Religion & Spirituality
The Heart Sutra - Hybrid Retreat with Khenpo Kunga (cUS.MSN-H-BE-260130)
The Heart Sutra Hybrid Retreat (1/30/2026 - 2/1/2026)
Join beloved Tergar Lama Khenpo Kunga and Tergar - Madison for teachings on one of the most profound texts in the Buddhist tradition — the Heart Sutra. This weekend retreat offers both experiential and scholarly approaches to the Heart Sutra and its central teaching: emptiness. This hybrid retreat is offered in-person in Madison, WI and online via Zoom.
About the Heart Sutra
The Heart Sutra is among the most important texts in Mahayana Buddhism. Often memorized, recited, and meditated upon, the Heart Sutra distills the teachings of prajna paramita, or the perfection of wisdom, into a short and powerful form.
Its famous mantra — “Gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā” — often translated as “Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond, awakening, so be it” — is a powerful invocation to transcend conceptual limitations and awaken to the true nature of reality.
More than a philosophical text, the Heart Sutra is a guide to transforming how we perceive and engage with reality. Its teachings on emptiness challenge habitual ways of thinking and open the door to liberation and boundless compassion.
The Teaching of Emptiness (Śūnyatā)
At the core of the Heart Sutra is the teaching of emptiness — that all phenomena, including self, are devoid of inherent existence. Understanding emptiness is not an intellectual exercise — it is an experiential realization that frees us from grasping, fear, and ignorance.
In this event, through teaching, commentary, and meditation, we will explore emptiness not merely as a negation, but as a space of possibility and liberation.
Open to Everybody
Whether you are new to Buddhist teachings or a long-time practitioner, this event is an opportunity to deepen your connection to the Heart Sutra and explore how the wisdom of emptiness opens the path to awakening.
Details:
Schedule:
Location:
T-Mad Blount Street space (301 S. Blount St, Madison, WI)
Costs:
In-person (includes catered, vegan lunch on Saturday):
Zoom:
No one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Please contact madison.coordinator@tergar.org for more information.
