Returning to the Beginning
Thirteen years on the Foundation Path
I was introduced to Buddhism in my twenties.
At first, it was light-touch. An occasional book, a retreat here and there, some dabbling. I wasn’t ready to commit. Or maybe I didn’t know what commitment could look like.
That changed in 2013.
I started attending weekly classes at a local Dharma center. And not long after, I signed up for what’s known as the Foundation Program. A deeper, more structured study and practice path within the tradition I follow.
It wasn’t just more classes. It was a framework for transforming my life.
What is the Foundation Program?
The Foundation Program offers a systematic study of six core texts that form the basis of Kadampa Buddhist practice. Each text comes alive through meditation, discussion, memorization, and application in daily life.
The six texts include:
Joyful Path of Good Fortune – a commentary to Atisha’s Lamrim instructions on the stages of the path to enlightenment
Universal Compassion – a commentary to Bodhisattva Chekhawa’s Training the Mind in Seven Points
Eight Steps to Happiness – a guide to Bodhisattva Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind
The New Heart of Wisdom – a commentary on the Heart Sutra
Meaningful to Behold – a detailed explanation of Venerable Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life
How to Understand the Mind – a detailed explanation of the mind based on classical Buddhist logic and psychology based on the works of Dharmakirti and Dignaga
Each weekly class includes chanted prayers (puja), guided meditation, teachings, discussion (sometimes even light debate), and written exams. It’s as immersive as it sounds and it completely changed how I relate to my mind, my relationships, and the world around me.
Coming Full Circle
I began this journey with The New Heart of Wisdom, a commentary on the Heart Sutra, exploring the nature of emptiness and ultimate truth.
Last week, my current Foundation Program group completed Universal Compassion. And now, we’re circling back. Beginning again with The New Heart of Wisdom.
Same text. Same teachings.
But I’m not the same person.
There’s something beautiful about studying the same words from a new vantage point—years of practice, missteps, integration, and growth later. It’s like discovering a familiar trail after the fog lifts. You see things you missed the first time. You walk with more attention. More humility. More trust in the path.
The Path is Circular and Forward
Thirteen years. Six texts. A few notebooks filled. A few tears shed. Countless insights that arrived when I least expected them.
And somehow, I still feel like I’m just beginning.
Thanks for reading. Whether you’re deep into a study program or just Buddhist-curious, I’m always happy to share more about this path. Hit reply or drop a comment. I’d love to hear where you are on your journey.
In the meantime, I’ll be over here with The New Heart of Wisdom, a fresh notebook, and a beginner’s mind.