Foundation

Intro

  • The Foundation is the entry level of Tarpa’s palace of learning. Here, students orient themselves to the overall program by asking basic but important questions: What is Buddhism? How did its traditions take shape across cultures? And what does it mean to study these traditions in a secular educational setting?

  • The Foundation establishes the ground from which all further study and retreat can grow. It introduces Tarpa’s method of teaching about Buddhist traditions in a secular, public, and inclusive way — leaving questions of belief to each student while offering universally accessible tools for reflection, focus, and compassion.

What is Buddhism?

  • Students examine Buddhism not as a religion to be followed, but as a field of human knowledge that spans philosophy, psychology, cultural history, and contemplative methods.

  • This module explores the different ways Buddhism has been understood — as religion, philosophy, and way of life — and shows how Tarpa presents it academically, open to anyone regardless of belief.

Educational Cornerstones

  • What is Buddhism? Students explore how Buddhism has been understood as religion, philosophy, and way of life, and how Tarpa presents it academically for all.

  • Historical Background: Overview of how Buddhism was first born in India, how it spread across Asia, and how Tibetan Buddhism developed in the 8th century. (See below for the introductory video lecture from the Tibetan Buddhism mini-course)

  • Tarpa’s Secular Approach: Contemplative methods presented as educational exercises and thought-experiments, not rituals.

Tarpa’s Secular Approach

  • Students are introduced to Tarpa’s commitment to secular education:

    • Contemplative methods are presented as educational exercises and thought-experiments, not rituals.

    • Students are free to interpret them through philosophy, psychology, or as practical skills for life.

  • This module helps students understand why Tarpa emphasizes accessibility, openness, and benefit to society.

Climbing the Ladder

  • The Foundation lays the groundwork for the rest of the palace. As students complete its mini-courses and modules, they are ready to climb to the First Floor, where mindful living, concentration, and investigative meditation begin to take shape through both theory and practice.