Study & Practice Program
at Paramita Centre
Tibetan Buddhist wisdom and the studies of the great monasteries
made accessible to all who are interested
Our Program
The Center’s activities follow the Practice Program of the Paramita Centre, with plans to offer a deeper studies program in the future.
Our teachings are transmitted in the same tradition as Tibet’s great monasteries — including Ganden Jangtse Monastery, where Lama Samten earned his Geshe degree, the equivalent of a PhD in Buddhist philosophy. Our goal is simple: to make this monastic-level wisdom fully accessible to the public.
Where to Begin
We recommend starting with meditation training. Calm-abiding (concentration) meditation classes on our upcoming events page.
Even experienced meditators will find value here — the class introduces deeper techniques and a richer understanding of how the mind works, building a solid foundation for the next step: the Lamrim Introduction course.
Lama Samten will be in Tennessee May 15-20, 2024 for classes and teachings explaining meditation, Buddhist philosophy, and the Paramita Centers. More details will be available as we have them!
Classes in meditation will be scheduled in Chattanooga and online beginning in 2024.
The Program
Once you’ve learned calm-abiding meditation, the next step is the Lamrim Introduction. The lamrim teachings are the foundation and essence of the entire Buddhist path — Buddha’s teachings woven into a complete perspective on the path to happiness and enlightenment.
We strongly recommend completing the Meditation Course first. It introduces the deeper elements of Buddhist philosophy, and most students find the lamrim teachings much easier to absorb with that grounding in place.
Curious about Buddhist philosophy before you begin? Start here.
Going Deeper
Beyond the Lamrim course, further classes offer more tools for continuing the path toward enlightenment.
The transmission of empowerments deepens your integration of the different elements of spiritual practice, and group practices are organized from time to time.
Retreats
Retreats offer a chance to learn, deepen, and integrate what you’ve explored in regular classes — with time and space that weekly sessions can’t provide.
We offer regular meditation retreats of two days or longer.
