Foundations of Buddhist Thought and Practice
A 6-Week Study & Practice Series at Mountain Stream Meditation
Teacher: Adam Stonebraker
Location: In Person and Virtual
Join us at the Nevada City Insight Center, 710 Zion St, Nevada City, CA 95959.
Or join us via Zoom; see below.
Dates: Six consecutive Sundays: January 18, 25 and February 1, 8, 15 & 22
Time: 2:00 to 4:00 pm PT
Cost: Our programs are offered on a sliding scale
$48 - ($8.00/Class: Partial scholarship price)
$90 - ($15.00/Class)
$120 ($20.00/Class)
$150 ($25/Class)
Pre-registration is encouraged by noon on Friday, January 16. The Zoom meeting link will be provided to all participants once registered and paid in full.
To register: visit https://square.link/u/qEQdITta
Your emailed payment receipt is your registration confirmation.
Scholarships: If you are in need of a full scholarship and would like to offer volunteer hours in exchange, please reach out to Lauren at Lauren@mtsream.org
If you are in need of a full scholarship and are unable to offer service, no one will be turned away for lack of funds ~ please still come! Email Lauren for details.
If you would like to contribute to our scholarship fund, please donate here.
For all other questions, email juanita@mtstream.org
Course Details: This course offers a grounded and accessible exploration of the Buddha’s teachings, meditation practice, and the historical unfolding of the Buddhist tradition. We’ll move from the Buddha’s awakening through the development of Theravāda, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna, and into the modern Insight movement. Each class includes guided meditation, teaching, discussion, and reflection.
Weekly Overview:
Week 1 — The Buddha’s Awakening & the Four Noble Truths - Understanding the Buddha’s story and the foundational map of suffering, its causes, and the path to liberation.
Week 2 — Impermanence, Suffering & Not-Self - Exploring the Three Marks of Existence and insight into the nature of experience.
Week 3 — Ethics, Intention & the Ground of Practice - The Five Precepts, karma, and the role of intention.
Week 4 — Mahāyāna, Emptiness & the Bodhisattva Ideal - The rise of Mahāyāna, compassion, interdependence, and the wisdom of Śāntideva.
Week 5 — Vajrayāna, Devotional Practices & the Power of Symbol - Tibetan Buddhism, ritual, mantra, and the psychology of devotional practice and faith.
Week 6 — The Living Dharma Today - Buddhism’s meeting with the modern world, Insight/Vipassanā traditions, and living the Dharma in daily life.
Open to newcomers and experienced practitioners wanting a deeper grounding in practice and tradition.
Dana: During the course, there is an opportunity to offer a financial donation to Adam as part of the Buddhist practice of dana (the practice of giving and receiving). All offerings are gratefully received and support the continuation of the Buddha’s teachings.
ADAM STONEBRAKER DONATION (DANA)
Adam Stonebraker has been dedicated to Buddhist practice and meditation since 1999 and serves as the Guiding Teacher for Mountain Stream Meditation in Nevada City, CA. Since 2010, he has been sharing the Buddha’s teachings with diverse audiences locally and internationally. His approach is deeply influenced by the Thai Forest Tradition, the Bodhisattva path, and the transformative power of meditation.
Adam has been mentored closely by Kittisaro & Thanissara as a retreat and meditation teacher in the lineage of Ajahn Chah and the Kuan Yin Dharmas as taught by Master Hsuan Hua. His teaching emphasizes trust in one’s innate wisdom, the cultivation of an open heart, and an embodied understanding of interdependence. While his primary focus is on Buddhism and meditation, his background in yoga and somatic practice informs his approach to embodied awareness and the integration of insight with daily life. Deeply attuned to the natural world, he draws inspiration from its rhythms and resilience as a source of practice and insight.
Adam has studied with a wide range of teachers, including Kittisaro & Thanissara, Sarah & Ty Powers, Zen Master Dae Gak, and Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. In 2019, he earned a Master’s degree in Mindfulness Studies from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is currently in the four-year Spirit Rock/IMS teacher training, further deepening his commitment to sharing the Dharma. Since 2020, his teaching and practice have been exclusively dedicated to Buddhism and meditation.
