Foundation Program

Introduction to Foundation Program

Go Deeper with Study & Meditation

Folks who have been attending and enjoying the drop-in General Program classes have the opportunity to attend up to three Foundation Program (FP) classes to decide whether FP is right for you.

Introductory Class - Sunday, Jan 22, 2023 @ 3 - 5 pm

Attend a Sample Class

Find out if Foundation Program is right for you by attending a sample class.

In-Person & Live-stream

Classes are in-person for those who live in the Columbia area. Folks who live long-distance can join in on Zoom. Right now a few Charleston folks participate on Zoom.

Pre-Registration is Required

The Introduction to FP is free, however, pre-registration is required to attend.

Sundays 3-5 pm with Kelsang Jangchen

What is Foundation Program?

Foundation Program is a tried and tested way to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of Buddha’s teachings, maintain a daily meditation practice that is both focused and powerful, and make genuine spiritual progress.

Who is Foundation Program for?

If you have been coming to classes regularly and have been getting a lot out of your General Program drop-in classes and feel you're ready to go a bit deeper with your study and practice, then the systematic study of this essential Buddhist text on FP may be a perfect next step for you.

About the Book, Joyful Path to Good Fortune

We all have the potential for self-transformation, and a limitless capacity for the growth of good qualities. But to fulfill this potential we need to know what to do at every stage of our spiritual journey.

In Joyful Path of Good Fortune we find a clear and comprehensive explanation of the entire path to enlightenment.

With this book, the author Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche offers us step-by-step guidance on the meditation practices that will lead us to lasting inner peace and happiness.

With extraordinary clarity, he presents all Buddha’s teachings in the order in which they are to be practiced, enriching his explanation with stories and illuminating analogies.

What happens at a class?

The class begins with chanted prayers and a guided meditation.
The teacher then reads from the book while giving commentary to the text.
The students then divide into pairs to discuss material.
The teacher and students concluded by deciding what to meditate on in the next class and how to practice during the coming week.

What are the Commitments?

Our General Program classes are offered on a drop-in basis and there are no requirements for attending. As a more structured program of study, the FP does require students to make some basic commitments:

Students keep the intention to attend every class during the FP term (terms are September through mid-December and mid-January through June), and try not to miss more than two classes per term
Students read ahead and memorize the essential points of the text
Students are encouraged to attend at least one weekly drop-in class or group puja (chanted prayers)
Students take one exam per year to check their understanding of what they have studied
Students fee is $60 per month (including the months when FP is not in session)

In-Person & Live-stream

FP classes meet in-person in Columbia
A livestream option is available for those who qualify, for example, if you're unable to attend in-person due to long-distance or disability. A number of folks join by Zoom from Charleston.

About the Teacher

Kelsang Jangchen is a Buddhist nun and the Resident Teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center South Carolina. She has been practicing meditation and Kadampa Buddhism since 1999. Jangchen teaches with warmth and compassion, offering practical methods to help people experience more peace and happiness in their daily lives.

Foundation Program books:

Students enroll for one book, or one section of a book, at a time. Foundation Program includes the following five subjects based on Buddha’s Sutra teachings and their corresponding commentaries by our teacher, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso:

The Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, or Kadam Lamrim, based on the commentary Joyful Path of Good Fortune
Training the Mind, or Kadam Lojong, based on two commentaries, The New Eight Steps to Happiness and Universal Compassion
The Heart Sutra, based on the commentary The New Heart of Wisdom
Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, based on the commentary Meaningful to Behold
Types of Mind, based on the commentary How to Understand the Mind

Enrollment

$60 per month (even during months FP doesn't meet)
Click here to see all the perks of your "Supporting Member" membership.

One-Time $60 Payment:

Introduction to Foundation Program

Go Deeper with Study & Meditation

Introductory Class - Sunday, Jan 22, 2023 @ 3 - 5 pm

Attend a Sample Class

In-Person & Live-stream

Pre-Registration is Required