"Introduction to Buddhism" (Los Angeles class)

Pasadena's Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara (labuddhistvihara.org) serves everyone who desires a basic understanding of the Buddha's Teachings with educational and training programs. In addition to regular walking and sitting meditation (FREE, Tuesdays and Saturdays at 7:00 pm), a new short-term course is offered to show how practice applies to theory.

Course Description
Discourses (sutras) of the Buddha contained in the Pali canon serve as the primary source of study. They represent the original Teachings of the historical Buddha. The significance of Buddhism as a system of thought that revolutionized first India then the world will be studied.

The innovative features of Buddhism in comparison with existing systems will be considered with a focus on concepts of truth and knowledge, the Four Noble Truths, Dependent Arising, psychology, mind, meditation and spiritual potential, ethical values, the nature of the political and social order, and finally the place of rituals and forms of reverence in Buddhism.

• Course: "Introduction to Buddhism"
• Fee: Donations welcome for maintenance and expansion of Temple programs for the well being of many.
• Dates: 8 Tuesdays starting March 30, 2010, 8:00-9:00 pm
• Location: 920 N. Summit Ave. (at Mountain, east of Fair Oaks), Pasadena, (626) 797-6144
• Instructor: Ven. K. Chandananda
  former lecturer in Buddhist Studies at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka, BA (with Honors) in Buddhist Philosophy and Pali
• Topics: (Week 1) pre-Buddhist Indian social and religious background, (2) Buddha and the emergence of Buddhism, (3) Buddhist literature, (4-5) Fundamentals of Buddhism as the Four Noble Truths, (6) Basics of Buddhist Psychology, (7) Theory of Karma and Rebirth, (8) Introduction to Meditation
• Recommended Readings: What the Buddha Taught (Walpola Rahula), An Introduction to Buddhism (Peter Harvey), justbegood.net