Program Overview

See below for current and upcoming programs

Nitartha Institute offers a systematic set of courses that present the curriculum of the shedra or monastic university tradition of the Kagyü and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. The courses are arranged into the three progressives sets of courses of the Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced curriculums, with certificates granted at the completion of each level of curriculum.

  • All courses of the Foundation and Intermediate curriculums are offered in each of the three Nitartha semesters — fall, spring, and summer — in various modes of delivery, both inclass and online. The entire Foundation and Intermediate curriculums can also be taken as self-paced online courses.
  • Advanced courses are also offered each semester as live inclass courses, with a live online/self-paced option. Past Advanced courses are also available as self-paced online courses.
  • Local inclass courses are offered either in a semester format that meets weekly or a nine-day intensive format during the spring and fall semesters. The summer courses are offered in a month-long summer intensive format that is divided into two two-week sessions.
  • A number of the live inclass courses are also offered as live online courses. Online courses can also be taken in a self-paced manner at any time from the archives of the Nitartha Institute Online Campus.

This varied, flexible approach to course scheduling allows you to proceed through the Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of the curriculum at your own pace, mixing the inclass and online courses that best fit your schedule.

Current and upcoming Programs

All current and upcoming courses are listed here. Click the links to see complete information about the courses, including how to register.

Foundation Courses

  • BUD 501 Mind and Its World I: Valid Cognition and BUD 502 Clear Thinking Summer Program, Bellingham, WA: Live inclass and live streaming online. 13-day format. Session I: July 15–27. Hartford, CT: Live inclass. 9-day format. Dates to be announced. Vancouver, BC: Live inclass. 9-day format. Dates to be announced. Self-paced online format: Anytime. Original Instructors: Mind and its World I: Scott Wellenbach and Stuart Horn; Clear Thinking: Stuart Horn and Linda Patrik.
  • BUD 510 Mind and Its World II: Mental Events & Causality Summer Program, Bellingham, WA: Live inclass and live streaming online. 13-day format. Session II: July 29–August 10. Self-paced online format: Anytime. Original Instructors: Stuart Horn and Israel Lifshitz.
  • BUD 520 Mind and Its World III: Modes of Engagement Summer Program, Bellingham, WA: Live inclass and live streaming online. 13-day format. Session I: July 15–27. Self-paced online format: Anytime. Original Instructors: Stuart Horn and Kim Colwell.
  • BUD 530 Mind and Its World IV: Vaibhashika and Sautrantika Philosophical Traditions New York City, NY: Live inclass. 9-day format. April 6–15 (to be confirmed). Summer Program, Bellingham, WA: Live inclass and live streaming online. 13-day format. Session II: July 29–August 10. Halifax, NS: Live inclass. Semester format. Dates to be announced. Morales, Mexico: With BUD 555 Foundational Debate III. Live inclass and live streaming online. Semester format. Dates to be announced. Instructor: Israel Lifshitz. Taught in Spanish. Self-paced online format: Anytime. Original Instructor: Jirka Hladis.

Find out more about our Foundation curriculum

Intermediate Courses

  • BUD 601 Chittamātra Philosophical Tradition: Appearances Are Mere Mind Summer Program, Bellingham, WA: Live inclass. 13-day format. Session I: July 15–27. Self-paced online format: Anytime. Original Instructor: Phil Stanley.
  • BUD 610 Madhyamaka Philosophical Tradition: Not Even a Middle Summer Program, Bellingham, WA: Live inclass and live streaming online. 13-day format. Session II: July 29–August 10. Self-paced online format: Anytime. Original Instructors: Phil Stanley and Jirka Hladis.
  • BUD 620 Paths and Bhūmis: The Path to Enlightenment Summer Program, Bellingham, WA: Live inclass. 13-day format. Session II: July 29–August 10. Self-paced online format: Anytime. Original Instructor: Phil Stanley.
  • BUD 630 Buddha Nature: Luminous Heart of the Tathāgata Boulder, CO: Live inclass and live streaming online. Semester format. January 23–April 9. Instructor: Jirka Hladis. Summer Program, Bellingham, WA: Live inclass and live streaming online. 13-day format. Session I: July 15–27. Self-paced online format: Anytime (available June 2012). Original Instructor: Jirka Hladis.

Find out more about our Intermediate curriculum

Advanced Courses

  • BUD 704.1 Chatuhshataka: The Four Hundred Verses on the Yogic Conduct of a Bodhisattva, Part 1 of 2 Instructor: Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen. Boulder, CO. Live inclass and live streaming online. Semester format. January 25–May 9.
  • BUD 711: Abhisamayālamkāra II: The Noble One's Resting at Ease Instructor: Khenpo Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl. Seattle, WA. Live inclass and live streaming online. Semester format. February 27–April 16.
  • Summer Program. Bellingham, WA Instructor: Ponlop Rinpoche. Text to be announced. Live inclass and live streaming online. Session II: July 29–August 10. Instructor: Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen. BUD 770.1 Dharmadharmatāvibhāga: The Distinction Between Phenomena and the Nature of Phenomena, Part 1 of 2. Live inclass and live streaming online. Session I: July 15–27. Instructor: Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen. BUD 770.2 Dharmadharmatāvibhāga: The Distinction Between Phenomena and the Nature of Phenomena, Part 2 of 2. Live inclass and live streaming online. Session II: July 29–August 10. Instructor: Khenpo Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl. BUD 712: Abhisamayālamkāra III: The Noble One's Resting at Ease. Live inclass and live streaming online. Session I: July 15–27. Instructor: Khenpo Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl. BUD 713: Abhisamayālamkāra IV: The Noble One's Resting at Ease. Live inclass and live streaming online. Session II: July 29–August 10. This is the final course on this text.
  • BUD 704.2 Chatuhshataka: The Four Hundred Verses on the Yogic Conduct of a Bodhisattva, Part 2 of 2 Instructor: Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen. Boulder, CO. Live inclass and live streaming online. Semester format. Fall 2012.
  • BUD 681 Abhidharmakosha I: Bestowing the Fulfillment of Accomplishment and Happiness Instructor: Acharya Kelzang Wangdi. Seattle, WA. Live inclass class only. Full month format. January 3–February 1, 2013.
  • BUD 681.1 Abhidharmakosha I: Bestowing the Fulfillment of Accomplishment and Happiness, Part 1 of 4 Instructor: Acharya Kelzang Wangdi. Seattle, WA. Streaming online. Semester format. February to May, 2013, exact dates to be announced. Presents the January 3–February 1, 2013 live inclass class.
  • BUD 681.2 Abhidharmakosha I: Bestowing the Fulfillment of Accomplishment and Happiness, Part 2 of 4. Instructor: Acharya Kelzang Wangdi. Seattle, WA. Streaming online. Semester format. September to December, 2013, exact dates to be announced. Presents the January 3–February 1, 2013 live inclass class.
  • The following Advanced curriculum courses can be taken as self-paced online courses:
  • BUD 700 Madhyamakāvatāra I: The Chariot of the Takpo Kagyü Siddhas Instructor: Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen. Self-paced online format. Anytime.
  • BUD 701 Madhyamakāvatāra II: The Chariot of the Takpo Kagyü Siddhas Instructor: Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen. Self-paced online format. Anytime.
  • BUD 702 Madhyamakāvatāra III: The Chariot of the Takpo Kagyü Siddhas Instructor: Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen. Self-paced online format. Anytime.
  • BUD 703 Madhyamakāvatāra IV: The Chariot of the Takpo Kagyü Siddhas Instructor: Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen. Self-paced online format. Anytime.
  • BUD 710 Abhisamayālamkāra I: The Noble One's Resting at Ease Instructor: Khenpo Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl. Self-paced online format. Anytime.
  • BUD 760 Madhyāntavibhāga: The Distinction Between the Middle and Extremes Instructor: Khenpo Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl. Self-paced online format. Anytime.
  • BUD 770 Dharmadharmatāvibhāga: The Distinction Between Phenomena and the Nature of Phenomena Instructor: Khenpo Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl. Self-paced online format. Anytime.

Find out more about our Advanced curriculum

2012 Nitartha Summer Institute

July 14–August 11, 2012. Held at Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA.

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche will be teaching at the second session (July 29–August 10).

Find out more about the Summer Institute

Self-paced Online Courses

Our entire Foundation and Intermediate curriculum is now available as self-paced online courses! Take advantage of these courses to proceed through the Nitartha Institute curriculum at a schedule and pace that suits you.

Find out more about the self-paced online courses

9-Day Courses

  • BUD 530 Mind and Its World IV: Vaibhashika and Sautrantika Philosophical Traditions New York City, NY: Live inclass. 9-day format. April 6–15 (to be confirmed)

Stay tuned for additional courses.

Semester Courses

Stay tuned for additional courses.

Online Review Courses

Self-paced online review courses that are available on an ongoing basis for Nitartha students who have taken the corresponding Foundation core courses.

Find out more about the online review courses

Bring Nitartha to your Area

If you have a group of people in your area interested in our Nitartha curriculum, let us know!

Contact: Tim Walton
executive.vp@nitarthainstitute.org

That which is clear and aware

- definition of mind

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