Course Three of the five-course series, The Heart of Buddhism: A Year Long Buddhist Studies Program with Lama Tsultrim Allione and guest teachers.

The Buddhist Path

The Buddhist path offers profound guidance for working with the individual and collective challenges we face — and transforming suffering into liberation. These teachings show us how we can each become a light in the darkness, embodying the luminous spaciousness that is the heart-essence of who we are.

Discover Mahayana Buddhism’s revolutionary teachings on wisdom and compassion, illuminated through the feminine embodiment of Prajnaparamita, transforming personal awakening into boundless benefit for all beings. Explore the radical meaning of the Bodhisattva vows: to put others before oneself and work tirelessly for the liberation of all beings, through training in the six paramitas.

What You’ll Experience in Course Three

• Practice tonglen for working with individual and collective suffering
• Study the Heart Sutra and the teachings on emptiness
• Engage in the rich practice of the Six Paramitas within the context of your daily life
• Explore the radical meaning of the Bodhisattva vows
• Optional: Take or renew the Bodhisattva Vow (must have completed Heart of Buddhism I, II & III, or Sutrayana and Mahayana equivalent)

The Learning Journey

• Live sessions Thursdays 10am-12pm MST
• Engage with a global practice community in weekly discussion forums
• Flexible learning environment; participate live or study at your own pace
• Examinations offered upon course completion

Who Is This Program For?
This program is ideal for both beginners and more seasoned practitioners. It is also an excellent entry point for those looking to formally enter the path of Vajrayana either with Tara Mandala or through another lineage. This program is required for the Magyu and Gateway study pathways, and will be offered annually. 

Schedule
Each session meets on five consecutive Thursdays beginning May 22, 2025, from 10am-12pm MST. Please use this link to see how this daily schedule translates into your timezone.

• May 22, 29
• June 5, 12, 19
• The weekly discussion session will be announced
• Exams: July 1-3 (tentative)

Exams: The exam questions will be available at the end of each course, with exams taking place two weeks later. All participants are invited to take the exams, to integrate and solidify the teachings. Exams are required for those in the Magyu and Gateway programs.

Tuition: In an effort to make the dharma accessible to more people, Tara Mandala is offering this series of courses at a subsidized rate. Every additional $100 above the Sustaining Level is a sponsorship for one person to attend at no cost. Please consider offering a sponsorship, either by paying at the Benefactor Level or donating to the scholarship fund. 

Supported: $199
Benefactor: $299

Learn more about available financial assistance options and apply for a scholarship here.

Offering dana to the teacher
The practice of offering dana, which means “generosity,” is the traditional offering the student makes to the teacher as a symbol of appreciation, gratitude, and reciprocity for receiving the precious teachings. To learn more about dana and suggested dana ranges, please click here.

Suggested dana for this program: $50 – $150

The Complete Journey: Five Courses of Buddhist Study 

This is the first of five courses in a comprehensive year of Buddhist study and practice, a program called The Heart of Buddhism: A Foundational Year of Study & Practice. Throughout 2025, we’ll explore the history, core teachings and practices that guide Buddhist practitioners in the Tibetan tradition in waking up to their true nature of innate compassion and wisdom. Each five-week course builds upon the previous while standing alone as a complete teaching, and may be taken individually:

The Path of Liberation (January 31 – February 28, 2025) with Dr. Amelia Hall, featuring Lama Tsultrim Allione and Wendy Garling

What the Buddha Taught (March 21 – April 18, 2025) with Dr. Amelia Hall, featuring Lama Tsultrim Allione 

The Awakened Heart (May 22 – June 19, 2025) with Dorje Lopön Chandra Easton and Lopön Karla Jackson-Brewer, featuring Robert A. F. Thurman

Sacred View, Sacred World (September 5 – October 3, 2025) with Dorje Lopön Charlotte Rotterdam, featuring Lama Tsultrim Allione and Dr. Miranda Shaw

The Great Perfection (October 24 – November 21, 2025) with Tulku Ösel Dorje, featuring Lama Tsultrim Allione and Erik Pema Kunsang

Save by Enrolling in the Complete Program Experience the full journey of Buddhist study and practice. Save when you enroll in all five courses together. Complete the program and deepen your study with a global practice community. To enroll in the five-course package, click here.

Cost for the Complete Program (all 5 Courses), payment plan available:

• Supported: $896 
• Benefactor: $1,346 
• Scholarships & Sponsorships available

What is a Tara Mandala Online Program?

Tara Mandala offers online programming via live and pre-recorded curriculum that give you the opportunity to access dharma teachings, engage in guided practice, experience personal retreat and hands-on learning, while connecting with other participants through easy-to-use online platforms and an engaged community network. When needed, the program description and schedule will inform you in advance if and when a specific online session must be attended live if a direct transmission (Tib. lung) may be given. Access to recordings of all sessions will be available for one year after the course concludes. 

Tara Mandala Pricing Guidelines

As we work to become an equitable, diverse and inclusive community, our pricing guidelines are intended to be a map, inviting each of us to take inventory of resources that contribute to our access to precious dharma teachings. While we do ask you to look inward, please know there is no right or wrong answer. We encourage you to select the range/rate appropriate to your circumstances. To learn more about Tara Mandala’s pricing guidelines for Online Programs, In-Person Retreats, and Special Promotions, please visit this page. 

Click Here for Our Online Programs Cancellation and Refund Policy