Buddhist Mind Science, Module 4
Fundamental Trainings to Cultivate Lasting Happiness
Four Sundays
September 14 and 28, October 12 and 26
10:30am – 12:30pm PDT (Pacific Daylight Time)
in-person only
Program Category: Dharma Education — Introductory
No prior experience necessary.
Everybody is welcome.
Join us and embark on a journey to transform the mind.
Read more about the FPMT introductory course
Buddhist Mind Science: Activating Your Potential.
The Fundamental Buddhist Paths
What are the fundamental practices that lead to freedom from
suffering and its causes? Why do we feel dissatisfaction? Is
it possible to overcome it? Could ethical values, awareness,
and wisdom contribute to a fundamental state of well-being
and freedom from suffering? How? Is it possible to fully
unlock our potential?
We will explore such questions from an experiential point of
view, using both scientific and Buddhist knowledge of the
mind and meditation, in a journey that may translate into
increasing lasting happiness and a positive impact on
oneself, others, and the world.
The course “Fundamental trainings to cultivate lasting
happiness” is an introduction to the fundamental practices
that Buddhism offers to cultivate the paths that lead to
freedom from suffering and its causes. It concludes by
presenting the possibility of awakening, the maximum
expression of our potential. It is complemented by
references to current scientific understanding on why is it
that we feel unsatisfied, ethics, the development of
attention, and wisdom.
The Journey
“Fundamental trainings to cultivate lasting happiness” gradually unfolds as a journey along different topics:
- The possibility of liberation starts by exploring how afflictions cloud our mind and our potential for well-being, thus producing suffering; and how by liberating ourselves from afflictions we can liberate ourselves from suffering and unlock our potential for happiness and well-being.
- Inner satisfaction explores what struggles are we facing right now that keep us dissatisfied, and some mechanisms of dissatisfaction and satisfaction. We learn to cultivate inner satisfaction and contentment.
- Cultivating ethics presents the importance of ethics in life and how it is a fundamental training in the path of liberation from suffering. We explore how to strengthen our ethical values in life.
- Cultivating concentration presents the importance of being able to focus our attention and how concentration is a fundamental training in the path of liberation from suffering. We explore how to cultivate concentration in life.
- Cultivating wisdom presents the importance of wisdom in life and how it is a fundamental training in the path of liberation from suffering. We explore how to start cultivating wisdom in life.
- Expanding it to others expands the knowledge acquired so far about ourselves towards others, and explores the possibility of making room in our hearts and minds for all sentient beings and to develop them at their fullest, achieving full awakening with the highest aspiration of wishing to benefit all beings.
Geshe Tenzin Legtsok has been ordained as
a Buddhist monk since 2001 and is the first American to
complete the twenty-year Geshe Studies Program in classic
Indian Buddhist treatises and their Tibetan commentaries at
Sera Jey Monastic University
in South India, following
the tradition of ancient Nalanda University. In 2025, he
completed the traditional study of tantra at
Gyudmed Tantric Monastery.
With over two decades of study and practice under the
guidance of great masters, including His Holiness the
Dalai Lama and Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Geshe Legtsok
brings profound insights into the application of Buddhist
teachings. Born in Virginia, USA in 1973, he earned a
Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College in 1995. His quest to
answer the question, “What makes for the most happy and
meaningful life,” led him to major in philosophy,
eventually guiding him to study meditation and philosophy
with teachers among the exiled Tibetan communities in
India and Nepal since 1999.
Dedicated to studying and teaching Buddhist philosophy,
Geshe Legtsok seamlessly blends ancient wisdom with
modern-day relevance. His teachings emphasize
understanding and transforming the mind through practice,
and he is committed to helping others navigate the
spiritual path with clarity and patience.
Registration
Suggested Donation: $100 for the entire course or $25 for a single session.
All our Dharma teachings and events are offered on a
dana (generosity) basis
— in the spirit of giving freely, just
as the Buddha taught. This is a beautiful opportunity to support
the teachings and open your heart through generosity.
There is no charge to attend, and no one is turned away. While
teachings are free, your support helps keep the Center running
and makes these precious teachings available to others. We have
included suggested donation amounts to help guide your offering.
Ordained sangha are warmly welcome to attend free of charge.
Thank you for joining in this shared act of support. We rejoice for you.