21st Century Suffering: Are the Four Noble Truths Still True? with Erika Wilton & James Wilton
When:
Saturday, May 03, 2025 10:00a -
4:00p
Saturday, May 03, 2025 10:00a -
4:00p
Where:
Shambhala Boston
646 Brookline Avenue
Brookline, MA 02445
Admission:
$35
Hosted by:
Categories:
Classes, History, Lectures & Conferences, Social Good
Event website:
https://boston.shambhala.org/program-details/?id=788688
“Although we might prefer to muse about happiness and how we can get more of it, it is our blind stumbling after happiness that has entrapped us in the first place.” - The Truth of Suffering and the Path of Liberation
2500 years ago, the Buddha recognized fundamental truths about the human experience. His first teaching was to share these insights, and also present a plan of action - which came to be known as the Four Noble Truths. These truths are noble because they are universally true, and understanding them leads one to liberation.
These four are:
Our Approach:
The Shambhala Meditation Center of Boston proudly continues the living tradition of these teachings, with a particular connection to the rich Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. As part of our Walking the Buddhist Path series, we will explore this topic with both intellect and intuition. You will learn how to engage dharma teachings, contemplate and investigate them for yourself, and ultimately grasp their underlying wisdom.
Through talks, readings, guided contemplation, self-reflection and discussions, we will explore the transformative power of acknowledging suffering in our experience, develop insight into how it is caused through confusion, and why we consistently grab the problem the wrong way around. We will look at the possibility of ending suffering and leave with tools to begin to discover freedom by following the Noble Eightfold Path.
Who should join?
This program is for those who are ready to investigate difficult truths, and willing to see their own participation in the chain of suffering. No prior study is required. Everyone is welcome, no matter what level of practice.
Resources & Preparation
Seemingly simple teachings often benefit from the insights of experienced teachers. Here are a few quality resources, some of which we will draw on during our session:
- The Truth of Suffering and the Path of Liberation, book by Chögyam Trungpa
- more to come
Schedule
Approximate schedule for the day will be:
10:00 - Orientation and practice
10:45 - Presentation and discussion
11:45 - Reflection and contemplation exercises
12:30 - Lunch & reading time
1:30 - Student led discussion
2:30 - Silent reflection and application
3:00 - Discussion on continued investigation
3:30 - Wrap up
4:00 - End
Teachers:
Jim Wilton is a student of Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. He is also a student of Dzongsar, Khyentse Rinpoche and Kilung Rinpoche. He completed ngondrö as an associate at Ropes & Gray LLP and retired two years ago as a partner in Ropes & Gray’s business restructuring group. He has practiced meditation and taught Dharma classes for more than 35 years.
Erika Wilton has been a Buddhist practitioner since 1971, when her travels brought her to a Buddhist monastery in Scotland. Returning to the States she sought and met Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, becoming his student. She attended the three-month Vajradhatu Buddhist Seminary in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado in 1985, and many Buddhist seminars, training programs and retreats. In recent years she has been studying with Dzongsar Khyentse, Rinpoche, Kilung Rinpoche, and others.
Erika met her husband Jim while both were living and working at Karmê Chöling Buddhist Meditation Center in Vermont, and are the parents of an adult son. She is also a writer and an artist in various media.
Registration Please register with an email you check regularly. We will send important information about the program to you via email and don’t want you to miss it.
You will not receive an email right away. Participants will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registration, and a second confirmation email with program details approximately 1 week before the program begins. Sometimes emails may end up in your promotions, spam or junk folder. It’s also possible that you’ve unsubscribed from emails from Shambhala, which prevents you from receiving the necessary emails. If you don't receive the confirmation email, please contact [email protected].
Payment: We use Paypal to process payments. You can choose to pay through a paypal account (if you have one) or with a credit or debit card. Unfortunately Paypal sometimes disables guest checkout "based on several risk factors" and will prompt you to create an account. If you run into this issue, please email [email protected] to let us know. We hope to find a better solution soon.
In-person participation As an in-person event, all participants must agree to abide by the Shambhala Center’s current Coronavirus Precautions Policy. Additionally, we ask you to limit the use of scented products, as many people have chemical sensitivities. Note that our building is not wheelchair accessible.
Accessibility concerns - please let us know if you have any concerns about visual, sound, mobility or sensitivity to incense or chemicals. Please note the meditation hall is on the second floor and is only accessible by walking up a flight of stairs. Unfortunately, we have no way of accommodating wheelchairs at this time.
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