This four year course is designed so that students can join at any time and immediately benefit. Each class includes 60 minutes of guided meditation followed by 90 minutes of lecture, including Q&A. Over 100 students from around the globe come together each week for this transformative program!
Year 3, Term 3: 10 Saturdays
May 2 – July 4, 2026
6:30am – 9:00am Pacific Time
NOTE: Classes are held from 3:30pm – 6pm Central European Time (CET).
Year 3: The Radiant Ground: Emptiness and Buddha Nature
Term 3 will be exploring some truly profound practices. The Mahāyāna teaches that saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are of one taste — and that is exactly what we will try to see for ourselves. In May, we will investigate why the bonds of saṃsāra are utterly illusory and therefore need not even be broken. In June, we will turn toward our own true nature and that of all life. We are all sons and daughters of the Buddha in the deepest sense: we carry buddhanature within us. Seeing this directly is not only liberating — it can transform our self-understanding at the root. This shift will open the door to the practices of Mahāmudrā and Kriyā Tantra the following year. May we keep finding each other on the path, until we all reach the safe shore of buddhahood.
This year is an invitation to let the view of emptiness infuse your practice—not as abstract philosophy, but as living experience: clear, liberating, and rooted in compassion. Our aim is not to gather concepts, but to transform how we see and relate to the world. Through study, reflection, and meditation, we learn to meet life with less grasping, more openness—and a heart that naturally responds with wisdom and care, held by the strength of community.
In-Depth Meditation Training (IDMT)
We are excited to partner with the Buddha Project and many other FPMT centers worldwide to offer this wonderful, ongoing course with Venerable Losang Gendun. The IDMT was developed in dialogue with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, inspired by his conviction that the true fulfillment of our precious human life lies in generating the awakened mind, bodhicitta—and that accomplishing this requires deep meditative practice.
Suitable for students who have a thorough understanding of the Dharma, the course will be most rewarding for practitioners wishing to make Buddhist values and goals an integral part of their lives. With the benefit of a supportive community, meditation practice and lifestyle become mutually complementary; time on and off the cushion will be transformed into a path to enlightenment.
All recordings of the teachings, guided meditations, and study material are offered on The Buddha Project website so that registered students can access the materials at their own pace.
Each year of the IDMT can be followed independently.
Who might want to participate
This course is beneficial for practitioners who want to further develop their meditative practice, by receiving in-depth meditation instructions and by getting a deeper understanding of the (philosophical and psychological) foundations of meditation. It will provide a complement for those who study Buddhism, to investigate and verify experientially the various subjects taught by the Buddha.
To participate, you will need a basic understanding of Mahayana Buddhism, although the course will introduce many of the foundational topics. A basic understanding can mean having completed FPMT’s Discovering Buddhism course or the FPMT Basic Program or having obtained a similar level through other means.
How to participate
The course consists of weekly online sessions of a 60-minute guided meditation, a 90-minute lecture with ample opportunity for Q&A.
Sign up for a whole semester (recommended) or drop in on a per class basis.
After registration, you will immediately receive an email with the Zoom link to access the classes.
A few days later you will be sent an email from The Buddha Project with access to the Online Learning Center on The Buddha Project website. Here you will find access to the Zoom sessions, the supporting materials, and recordings of past guided meditations and lectures. Please allow a few days for this to happen.
Registration /Schedule
Suggested: $16 per session/ $160 for the entire term (10 Saturdays)
Ordained Sangha are invited to join at no cost.
Schedule: 60 minutes of meditation and 90 minutes for lecture and Q&A.
The sessions are recorded by The Buddha Project. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to give your consent to this process. To protect your privacy, we recommend being conscious about any personal information you share during the sessions. To further enhance anonymity, you may want to consider turning off video or naming yourself using abbreviations.
After registering, the system automatically sends a confirmation and/or a receipt email that contains the Zoom meeting link and/or other instructions. If you don’t immediately receive the system email(s) or you have any other questions, please contact us at office@vajrapani.org.
You will receive login information for The Buddha Project within 3 days to one week of your registration date.
Financial Aid/ Scholarships
We want to make retreats and dharma courses available to everyone. With this in mind, we will gladly work out a payment plan with you if needed. Please email us at office@vajrapani.org to explore ways we can help you.
Our utmost goal is to help as many beings as possible to have the gift of the dharma.
