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Liberation: A Dialogue Across Buddhist Traditions

  • Joseph Goldstein, Dhammadīpā, John Dunne, GuoGu, Anne C. Klein (Rigzin Drolma), William Edelglass
  • Hybrid
  • April 23, 2026
  • April 26, 2026

What can we say about the qualities of liberation, the radical freedom from samsara? What is liberation like? What key features—impermanence, non-duality, compassion, non-self—characterize this experience? How do such experiences impact our lives and how we respond to the world? 

The many lineages of Buddhism address these questions in ways that sometimes converge and sometimes seem quite different. Through dharma talks, conversation, and guided meditation, we will explore liberation through the teachings of these traditions in a way that is grounded in experience. 

Program Format: This program will include dharma talks, discussion, guided meditation, and time for conversation.

Noble Silence:

Noble silence will be observed following each evening session through breakfast the following morning. Additional silent practice periods will be scheduled throughout the program.

Experience Level:

Suitable for intermediate and advanced practitioners.

Prerequisites:

Attendance is by invitation.

Cancellation Policy:

We understand that personal circumstances may require you to cancel your registration. In these cases, please contact us right away. If you enroll in the hybrid program residential option, the residential programs cancellation policy will apply to you. If you enroll in the hybrid program online option, the online programs cancellation policy will apply to you. Learn more: https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/courses/cancellation/.

Online Schedule:

This program is hosted on Zoom. You can check the time of the group sessions in your timezone here: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter. The schedule for this program (shown in US Eastern Time) is as follows:

Opening Day

7:30 – 9:00 pm Opening Session

Middle Day(s)

7:00 – 7:30 am Group Sitting Practice

9:00 am – noon Morning Session

2:00 – 5:00 pm Afternoon Session

7:00 – 9:00 pm Evening Session

Closing Day

7:00 – 7:30 am Group Sitting Practice

9:00 am – noon Closing Session

Please note that sessions will be recorded and made available to participants within 48 hours of each session. Recordings remain available indefinitely.

Schedule:

Please note that the daily schedule will vary (sometimes significantly) from program to program. Below please find a typical schedule, keeping in mind that it will not directly reflect every program.

Opening Day

2:00 – 5:45 pm Check-in

4:30 pm BCBS Campus Tour (optional)

5:50 – 6:30 pm Kitchen Orientation and Dinner

7:30 – 9:00 pm Opening Session

Middle Day(s)

6:30 am Wake-up Bell

7:00 – 7:30 am Group Sitting Practice

7:30 – 8:00 am Breakfast

8:00 – 9:00 am Work Practice or Rest

9:00 am – noon Morning Session

12:00 – 2:30 pm Lunch

12:30 – 2:00 pm Work Practice or Rest

2:00 – 5:00 pm Afternoon Session

5:00 – 5:30 pm Dinner

5:30 – 7:00 pm Work Practice or Rest

7:00 – 9:00 pm Evening Session

Closing Day

6:30 am Wake-up Bell

7:00 – 7:30 am Group Sitting Practice

7:30 – 8:00 am Breakfast

8:00 – 9:00 am Work Practice or Rest

9:00 am – noon Closing Session

12:00 – 12:30 pm Lunch (optional)