Path of the Buddha: An online course in the discovery of the Way

The historical Buddha was a human being. As a young man, he came face-to-face with the frailty of human life and was deeply moved. In fact, he was so moved that he devoted his life to discovering a path to with peace, clarity and compassion, and then to teaching others what he had discovered. Each of us likewise has the opportunity to find our particular path to that same discovery. Yet now, we have the benefit of the Buddha’s experience and teachings, and those of the practitioners who have come after him.

Together, the participants in this course will spend eight weeks recollecting the life of the Buddha, while also reflecting on their own path of practice. We will focus on his development as a meditator and teacher, and critical points of investigation and insight that he later shared with his students. We will explore such questions as, “How can the Buddha’s teachings support my spiritual development? How did the Buddha meditate and why? What kinds of benefits can meditation practice bring? What kinds of obstacles can I expect to encounter, and how can I meet them?”

This course is intended for both beginners and experienced practitioners, and does not require any previous knowledge of the Pali suttas.

This eight week course will be lead by Ayya Dhammadīpā. It will be based primarily on the text “A Meditator’s Life of the Buddha” by Venerable Anālayo. In addition, we will use materials from Ven. Ñāṇamoli, Walpola Rahula, Keizan Zenji, and Mu Soeng.

The course will include pre-recorded Dhamma talks, and both written and live group discussion forums. Additional reflection questions, readings, guided meditations, and talks will be added as we proceed. So be sure to return to this page often.

Talks will be posted to the Weekly Teachings tab on Saturdays (Eastern US time). Optional live group discussion meetings will take place on

Wednesdays from 6:45 pm to 8:00 pm Eastern, from XX through XX.

The Zoom meeting number is 879 5878 9708 and the password is 052021 .
If you prefer to join without video, one US phone number to call is (669) 900-6833.

Find the written class discussion forum XXX This page and the materials found here will be available for 12 months after the class is completed. This class is offered free of charge. Donations in support of Ayya Dhammadīpā and the Dassanāya Buddhist Community can be made here.