BBCRMC Teaching Staff and Training

The Dhamma Teachers on this page have successfully completed their BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher Training and continue to maintain their certification by teaching the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma.

BBCRMC Co-Founder & Dhamma Teacher John Haspel

John’s 2020 New Years Message

An Auspicious 2020

 

“You will succeed in truly spreading the Buddha’s Dhamma here only if you are not afraid to challenge the desires and opinions of your students. If you do this, you will succeed; if you do not, if you change the teachings and the practice to fit the existing habits and opinions of people out of a misguided sense of wanting to please them, you will have failed in your duty to serve in the best way possible.” (Ajahn Chah 1979)

Hi, I am John Haspel. I teach the Dhamma and I write on the original teachings of the Buddha. Since October of 2009, I have been teaching weekly Dhamma classes within the framework of the Eightfold Path in Frenchtown New Jersey, and other locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. I also teach the Dhamma individually in person and online.

I am also a recovered alcoholic and drug addict.

I am the author of three books, Becoming Buddha – Becoming Awakened, The Truth of Happiness and The Spiritual Solution.

Information about my books is here: John Haspel’s Books

I occasionally write poetry related tp the Buddha’s Dhamma: John and Our Sangha’s oetry

At an early age I became disappointed, unsettled and confused with my life. The purpose of life seemed to be the acquisition of things and superior labels. External phenomena such as gender, skin color, religious and political beliefs, body type, scholastic achievements, financial status, and an almost endless list of temporary states appeared to define a person’s value and usefulness. Life was uncertain and nothing could bring certainty.

The competitiveness for the acquisition of things and superior labels seemed pointless and rife with struggle. No achievement or acquisition could bring lasting peace and happiness. I often blamed myself for my confusion and growing frustration.

While in an alcohol and drug rehab at the age of nineteen, a family member gave me two books that would point my thinking in a new direction. I read Siddartha by Hermann Hesse, and Think on These Things by  Jiddu Krishnamurti. While I understood little of what I read, I was able to recognize a new way to view the phenomenal world. I did not realize at the time that I was beginning to question my views of myself and the world.

I would drink and drug for another six years. Now twenty-five, and near death from the effects of alcohol and drug abuse, I took the 12 Steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous program of recovery as originally presented. One of the 12 steps, step 11, emphasizes the need to develop spiritually through prayer and meditation.

Having been brought up in a Christian household I understood prayer (or thought I did) but I had no understanding of meditation. As I knew nothing of meditation, I wanted to dismiss it. Meditation was presented to me as necessary if I was to recover, and remembering the emphasis that the Buddha and Krishnamurti placed on meditation, I sought out meditation teachers.

I first learned Transcendental Meditation and practiced the TM technique for 4 years. I became disappointed with this technique as it did not seem to be able to provide any framework for developing understanding and only a measure of concentration. The Hindu rituals and dogma loosely associated with TM created more confusion for me. The need to be able to afford the more “advanced” levels of TM, or not be allowed the teachings, seemed just another aspect of the competitiveness and “bottom line” mentality that were all part of the confusing nature of the world.

I settled on Buddhism and studied and practiced in the Tibetan schools for many years. I attended many retreats and special teachings (known as empowerments) and learned of the beauty and depth of these teachings. The more I studied and practiced, the more elusive understanding became. The more I learned, the more confused I became. The more I learned, the more I was asked to take on faith.

This seemed contrary to what The Buddha would teach. I had to admit, though, that after many years of “Buddhist” study I likely knew little of what the Buddha actually taught. Ultimately I left Tibetan Buddhism.

I then spent some time simultaneously studying in the Zen schools (Zen, Chan, Soen) and in the New Kadampa Tradition sect. A few years into the NKT sect I found their teachings to have little to do with the teachings of the Buddha. The NKT seemed to have their own contrary philosophy by professing worship of a worldly deity, Dorje Shugden, and an intense hatred for the Dalai Llama. Neither seemed consistent with the Buddha’s teachings.

I then put my efforts into the various Zen schools, thinking that a less dogmatic or less mystical teaching may be more in line with what I could use to develop understanding. After extensive study, sesshin’s, and diligent practice, I found that I was still not developing understanding or finding anything that would likely lead me to understanding. I found nearly as much dogma and nearly as much mysticism in the Zen schools. Dependent Origination and The Four Noble Truths seemed to be treated more as an anachronism rather than the defining understanding of the Buddha’s teachings.

I also studied in the Shambala and Triratna “traditions.” Even then the whispers of drug abuse and sexual abuse by the founders of these schools, and the dismissal of these allegations by the organizations themselves was troubling. I questioned how the founders of these schools could teach something that would allow for such brutal and hurtful behavior, and be so easily dismissed by the followers. Something was obviously missing from these teachings, no matter how popular they were.

I came to understand through the Buddha’s Dhamma that it is the nature of a mind rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths to fabricate subtle but very powerful strategies to continue to ignore ignorance.

Through all these different teachings and association’s, it seemed that “becoming” a Tibetan Buddhist, or a Zen Buddhist, or Chan or Soen Buddhist, or an NKT Buddhist, or a Shambala Buddhist, or a Triratna Buddhist, was more important than actually developing useful understanding and awakening as a human being. There was much more emphasis on adapting to, and adopting, the individual and cultural embellishments to the original teachings as there was in developing an understanding of the nature of confusion, delusion, and suffering.

In these later-developed schools, it was first necessary to learn the dogma, rituals, and methods of each school, no small matter, and then engage with their particular teachings for “many lifetimes” in order to gain any understanding. There exists a subtle, and often not so subtle, elitism within most of these schools. I came to understand that the Buddha did not teach any of these individual or cultural embellishments as part of his Dhamma, and nothing that would support the nearly universal hierarchical elitism so prevalent in all these schools.

After careful and intensive study, I became convinced that these later schools would not be able to develop in me the Buddha’s stated goal of release from all views rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths, and the resulting stress and suffering. [1]

I then looked to the Theravadin school. I found much of what I was looking for in “the teachings of the elders” but I found that the mystical aspects and reliance on the Abhidhamma still practiced by many Theravadins confusing and not helpful to developing understanding. I found the modern “Vipassana” movement, considered a sub-school of Theravada, to be stripped of most of the Buddha’s original teachings in favor of an extensive and hybridized meditation technique.

This was my experience. Many people have gained a measure of belonging and comfort from all of these schools, and the many other modern “Buddhist” schools.

Many years of extensive study and practice left me more confused and frustrated. I had put in the time and studied with many of the foremost teachers. I read the writings of all the great Mahayana teachers. Yet I was more confused as to what the Buddha taught then when I first began studying the Dhamma 25 years prior.

I decided that I would try to separate what the Buddha likely taught from what developed later. I learned that the original teachings of the Buddha were still available and preserved in the Sutta Pitaka, the second book of The Pali Canon. [2] I learned that the Hinayana form of Buddhism was more consistent with the original teachings than the later-developed Mahayana teachings.

As I studied the Pali Canon, in particular, the translations of Thanissaro Bhikkhu and the books by Bhikkhu Bodhi, it became clear that the Buddha taught that he was a human being who, through his own efforts, “awakened” to the truth of the origination of all manner of confusion, deluded thinking, and ongoing stress and unhappiness. As preserved in the Sutta Pitaka, Dependent Origination [3] clearly shows that it is ignorance of Four Noble Truths that forms the requisite condition for confusion, deluded thinking, and ongoing suffering to arise. When I finally understood that everything the Buddha would teach for his entire forty-five-year teaching career was taught in the context of Dependent Origination and Four Noble Truths, the Dhamma become useful, understandable, and immediately effective. What was required of me was to actually develop the Dhamma as an awakened human being actually taught his Dhamma

I found that if his Dhamma was engaged in wholeheartedly, the Buddha used the word “ehipassiko,” (come and see for yourself) any human being could develop an understanding of dukkha and experience the cessation of confusion, delusion, and suffering.

The path he taught was an Eightfold Path of developing heightened wisdom, virtue and concentration. The Buddha taught that nothing needed to be taken on blind faith.

The Buddha taught that with conviction arising from a basic understanding of the Four Noble Truths, a “Right View” of the world could be achieved.

I found that there were no special rituals, chants, initiations or empowerments taught by the Buddha that were necessary to develop understanding.

The Buddha taught a specific meditation technique with specific goals. This meditation technique, Jhana meditation, was to be practiced within the entire framework of the Eightfold Path if it would contribute to and support awakening.

I found that the Buddha described awakening not as finding an essential inner nature, or “Buddha-nature” but as unbinding from all views that developed from a doctrine of “I.” The Buddha described the state of mind of an awakened human being not as “Buddha-nature,” or “Buddha-hood,” but as released, unbound, and calm.

I found that there were 12 causative links, known as Dependent Origination, that simply and directly describe how suffering arises from ignorance of the Four Noble Truths. I found the Buddha’s Dhamma developed very specific insight into Three Marks Of Existence. [4]

I found that what I had previously thought of as my “self” was an impermanent and insubstantial creation of my own ignorance. This “self” was a composition of 5 psycho/physical aggregates – Five Clinging-Aggregates – that cling together, and cling to phenomena. It is these Five Clinging-Aggregates [5]that I have projected a doctrine of self onto and into, and it is this impermanent “self” that is prone to confusion and suffering.

This cleared much of the confusion of other teachings that taught a continued doctrine of self within a cosmic environment and inter-dependent and interconnected to (clinging to) other conditioned objects.

I found that I did not have to reconcile my understanding of the Buddha’s teachings with every other philosophy or “spiritual” teaching, “Buddhist” or otherwise. I developed this understanding by learning that the Buddha felt no such compulsion to reconcile the Dhamma to the prevailing beliefs or religions of his day. I found that the Buddha did not concern himself with having to prove through magical, mystical, scientific, or any other means, the truth of his Dhamma.

Here is an article of the confusion that often arises from the need to reconcile all the many Buddhist schools into a one-size-fits-all Buddhism:  Modern Buddhism – A Thicket Of View

I found that the Buddha taught an Eightfold Path [6] to awakening that any human being who whole-heartedly engaged with the Dhamma, as he presented his Dhamma, could, and often did awaken.

Most importantly, I found a Dhamma that I could engage with and understand. I found a Dhamma that developed in a direct way understanding without becoming confused or distracted with dogma, ritual or “spiritual” acquisition.

I found that the problem of suffering was due to my own need to establish and maintain a doctrine of self, and the Buddha’s Dhamma develops the understanding to abandon all views arising from a doctrine of self.

I found, through direct inquiry of the Buddha’s Dhamma, a peaceful and calm mind, and lasting peace and happiness.

SUPPORTJOHN HASPEL

 

  1. Four Noble Truths – The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
  2. Pail Canon
  3. Dependent Origination – The Paticca Samuppada Sutta
  4. Three Marks Of Existence – Anicca, Anatta, Dukkha
  5. Five Clinging-Aggregates
  6. Eightfold Path – The Magga-Vibhanga Sutta

BBCRMC Co-Founder & Dhamma Teacher Matt Branham

Matt Branham
Founder, Facilities Director, Becoming Buddha Cross River Meditation Center Board Chair, Dhamma Teacher, Qigong Instructor, MAcOM, LAc

Matt’s Qualifying Teachers Training Talk
Yasa Sutta – Anguttara Nikaya 8.86

 

I received my BA in Religious Studies from California State University Humboldt in 2006.  I received my Master’s degree in Science, Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from the Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine in Seattle, WA.  I have been a practicing Acupuncturist since 2010. My experience with a sangha began at the Taoist Studies Institute in Seattle, WA, where I continue to study Taijiquan and Qigong with my teacher Harrison Moretz.  My sangha experience continued at the Center for Sacred Sciences in Eugene, OR, where I completed the Foundation studies course in 2012.

Together with John Haspel, I co-founded Cross River Meditation Center in Frenchtown, NJ in October of 2012.  Since 2012, understanding the Four Noble Truths, and the practice of the Eight-fold path within the supportive structure of the CRMC sangha has been central to my life.  

The development of the CRMC sangha has led to many collaborative community events including the Dana Dinner, a community-wide potluck dinner as well as local fundraising projects involving the Homestead House, a veteran’s home, and the Raritan Learning Cooperative, an alternative High school in Flemington, NJ.  

Deep engagement with the practice of the Dhamma, and now teaching the Dhamma, requests only that I accept my life as it occurs, without the need for it to be different.  The Buddha did not teach enlightenment, he taught the understanding of our contribution to the stress inherent in life, and the cessation of our contribution to that stress.  The profound teachings and practical wisdom of the Buddha are available to anyone who is interested and it is with deep gratitude that I offer them.

Email Matt

BBCRMC Initial Teachers Training February 2020

Becoming Buddha Teachers Training Retreat
Won Dharma Center
February 21 to 23, 2020

On February 23, 2020, Jennifer Seiz, Matt Branham, Ram Manders, and Kevin Hart completed our first Becoming Buddha Cross River Meditation Center’s Teachers Training. During our ceremony acknowledging this auspicious event they took refuge in a human Buddha, his authentic Dhamma, and our well-informed and well-focused Sangha.

Ram, John, Matt, Kevin, Jen

Devadaha Sutta – John’s Closing Talk

Kaliyanamitas – Friends In The Dhamma

Kevin and John and a Won Dharma Center Sunset
Peace

BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher Ram Manders

Ram Manders
Dhamma Teacher, BBCRMC Board

Ram’s Qualifying Teachers Training Talk
Sabbasava Sutta – Majhima Nikaya 2


How did I get here ???

I grew up in a lower-middle-class family in a small town in the Netherlands. At age 7 I was hit by a near-fatal infection that kept me in solitary isolation in the hospital for a month, turning me into a very shy and introspective child. 

In high school, I discovered that I was much smarter than my classmates and prone to questioning all aspects of the world around me. This led to a BA in psychology from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.

A deepening sense of unease about my supposed future (academics, career, family) and an interest in meditation, eastern spirituality and then popular Self Actualization Movement led to my “going forth from the home life”. 

I ended up in India where I spent about four years in the ashram of the, then infamous, hippie guru Rajneesh ( later Osho). There I lived with growing ease in a supportive Sangha, being exposed to a minor degree’s worth of comparative mysticism. 

At the dissolution of that ashram, I roamed around Europe for a while, looking for a Sangha, a practice, direction? I ended up here in the USA, where I met my wife, got married, raised children, had a career, in short: reentered the ”home life”. 

Thirty years later, growing old, still looking for a practice and a way to make sense of life, somebody suggested the meditation class that John Haspel was teaching in Frenchtown.

There I (grudgingly at first) shed the degrees in psychology and ‘comparative mysticism’, overcame Doubt, Investigated the Dhamma and was embraced by the Sangha. With their and John’s example and support, I finally entered into an effective practice; the Practice of the Eight Fold Path.

My wife wondered why I would give up almost 40 years of life with our common guru but she supported the change anyhow.

Over the years my understanding of the Dhamma grew slowly, despite challenges in my meditation practice. The gaps in understanding, however, were becoming apparent. 

When John proposed the teacher training program with its rigorous reading, restoring and writing, to be run together with the Vipassana classes, I realized that this would be the much-needed opportunity to ‘fill in the gaps’. Now, having met the challenge to research,  restore and comment on the Buddha’s words and present it to John and fellow trainees, I understand why the Buddha required that his bhikkhus give a short teaching in return for the alms they received.

Teaching to Dhamma is of immense benefit to the teacher, it clarifies fuzzy thinking and encourages refined mindfulness of all aspects of the Eight Fold Path. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity, John’s guidance, and the brilliant teaching and all the support and encouragement of the Sangha.

I hope my contributions will be of benefit to all.

Email Ram

BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher David Allen

David Allen
Dhamma Teacher, BBCRMC Board

On May 25, 2021, David Allen completed our Becoming Buddha Cross River Meditation Center’s Teachers Training. During our ceremony acknowledging this auspicious event, David took refuge in a human Buddha, his authentic Dhamma, and our well-informed and well-focused Sangha.

 

David s qualifying talk during our 2021 Vipassana Strudtered Study:

I come from an unremarkable religious and spiritual upbringing. By the time I was 7, my parents had become disillusioned with the church they both were raised in.  Despite their disillusionment, my parents both strongly identified with this religion, so they never sought to replace or seek out other spiritual avenues.  As a 7 years old boy, I was fine with that arrangement for Sunday mornings.  I was happy to replace the church with watching Speed Racer cartoons.

As a young child, teenager, young adult and not so young man, suffering was not something to examine. The momentum of life takes place.  The daily battles of works, marriage, children, happiness, disappointment,  success and failure was not understood as dukkha.  It something that was dealt with and then you move on.  Sometimes you ate the bear.  Sometimes the bear ate you.  It’s just life.  Where I was in the universe was not a concern.  The ‘bigger’ questions held no fascination for me. 

I started reading John’s books in late 2016.  ‘It’s just life’ was happening more and more and Mary (my wife) saw I was in pain.  Mary was a Sangha member and John’s well-worn books were always around.  She would also always be encouraging me to try mediation and ‘just read The Truth of Happiness. Just read a little’.  So, I did.  I would grab a pillow, cross my legs and stuff myself into a corner of a room and sit.  Not exactly a root of a tree.  Then I ran into a word that set me on my path to Frenchtown, NJ.  Ehipassiko.

Come and see for yourself.  So, I did.  I read, I listened to recorded classes and eventually I met John at a Dana Dinner.  

John was encouraging and kind.  He told me to be gentle with myself.  So I was.  Eventually I came to Frenchtown to join with the Sangha and I was gentle with myself.  That’s a requirement not a suggestion.  Then the Sangha was gentle with me.  That has been a gift.

I am humbled and honored to be asked to be a teacher of the Buddha’s Dhamma. 

Email David

BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher Jen Seiz

Jennifer Seiz
Dhamma Teacher, BBCRMC Board

Jen’s Qualifying Teachers Training Talk
Vattupama Sutta – Majhima Nikaya 7

 

I have been practicing the Dhamma at CRMC since 2013. It has been deeply useful in eliminating stress and increasing the concentration required to navigate this hectic existence with ease and skill. I have been teaching science to children and adults since 2003, so it made sense to learn how to teach the Dhamma. It has been a rewarding experience, to say the least, and sharing the Dhamma with those who are interested brings me profound joy. 

Email Jen

BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart
Dhamma Teacher, BBCRMC Board

Kevin’s Qualifying Teachers Training Talk
Agantuka Sutta – Samyutta Nikaya 45:159

 

My experience with the Buddha’s Dhamma and CRMC started in 2014.  After developing a growing interest in Eastern philosophy, I was introduced to the teachings of the Buddha.  I began to meditate and attend classes and gradually began to read and study the Dhamma with the support of the sangha at CRMC.

I found the Buddha’s teachings and Dhamma practice were very accessible and provided me with an “ease of being” that I had not encountered before or since.  I have continued to practice the Dhamma and through evolving my own practice I hope to share with others the Dhamma and the Buddha’s teachings.

Through the vision of our teacher John Haspel and CRMC co-founder Matthew Branham, I was humbled and honored to learn to teach the Dhamma from my own personal experience in the teachings, in 2020.  I am honored to represent the Buddha’s Dhamma, our sangha, and humbly acknowledge to be dutiful and represent, with truth, the original teachings of the Buddha.

Email Kevin

BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher Tom Graham

On July 2 2022 Tom Graham completed our Becoming Buddha Cross River Meditation Center’s Teachers Training. During our ceremony acknowledging this auspicious event, Tom took refuge in a human Buddha, his authentic Dhamma, and our well-informed and well-focused Sangha.

More Coming Soon

BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher Brian Daugherty

On Saturday October 22, 2022, during our 2022 Fall Four Foundations of Mindfulness Retreat Brian Daugherty completed his Becoming Buddha Cross River Meditation Center’s Teachers Training. During our ceremony acknowledging this auspicious event, Brian took refuge in a human Buddha, his authentic Dhamma, and our well-informed and well-focused Sangha.

Bio Coming Soon

BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher Mary Allen

On Sunday October 23, 2022, during our 2022 Fall Four Foundations of Mindfulness Retreat Mary Allen completed her Becoming Buddha Cross River Meditation Center’s Teachers Training. During our ceremony acknowledging this auspicious event, Mary took refuge in a human Buddha, his authentic Dhamma, and our well-informed and well-focused Sangha.

Bio Coming Soon

BBCRMC Teacher Training Requirements & Guidelines

Becoming Buddha Teacher Training

Becoming Buddha Teacher Training Application form is below.

Becoming Buddha Teacher Training is for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the Buddha’s Dhamma. You will learn from John a broad foundational understanding of what an awakened human being taught and how to present the Buddha’s Dhamma to others in an authentic, effective, friendly,  accessible, and straightforward manner. This understanding can then be presented incidentally, one-on-one, or in a structured class setting.

Two-thousand six-hundred years ago a human being awakened to the understanding that ignorance of Four Noble Truths is the root cause of all human suffering. He taught a path to end conflict in the world by ending conflict in ourselves through a clear path that brings recognition and direct abandonment of ignorance.

As exampled by the Buddha, the foremost contribution one can make to all human beings is to develop understanding of Four Noble Truths and then assist others to do the same.

In the Anapanasati Sutta, the Buddha used the examples of awakened Monks to show the results of a well-focused Dhamma practice. He also emphasized the rarity of a well-focused Sangha:  “This community of Dhamma Practitioners is rare to see in the world. This community of Dhamma Practitioners is such that it would be worth traveling for leagues, taking along provisions, in order to learn from.” Anapanasati Sutta

Over the past nine years, since the establishment of Cross River Meditation Center, and online at Becoming-Buddha.com, another rare and well-focused sangha has developed. We have an opportunity now to further the establishment of the Buddha’s Dhamma in the world and continue these rare and pure teachings for the sake of all sentient beings.

Mindful understanding and respect for the Triple Refuge of the Buddha, his Dhamma, and our present and future Sanghas will continue to guide our practice and our teacher training.

Here is an article on the Triple Refuge: Ratana Sutta

Ananda, the Buddha’s cousin and chief attendant once asked the Buddha “Is it true that having admirable people as friends, companions, and colleagues is half of a life well-integrated with the Dhamma?” The Buddha responded, “Ananda, having admirable people as friends, companions, and colleagues is the whole a life well-integrated with the Dhamma.”

The Buddha taught Ananda in the Upaddha Sutta that the paramount requirement for developing and teaching his Dhamma is admirable associations with others that are actually practicing and developing his Dhamma: Upaddha Sutta

Becoming Buddha Teacher Training Tuition: In keeping with our tradition of donation-based classes, please continue to support John and his continued teaching of the Buddha’s Dhamma.

 

Becoming Buddha Teacher Training Guidelines

  • Following the guidance provided in the Upaddha Sutta, and the Buddha’s example of his own teaching career, those in Becoming Buddha Teacher Training will continue their commitment to practice and teach only what the Buddha taught as preserved in the Sutta Pitaka. When teaching Dhamma, a sutta will always be used as context. This is a commitment to being responsible for preserving and continuing the Buddha’s Dhamma free of adaptation, accommodation, and embellishment.
  • • One year attendance, minimum 52 classes, at weekly Dhamma classes at Cross River meditation Center. A monthly summary of the insight and understanding developed through the previous month’s classes. (Remote Teacher Training information is below)
  • A monthly summary of insight developed into Dependent Origination, Four Noble Truths, Mindfulness, Jhana, and Three Marks Of Existence – emailed to John including any questions necessary for clarity.
  • Completion of three Becoming Buddha retreats. Completion of retreats from 2018 are included in the three-retreat requirement. A summary of Dhamma understanding gained on retreat emailed to John. Becoming Buddha Retreats Information
  • Leading occasional Dhamma classes at Cross River Meditation Center.
  • Completion of 4-day Teacher’s Retreat convened as needed at Won Dharma Center.
  • Upon completion of these requirements a 3,000 word (minimum) essay of insights gained during and your Teachers Training and your understanding of teaching a Buddha’s Dhamma.
  • A Certificate of Completion acknowledging your qualification to teach the Buddha’s Dhamma will be awarded.

Remote Teacher Training For those who are further than a two-hour drive from Frenchtown, NJ:

  • Following the guidance provided in the Upaddha Sutta, and the Buddha’s example of his own teaching career, those in Becoming Buddha Teacher Training will continue their commitment to practice and teach only what the Buddha taught as preserved in the Sutta Pitaka. When teaching Dhamma, a sutta will always be used as context. This is a commitment to being responsible for preserving and continuing the Buddha’s Dhamma free of adaptation, accommodation, and embellishment.
  • Attending  a minimum of 4 classes per month online for 1 Year streamed live from Cross River Meditation Center.
  • A monthly summary of insight developed into Dependent Origination, Four Noble Truths, Mindfulness, Jhana, and Three Marks Of Existence – emailed to John including any questions necessary for clarity.
  • Completion of three retreats held at Won Dharma Center. Completion of retreats from 2018 are included in the three-retreat requirement. A summary of the Dhamma understanding gained on retreat emailed to John. Becoming Buddha Retreats Information
  • Leading occasional recorded Dhamma classes at your location. Recording emailed to John.
  • Upon completion of these requirements a 3,000 word (minimum) of insights gained during and your Teachers Training and your understanding of teaching a Buddha’s Dhamma.A Certificate of Completion acknowledging your qualification to teach the Buddha’s Dhamma will be awarded.

Becoming Buddha Teacher Training Application

Becoming Buddha Teacher Training Agreement

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