The First Turning of the Wheel Course - Led by Deirdre Cunningham

An Eight Week Course led by Deirdre Cunningham

Starts on Tuesday 31st May 2022 at 6.30pm

Membership is required for this course: please register using the following link https://thebuddhistsociety.org/page/first-turning-of-the-wheel-course

All members of the Society wishing to attend should register in advance. If you have further questions, please email the Librarian at librarianatthebuddhistsocietydotorg . Participants should have some familiarity with basic Buddhist Teachings as covered in the Introduction to Buddhism course. A minimum of twenty participants is required to run the course.

Study of the Buddha's teachings is an essential part of Buddhist practice, and the aim of this course is to acquaint students with some of the key texts of early Indian Buddhism. It is suitable for students of all traditions and focuses on the core teachings held in common by all Buddhist schools. The course will illustrate how a deeper knowledge of the scriptures can illuminate practice.

The texts will be drawn from the Majjhima Nikaya and Samyutta Nikaya and will briefly highlight the early teachings from which the Mahayana evolved.

Beginning with the “Noble Search” described in the Ariyapariyesana Sutta, we study the Buddha's search for enlightenment as a guide to our own journey on the path, and his first sermon when he set out the basic principles of the Way.

Topics covered in subsequent talks will cover texts such as the Fire Sermon and the Four Foundations of Awareness which provide the cornerstone for a practice in daily life.

In the last two talks we introduce selected dialogues from The Questions of King Milinda, which explore common misunderstandings of doctrine, and consider accounts of the last days of the Buddha including his final teachings.

Course outline for 2022

These classes will be weekly on Tuesdays from 6.30pm

• The Noble Search Ariyapariyesana Sutta - 31st May
• Setting in motion the wheel of the Dharma - 7th June
• The Satipattana Sutta - 14th June
• Five Hindrances and Seven Factors of Enlightenment - 21st June
• The Fire Sermon - 28th June
• The Wheel of Life - Samsara - 5th July
• Karma - Discourse between Nagasena and King Milinda - 12th July
• Last days of the Buddha - 19th July

About the Teacher

Deirdre Cunningham is a long-term member of the Zen Centre and she teaches the Friday Lunchtime Meditation class at the Buddhist Society. She draws on experience from working in both the medical and artistic fields.

Each talk will be based on one or more Suttas. Students are encouraged to read and ponder this material before and after the relevant class.

Recommended reading:

“In the Buddha's Words” by Bhikkhu Bodhi, 2005.