The Dalai Lama - Stages of the Path to Enlightenment & An Overview of Tantra

This is a 3-part series of lectures from the Dalai Lama on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment and an Overview of Tantra, both of which are based on texts by Tsongkhapa (ce: 1357–1419). Tsongkhapa is one of the primary philosophers of Buddhist Mahāyāna, and there is a meta-Buddhist aspect to his teachings, as reflected in this section from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:

Tsongkhapa's particular hermeneutics, the primary means he employs to lead readers to his philosophical insight, allows him to characterize particular, authentic, Buddhist philosophies as wrong (because they are wrong from a Prāsaṅgika perspective), yet right from the perspective of those particular systems. They are right because the philosophies have particular roles to play in a larger, grander scheme. This scheme is part of the larger philosophy of a perfect person whose views are in perfect accord (Sk. tathāgata) with the way things are, i.e., dependent origination, and whose statements are motivated solely by the benefit they have to those who hear them.

In this way, Tsongkhapa's hermeneutics lead to, or incorporate, a second principle, namely, bodhicitta (Sk.). The word bodhicitta has at least six different, but interrelated meanings in different contexts (Wangchuk 2007). In his philosophical works Tsongkhapa uses it to mean a universal, altruistic principle (not unlike the logos) that explains, primarily, the genesis of the Buddha's diverse statements, i.e., explains why a person with perfect intellect and powers of expression would make statements that seem to contain contradictions.

This principle plays a central role in Tsongkhapa's assertion that all authentic attainments, without distinction, are based on an authentic insight into emptiness (the seventh of the eight difficult points listed above), and it leads him to assert that the “origin” of the Mahāyāna is located in bodhicitta, and bodhicitta alone.

Anyway, apparently in the days and weeks leading up to this August event, there had been "serial bomb blasts in Bodhgaya and terrorists' threat to liberate Tibetan monasteries."

"As a result of new security measures, no outside electronic gadgets, including FM radios, will be allowed in the temple premises. We apologize for the inconvenience and ask for your understanding while we work out a new method for translation services for future teachings," it said. 

Dalai Lama will give teachings on Tsongkhapa's Concise Treatises on the stages of the path to enlightenment and an overview of Tantra from Tsongkhapa's stages of the path of Mantrayana at the request of a group of Koreans at Tsuglagkhang from August 25-27. His office said it would provide English translation for participants who can understand the language in a designated area.

Here is the promotion for the teachings:

His Holiness will give a two and a half-day teaching on Tsongkhapa’s Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lamrim dudon) and "An Overview of Tantra" from Tsongkhapa’s Stages of the Path of Mantrayana (ngakrim chenmo chishe) at the request of a group of Koreans at the Main Tibetan Temple.

Enjoy!

Day One:

Published on Aug 25, 2013

The first day of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's three day teaching on Tsongkhapa's "Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment" and An Overview of Tantra from Tsongkhapa's "Stages of the Path of Mantrayana" at the request of a group of Koreans at the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala, India on August 25-27, 2013. His Holinesss speaks in Tibetan followed by an English translation.

Day Two:

Published on Aug 27, 2013

The second day of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's three day teaching on Tsongkhapa's "Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment" and An Overview of Tantra from Tsongkhapa's "Stages of the Path of Mantrayana" at the request of a group of Koreans at the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala, India on August 25-27, 2013. His Holinesss speaks in Tibetan followed by an English translation.

Day Three:

Published on Aug 28, 2013

The third day of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's three day teaching on Tsongkhapa's "Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment" and An Overview of Tantra from Tsongkhapa's "Stages of the Path of Mantrayana" at the request of a group of Koreans at the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala, India on August 25-27, 2013. His Holinesss speaks in Tibetan followed by an English translation.