The Stem Array Sūtra's mind-expanding vision of infinite reality through the pilgrim Sudhana's encounters with unconventional teachers across vast dimensions of time and space.
Buddhist monks inside Baphuon temple, Siem Reap - Cambodia. Photo by Sergio Capuzzmati.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche explores The Stem Array (Gandavyūha Sūtra), following the spiritual journey of Sudhana, a wealthy merchant who seeks truth through pilgrimage. Meeting more than fifty extraordinary teachers—including a child, a prostitute, physicians, and common workers—Sudhana discovers that the bodhisattva path requires abandoning narrow, conventional views of reality and embracing the infinite Mahāyāna perspective. Far from a simple Buddhist fairy tale, this sūtra deconstructs our limited understanding of the world, challenging what we accept as real. Through diverse and unexpected mentors, practitioners learn that wisdom can be found anywhere, in anyone—if we approach life with radical openness. The teaching culminates with Samantabhadra's Prayer of Aspiration, pointing toward the boundless nature of awakened reality.
Building on the teachings from Part 1, this question-and-answer session with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche provides an opportunity for practitioners to explore The Stem Array more deeply. Through direct dialogue, Rinpoche addresses questions about the sūtra's teachings, offering additional insights and practical guidance for those inspired by Sudhana's journey of radical openness and spiritual discovery.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is a student of important Tibetan Buddhist lamas including Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Kyabje Sakya Trizin, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, and the 16th Karmapa.
