This collection of classes is for the purpose of having a regular daily practice. It’s different than many of the other courses here on The Knowledge Base which are meant to teach the philosophy, or intellectual background, of Buddhism. Geshe Michael taught this class series at the same time as he was teaching the ACI formal study courses in New York from 1997-1999. These classes were on monday nights and were taught in a completely different style, focusing on all the most practical and essential elements that should be done each day to really get the most out of all the other intellectual study.
Spiritual study is considered only the first step, and traditionally for a complete spiritual practice to be successful, there is also the additional steps of contemplating and then obviously actually practicing what you’ve studied.
A lot of this practice is done in meditation, so even if you’ve studied a lot of Buddhism for years, if you haven’t done a lot of meditation and your other daily practices then it probably won’t have much effect on you. It’s essential that you have a daily diet of spiritual practice. That’s exactly what this series of classes delivers, all in a sweet combination of traditional instruction, practical advice, guided meditations, and Q&A.
Geshe Michael Roach (born December 17, 1952) is the first American to have been awarded the degree of Geshe, or Master of Buddhism, after more than 20 years of study in Tibetan monasteries. He has used this training to become a prominent international teacher, businessman, philanthropist, author, educator, public speaker, textual scholar, and musician. Geshe Michael graduated with honors from Princeton University and has received the Presidential Scholar Medal from the President of the United States at the White House.
In 1981 he helped found Andin International Diamond Corporation and bring it to annual sales of over $100 million, donating his profits to international aid projects. His book about achieving business and personal success through generosity, The Diamond Cutter, has become a global bestseller in 20 languages. He is the founder of the Asian Classics Institute, Diamond Mountain University, the Asian Classics Input Project, Worldview, the Yoga Studies Institute, Star in the East, Global Family Refugee Aid, Three Jewels Community Outreach Centers, and the Diamond Cutter Institute.
