curriculum  

Curriculum | Overview of Curriculum | Courses

Overview of Curriculum

The Institute curriculum is comprised of three main divisions:

• The Core Curriculum
• The Comprehensive Curriculum
• The Advanced Curriculum
• Additional Modules and Courses: Tibetan Language Program and Insight, Compassion and Healing

The Core Curriculum is comprised of four modules (each module consists of one 9-day or two-week session), and can be completed in as little as two years. It is designed for those who want to enhance and deepen their understanding of the view as it applies to their practice with thoroughness and depth, but who want to do so in a timely fashion.

The Comprehensive Curriculum is comprised of eight modules, can be completed in four years, and is for those who want to invest the time in exploring an expanded version of the themes of the Core Curriculum. It is also for, but not limited to, those who want to train as dharma teachers in the Nitartha Teacher Training Program. It is divided into two sections:

• Foundation—four modules
• Intermediate—four modules

Students who complete the Comprehensive Curriculum are then eligible to continue into the Advanced Curriculum courses.

The first session courses are identical for the Core and Comprehensive Curriculums, thus it is not necessary to choose one’s path until after Session 1. There is some flexibility to switch after two sessions as well.

University students and/or those seeking credit at their institutions:

Overview of The Core Program

The Core Program presents the key elements of The Comprehensive Program in a condensed format. Some courses are shared with The Comprehensive Program.  The Core Program introduces the study of the Hinayana and Mahayana tenet systems in a progressive fashion:

Hinayana:

• Mind and Its World I, Clear Thinking I
• Mind and Its World II, Clear Thinking II

Mahayana:

• Mind Only Tradition
• Madhyamaka Tradition

The first two modules are dedicated to studying the teachings on valid cognition as presented in the Lorik (Classifications of Mind), with some tenet studies from the Vaibashika and Sautrantika schools.

In addition the Clear Thinking courses introduce definitions, equivalents and relationships based on the Dudra (Collected Topics) teachings. Formal debate, however, is not taught in the Core Program.

The second two modules focus on the two great Mahayana tenet systems of Mind Only and Middle Way teachings.

The intended goal of the Core Program is to reveal our fundamental confusion about what is real in our everyday world. Not an intellectual exercise, it is a pragmatic exploration of our ordinary mind, its relationship with the world of phenomena and of thoughts, and exactly where we get confused by our projections and how. The teachings reveal how we can lead our lives with less confusion, and offer effective tools for clear communication with our world.

Comprehensive Program

Advanced Program

Additional Modules and Courses

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