Dw 2
De lam
Taught by
ven jigme & ven gyelse
Online Course
APR 26 - MAY 31
De Lam 2
A Series of Courses in Preparing for Diamond Way
By tradition, Diamond Way teachings are not granted until a student has completed study of the entire presentation of the Steps on the Path to Enlightenment, or the Lam Rim. The 18 Asian Classics Institute Foundation Courses provide this background, adapting the skillful methods used in Tibetan monasteries for centuries. Even with this preparation, it is traditional to review the Steps on the Path before entering the Diamond Way. We will continue studying The Path of Ease, for Traveling to Omniscience, or De Lam, as it is popularly known in Tibetan. Its esteemed author is the First Panchen Lama, His Holiness Lobsang Chukyi Gyaltsen (1565-1662). This is the second in a three-course series, and it covers the steps on the path for people of higher capacity. This course will be open to everyone who is interested in Diamond Way studies, including people who did not attend or did not complete part one of the series. De Lam, Part Two will be taught by Venerable Jigme Palmo and Venerable Lobsang Gyelse, starting on April 26, 2024. Both teachers have studied with Geshe Michael Roach since the mid-1990’s and have completed all the original ACI and Diamond Way courses taught by Geshe Michael. In addition, they have each spent between three and four years in solitary retreat, and have taught ACI and Diamond Way courses around the world. 
Historically, this series is taught to students as the beginning of their Diamond Way studies. Because there has been so much interest, ACI has been given permission to teach them openly, so anyone who is interested is welcome to come. If you have already completed the ACI foundational requirements and are on track to start Diamond Way, please check with your Diamond Way teacher to confirm whether this course fulfills their prerequisites.
VENERABLE JIGME PALMO
Ven. Jigme Palmo (Elizabeth van der Pas) was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1991, and first met Geshe Michael Roach in 1993, just before he started teaching the ACI courses in New York. She was fortunate enough to get recordings, and soon after, moved to New York to study in person.She has been working with Geshe Michael on many projects since then: caretaking his 3-year retreat; translating and teaching commentaries on the Diamond Cutter Sutra and the Heart Sutra; helping to manage projects; and lots of fundraising. She recorded and archived nearly all of his teachings between 2004 and 2014, including all of the original Diamond Way and Yoga Studies Institute courses, and she was one of the first three certified ACI teachers.Ven. Jigme’s main focus has always been to make these precious teachings available and to preserve them for future generations. She started teaching at Three Jewels in New York in 1996, while studying the first ACI courses with Geshe Michael. During that time, he started to translate Diamond Way commentaries with some of the students, and she spent the next few years transcribing and clarifying those teachings. Later, while he was teaching the first class of the De Lam series, Geshe Michael asked her to teach De Lam as an open course, and more recently he has advised her on teaching it here.VENERABLE LOBSANG GYELSE
“Ever since I was a young girl I wanted two things: to make others happy, and to know why I came into this world–what was my purpose and what was I supposed to do with this life?”Venerable Lobsang Gyelse has studied Tibetan Buddhism for over 30 years with many of the great Tibetan masters. Her main teacher is Geshe Michael Roach.For the last 20-plus years she’s been involved in the development and support of Diamond Mountain Retreat Center in southeastern Arizona. At Diamond Mountain, she has worn many hats, including that of operations manager, volunteer coordinator, and teacher. At present she is the Diamond Mountain Board president.Venerable Gyelse completed a three-year, three-month, three-day silent meditation retreat in 2014 at Diamond Mountain with 28 others; she has completed many other solitary retreats as well. She was ordained as a nun in the winter of 2006 and is the mother of a grown son. She is currently engaged in building a house in central Arizona near Geshe Michael and the Sedona College of International Management. Venerable Gyelse is a chaplain/spiritual care provider and counsels people around the world.Class 1 Apr 26
Class 2 Apr 28
Class 3 May 3
Class 4 May 5
Class 5 May 10
Class 6 May 12
Class 7 May 17
Class 8 May 19
Class 9 May 24
Class 10 May 26 Review May 31