Buddhist Mind Science, Module 6
The Nature of Perception
Four Sundays
April 5 – 26, 2026
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 Nature of Perception
How do we perceive things? Is the way we perceive things
accurate? Does the way we perceive things influence in our
experiences of happiness and suffering? What is the
relationship within perception and wisdom? Could an
accurate, wise, way of perceiving things be a source of
well-being and freedom from suffering?
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 “The nature of perception” focuses on wisdom. It
reflects on its meaning, relevance, and how it counteracts
the causes of suffering. It goes deeper into the most
profound aspect of wisdom: understanding the nature of
reality. It concludes with the nature of mind which makes
full awakening possible and it is complemented by references
to current scientific understanding on wisdom and well-being
and the process of perception.
The Journey
“The nature of perception” gradually unfolds as a journey along different topics:
- Creating realities introduces perception and wisdom, by exploring what is meant by wisdom, its aspects and relevance, and the scientific view on how perception works.
- Perception and conditioning explores how our perception is conditioned by our actions and how in turn how such actions are also conditioned by the way we perceive things.
- The nature of reality moves into the most profound aspect of wisdom, the wisdom that understands the nature of reality. The concepts of emptiness and dependent arising are presented, together with the different levels of dependent arising.
- What about my”self”? then applies this understanding to the I, the sense of personal identity. It does so first from a more psychological point of view, and then moving into some meditations to explore the sense of self.
- Wisdom liberates us from suffering deepens on how wisdom counteracts delusion and all the true causes of suffering, by going further to see how “conditioned” existences becomes “cyclic” existence, how wisdom liberates us, and how another way of existing and experiencing is possible, that of liberation and full awakening.
- Living wisdom and compassion concludes the module by bringing this knowledge to our daily life, by means of exploring how to cultivate wisdom and compassion in life.
Elaine Jackson
is a founding member of
Vajrapani Institute
and has been a student of Tibetan Buddhism since 1977. She
has studied with many of the greatest Buddhist teachers of
our time including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama
Thubten Yeshe, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Lama Thubten Zopa
Rinpoche and many others too numerous to list.
Elaine is known for the warmth and humor with which she
teaches. In particular, she loves sharing the wealth of
practical insights she has gained from her years of
retreat and service within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
Elaine served as Executive Director of Vajrapani Institute
for over five years and has also completed a three-year
meditation retreat. She lives a contemplative life
off-the-grid in the Santa Cruz mountains while offering
Dharma teachings and meditation support.
Registration
Suggested amount: $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.
If you are not able to donate at this time, please email
office@oceanofcompassion.org.
Thank you for joining in this shared act of support. We rejoice for you.