WELCOME TO TARPA'S PALACE OF LEARNING

Congratulations on enrolling! You're about to begin a comprehensive education in Buddhist philosophy, psychology, history, and contemplative practice—all presented in a secular, academically rigorous framework.

This brief orientation will help you get started.

How This Platform Works

The Palace Structure

The curriculum is organized like a palace with multiple floors, each building on the previous:

  • Foundation Floor (where you are now): Historical context, course methodology, basic concepts

  • First Floor (Hinayana): Foundational Buddhist philosophy and meditation practices

  • Second Floor (Mahayana): Advanced philosophy, compassion practices, emptiness teachings

  • Third Floor (Vajrayana): Tantric philosophy and transformation practices

  • Golden Roof (Dzogchen): The pinnacle view integrating all previous floors

You'll progress systematically through these floors, building understanding step by step.

Inside Each Module

Each module contains:

  • Video lectures (your primary content—Professor Greg Seton teaching the material)

  • Written content (introductions, clarifications, bridges between videos, term definitions)

  • Reflection questions (for your own contemplation—not graded)

  • Optional resources (readings, supplementary materials, deeper dives)

Three Levels of Content

Within modules, you'll encounter:

  • Essential (core curriculum—focus your time here)

  • Recommended (valuable enrichment—take if you have time and interest)

  • Deeper Dive (advanced detail—for students wanting comprehensive understanding)

Start with Essential content. Add Recommended and Deeper Dive as your time and interest allow.

Self-Assessment: How Learning Works Here

No Grades, No External Evaluation

Tarpa doesn't use grades or external assessment. You're an adult learner pursuing education for your own reasons. We trust you to evaluate your own progress.

Instead, we provide:

  • Reflection questions to check your understanding

  • Self-assessment prompts helping you gauge comprehension

  • Optional practice exercises for experiential learning

  • Clear learning objectives for each module

Your job: Engage honestly with the material. If you don't understand something, revisit it. If reflection questions reveal gaps, review relevant content. If you want deeper understanding, explore Recommended and Deeper Dive sections.

Our job: Provide clear, comprehensive content that makes understanding achievable.

Think of this like learning a musical instrument or a new language—you know whether you're making progress. You don't need someone else to grade you.

What to Expect

Time Commitment

  • Video lectures: Typically 15-45 minutes each

  • Written content: Usually 10-20 minutes of reading per module

  • Reflection/practice: As much as you choose to invest

Most students spend 2-4 hours per module, but this varies based on:

  • How deeply you engage with reflection questions

  • Whether you explore Recommended/Deeper Dive content

  • If you're practicing meditation alongside study

  • Your prior familiarity with the material

Study Tips

  1. Watch videos actively - pause to take notes, rewind when needed, write down questions

  2. Don't rush - understanding matters more than speed

  3. Use reflection questions - they reveal whether you've grasped key concepts

  4. Revisit as needed - content remains accessible; review modules when useful

  5. Practice if interested - meditation enhances understanding but remains optional

Technical Notes

  • Videos can be paused, rewound, watched at different speeds

  • Written content can be printed for offline reading

  • Progress saves automatically

  • You can jump between modules (though we recommend systematic progression)

What's Optional, What's Not

You're NOT required to:

  • Meditate (though it's recommended and introduced in Foundation)

  • Accept Buddhist beliefs or philosophy

  • Complete all Recommended or Deeper Dive content

  • Attend retreats (though they're available and valuable)

  • Reach any particular spiritual attainment

You ARE encouraged to:

  • Engage seriously with the material

  • Complete Essential content in each module

  • Reflect honestly on whether you understand concepts

  • Ask questions (via our support channels)

  • Test ideas in your own experience

About Meditation Practice

Meditation instruction is introduced at Foundation level and develops progressively through the curriculum. It's optional but recommended—like lab work in a science course.

Why optional? Because you can study Buddhist philosophy, psychology, and history without practicing meditation—just as you can study music theory without playing an instrument.

Why recommended? Because practicing meditation:

  • Deepens understanding of what philosophers meant

  • Allows you to test Buddhist claims about consciousness

  • Provides experiential reference for theoretical concepts

  • Develops practical skills with measurable benefits

You decide your level of engagement.

Getting Help

If you have questions:

  • Check module written content for clarifications

  • Review relevant video sections

  • Use the support/contact system [link]

  • Connect with our learning community [if applicable]

Common questions get clearer as you progress. Concepts that seem confusing in Foundation often click into place by Hinayana. That's the nature of systematic building—trust the structure.

Your Path Begins Now

You're starting at Foundation Floor with four modules that establish essential context:

Module 1: Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism explains where Buddhism came from, how it spread, and why this course uses the Tibetan perspective.

Module 2: Three Vehicles Overview shows how Buddhist education progresses systematically through stages.

Module 3: Basic Meditation Introduction covers what meditation is, basic techniques, and simple daily practice.

Module 4: Four Hallmarks Overview introduces the organizing principles that structure Buddhist philosophy.

These modules provide the literacy you need for everything that follows. Take your time with them. They're shorter than later modules but establish crucial foundations.

A Final Word

This isn't a casual course. It's comprehensive education requiring serious engagement. But it's also designed for adult learners like you—people with jobs, responsibilities, and lives who want substantial understanding without religious conversion or academic bureaucracy.

You'll be challenged. You'll encounter unfamiliar frameworks. You might find some ideas uncomfortable or counterintuitive. That's exactly what good education should do.

But you'll also gain tools for understanding consciousness, practical skills for working with your mind, philosophical frameworks for thinking about fundamental questions, and—potentially—ways of seeing that change how you live.

That's why you're here. Let's begin.

Proceed to Module 1: Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism →