Learning Pathways
Learning Pathways are collections of learning goals that we have chosen to support educators in different contexts.
There are dedicated pages for more information on the following Learning Pathways:
Academic Area Pathways
-
Turn inward
Analyze the difference between accepting teachings through belief, versus discovering truth through direct experience, then...
-
The innate goodness of beings
Analyze how the concept of buddhanature may affect one’s outlook on life; compare and contrast...
-
Developing concentration to calm and focus the mind
Analyze the relationship between mental stability, ethical conduct, and the development of insight; evaluate how...
-
Acting ethically
Analyze potential consequences of actions in different areas of life, honestly acknowledging personal challenges and...
-
Honoring the body as our vehicle for awakening
Implement mindful self-care practices that honor the body as a vehicle for awakening, and analyze...
-
Exploring music as a medium for expressing dharma
Analyze how specific musical elements in chosen pieces convey Buddhist values, evaluating how qualities like...
-
The senses from a Buddhist perspective
Identify the six sense faculties and twelve ayatanas and connect them to our experience of...
-
Creating space for practice
Analyze various methods for creating sacred space and practice boundaries in contemplative settings; evaluate how...
-
Using parables to remember a bird's eye view
Implement practices that cultivate an expansive, “bird’s eye view” perspective, and analyze the frog-in-the-well parable...
-
Cultivating an immeasurable mind
Analyze the distinctive qualities and antidotes of each immeasurable by examining their progression from conditional...
-
Generating compassion for all beings
Analyze the nature of karuna/compassion; guide unscripted meditation practices to generate this quality; and implement...
-
Generating impartial regard towards all
Analyze interpersonal conflicts as learning opportunities, and develop a habit of acceptance and goodwill rather...
-
Working with our people-pleasing habits
Analyze the role that praise and blame play in human motivation; evaluate the role of...
-
Mindful speech practices
Evaluate speech patterns by identifying personal examples of any of the four non-virtuous speech actions;...
-
Going beyond worrying about reputation
Evaluate personal motivations regarding fame and notoriety, and implement actions that are free from both...
-
Striving to develop the skillful means to awaken
Implement the principles of right effort in daily life; analyze opportunities to cultivate wholesome thoughts...
-
Perseverance that frees the mind
Analyze the four aspects of right effort by identifying examples of helpful and harmful mental...
-
Creating healthy habits
Analyze the relationship between Buddhist teachings on karma and neuroscientific understanding of habit formation; evaluate...
-
Body responsibility and respect
Analyze the Buddhist understanding of sexual misconduct within the context of consent, honesty, and non-harm;...
-
Respecting the belongings of others
Analyze the concept of "taking what is not given" beyond simple theft to include deception,...
-
Benefits of sobriety
Differentiate between the precept against intoxicants and the broader principle of mattanuta (knowing the right...
-
Transcendental perfections
Analyze the six paramitas by comparing their unique qualities and purposes; evaluate how each perfection...
-
Relaxing the competitive mind
Implement a positive, playful approach to competition without attachment to outcomes; practice observing and releasing...
-
Altruistic Intent
Define both relative and absolute bodhicitta. Assess the personal motivations behind daily choices and adopt...
-
Understanding the Eight Worldly Concerns
Analyze the eight worldly concerns by categorizing specific life experiences into the four opposing pairs,...
-
Generating love and kindness for all beings
Analyze the nature of *metta*/loving-kindness; improvise a guided meditation that generates this quality; and initiate...
-
Five aggregates appearing as a self
Analyze the *five aggregates* (skandhas) as the components that create the illusion of a permanent...
-
Trishiksha
Analyze the interconnected relationship between ethical conduct, concentration, and wisdom within the three trainings’ framework;...
-
Buddhist views on happiness
Analyze different definitions of happiness; evaluate how equanimity transforms our relationship to pleasant and unpleasant...
-
Impermanence Overview
Analyze the principle of impermanence, evaluate how perception of it transforms experience, and implement this...
-
Self and selflessness
Explain the truth of selflessness and how clinging to a sense of self affects our...
-
Comparing Buddhist mind science with scientific brain science
Identify key brain structures on diagrams. Analyze their functions, and compare how neuroscience and Buddhist...
-
How all that arises depends on interconnected causes and conditions
Investigate the interconnected nature of phenomena through direct observation; cultivate appreciation for the web of...
-
The preciousness of human life from a Buddhist perspective
Analyze the Buddhist teaching on the rarity and preciousness of human birth using the traditional...
-
Debate as a practice of logic
Analyze diverse perspectives through structured debate, and demonstrate the application of gestures and concepts from...
-
Common obstacles to contemplative practice and some remedies
Identify and categorize the five hindrances to meditation practice with their corresponding antidotes; analyze how...
-
Generating joy for all beings
Analyze the nature of sympathetic joy; guide unscripted meditation practices for cultivating this quality; and...
-
Foundational Buddhist understanding of elemental qualities
Compare and contrast the Buddhist elemental system (earth, water, fire, air, space) with modern scientific...
-
The effects of selfish and selfless actions
Recall the ten virtuous and non virtuous actions, and analyze how applying these principles creates...
-
Four contemplations on impermanence and one on karma
Articulate the five remembrances and analyze how each contemplation addresses fundamental human experiences of aging,...
-
The Way of the Bodhisattva
Analyze the *Bodhisattva's Way of Life* text, its structure, author, and importance. Differentiate between aspirational...
-
The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way
Analyze Nagarjuna's concept of dependent arising by examining how phenomena exist only in relationship to...
-
Power of memorization
Demonstrate fluency with primary Buddhist lists through accurate recall; analyze their significance in group settings;...
-
The twelve links of dependent origination
Identify and sequence the twelve links of dependent origination; analyze how specific links (particularly craving...
-
Investigating where things come from and where they go
Analyze the origins and destinations of everyday objects, and differentiate the complex physical, ecological, social,...
-
The Epistemic Ways of Knowing
Evaluate how we know what’s real by analyzing the two key ways of knowing: direct...
-
Respectful inquiry and discussion about beliefs
Design thoughtful, respectful questions to investigate others' beliefs and lineage, balancing confidence, tact, and humility,...
-
Communicating the Buddhadharma to others
Analyze the role of lineage in preserving authentic dharma transmission across generations and cultures; evaluate...
-
Buddhist monastic traditions across cultures
Analyze the historical development and contemporary roles of monastic communities across Buddhist traditions, evaluate the...
-
Buddhism in Southeast Asia
Analyze the foundational principles, practices, and scriptural authority of Theravada Buddhism, compare and contrast Theravada...
-
Buddhism of East Asia
Articulate the distinctive characteristics of Mahayana Buddhism, including the bodhisattva ideal and emphasis on universal...
-
Himalayan Tantric Buddhism
Identify the methodologies specific to Vajrayana Buddhism. Examine how tantric practices integrate ritual, visualization, and...
-
Heritage, identity, and selflessness
Analyze the Buddhist teaching of anatta (no-self) in relation to cultural identity formation; evaluate how...
-
Language, culture, and communication
Analyze how language shapes cultural understanding and worldview formation; evaluate the challenges and opportunities in...
-
Pilgrimage sites related to Buddhism
Identify and locate major Buddhist pilgrimage sites while analyzing their historical and symbolic significance, evaluate...
-
History of the spread of Buddhism
Trace and analyze the geographical and cultural spread of Buddhism from ancient India to contemporary...
-
Buddhist women in patriarchal society
Analyze the Buddha's teachings on gender equality, and evaluate the historical challenges women have faced...
-
The Buddha's path of wisdom
Analyze key themes in the *Dhammapada*, and evaluate how these ancient teachings remain relevant to...
-
The logic of making and keeping vows
Analyze the logic and purpose of taking vows in Buddhist practice, evaluate how different types...
-
Seeing things as they are
Analyze ignorance as misunderstanding—particularly regarding impermanence, interdependence, and selflessness. Evaluate how ignorance serves as the...
-
How the historical Buddha promoted equality
Analyze the radical nature of the Buddha's teachings on caste, and evaluate their significance within...
-
Buddhism and the indigenous cultures that influenced it
Analyze which indigenous cultures pre-existed Buddhism in at least five regions, and evaluate what has...
-
Historic and modern challenges to the propagation of Buddhism
Analyze factors contributing to Buddhism's decline historically, and create strategies to preserve dharma traditions in...
-
Ritual in daily activities
Categorize ritual practices across Buddhist traditions according to their functions (purification, mindfulness cultivation, merit generation),...
-
Amitabha's Pure Land
Compare Pure Land Buddhism with other forms of Buddhism, analyzing how the practice of chanting...
-
The stories that shape our lives
Analyze Buddhist stories and parables to extract wisdom for daily living, and differentiate between the...
-
Comparative philosophy
Analyze the Buddha's teachings in relation to other philosophical and scientific perspectives, evaluating points of...
-
Relating to Arya beings
Analyze the qualities of noble beings, evaluate which qualities to cultivate personally, and create strategies...
-
Origin stories across traditions
Compare and contrast Buddhist cosmological narratives with at least two other creation stories (Abrahamic, indigenous,...
-
The purpose, function, and history of different types of Buddhist architecture
Categorize the three main types of Buddhist architecture (stupas, monasteries, temples) according to their functions;...
-
A Mahayana practice to remove obstacles
Analyze specific examples of Tara's virtues (compassion, fearlessness, and wisdom) as described in selected verses...
-
History of dharma translation
Analyze the contributions of at least five key translators of the Buddhist canon, evaluating their...
-
Admiring the noble qualities and deeds of Buddhist heroes
Analyze the biographical narratives of at least five Buddhist heroes from diverse cultural and historical...
-
Languages related to Buddhism
Analyze the evolution of dharma transmission across linguistic boundaries from Magadhi Prakrit to contemporary languages;...
-
The structure and use of classical Buddhist scriptures
Differentiate between source texts and commentaries, and analyze how these textual categories function within each...
-
Creating codes of conduct inspired by the Vinaya
Analyze the purpose and structure of the Vinaya as both monastic discipline and community harmony...
-
Buddhist principles for harmonious communication
Analyze complex communication scenarios (family conflicts, social tensions, leadership challenges, literary or public media sources)...
-
Practicing politeness with three key paramitas: generosity, patience, and discipline
Analyze how the first three paramitas (generosity, discipline, patience) function as frameworks for cross-cultural ethical...
-
Preserving Buddhism like the great patrons
Evaluate choices that might contribute to the preservation of Buddhist traditions, and create strategies that...
-
Buddhist approaches to social change
Analyze the work of exemplary, socially engaged Buddhists; implement their principles in daily life; and...
-
Letting others form their views
Analyze Buddha's non-dogmatic teaching approach as exemplified by ehipassiko ("come and see"); contrast this method...
-
Cultural appreciation and tolerance
Analyze how Buddhist teachings on pratityasamutpada (dependent origination) support tolerance and dialogue across differences; evaluate...
-
Techniques for taking different perspectives
Analyze how Buddhist teachings on dependent origination explain the subjective nature of perception; evaluate the...
-
Buddhist approaches to ecological responsibility
Compare and contrast Buddhist, indigenous, and Western perspectives on environmental responsibility; analyze how Buddhist principles...
-
Idealism versus pragmatism
Analyze how attachment to idealistic expectations creates suffering in social engagement; evaluate how equanimity enables...
-
The methods and responsibilities of lineage traditions
Compare how the three main Buddhist traditions (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) pass down teachings, evaluating the...
-
Recognizing reliable sources of dharma
Analyze what is presented as buddhadharma by evaluating its source and differentiating its key characteristics...
-
Personal discipline that supports group practice
Develop individual practice commitments that support group contemplative experience, analyze the relationship between personal boundaries...
-
Wise leadership and good motivation
Analyze the motivations behind leaders' decisions by evaluating evidence of the three poisons versus the...
-
Applying the measure of non-aggression to systems
Analyze systemic structures through the lens of ahimsa (non-aggression) by identifying who benefits and who...
-
Challenging assumptions and conventions
Evaluate invalid assumptions and harmful dogmas, and generate skillful responses to challenge them using discriminating...
-
Codes of conduct and personal ethics
Evaluate the relationship between external ethical guidelines and internal moral compass development; synthesize understanding of...
-
Integrity and congruence with peaceful body, speech, and mind.
Evaluate personal conduct and motivations through systematic self-reflection, analyzing alignment between inner development and outer...
-
Mindful partaking of food and drink
Analyze the food cycle, differentiating its causes, conditions, and effects. Evaluate how elements from the...
-
A Practical Framework for Ethical Living
Analyze how the eight components of the path work together to reduce suffering, then apply...
-
Health and well-being of the body
Analyze the first noble truth's teaching that sickness is inherent to life while comparing Buddhist,...
-
Codes of conduct for benefiting self and others
Categorize the ten virtuous and non virtuous actions according to body, speech, and mind; analyze...
-
Varying Buddhist approaches to consuming animals
Formulate a clear rationale for your choice regarding vegetarianism, and evaluate your capacity to demonstrate...
-
Adapting traditional wisdom for modern communities
Analyze the historical development of the *Vinaya* within its cultural context and evaluate its adaptation...
-
Applying Buddhist principles to leadership decisions
Apply right motivation principles from the eightfold path to evaluate leadership decisions by practicing the...
-
Speaking truth to power with compassion
Address challenging communication scenarios involving authority figures, peer pressure, and family dynamics by applying Buddhist...
-
Ceremonial practices for cultivating goodwill
Design loving-kindness ceremonies that generate positive emotions and strengthen group bonds, participate in structured metta...
-
Right speech as personal contemplative discipline
Develop comprehensive personal practice integrating right speech with the broader eightfold path, establish advanced contemplative...
-
Understanding how spiritual principles become practical rules
Analyze the relationship between individual ethics and community agreements using Buddhist frameworks; evaluate the effectiveness...
-
Recognizing harmful patterns in leadership
Investigate the three poisons in leadership decisions by observing how greed, anger, and ignorance affect...
-
Applying Buddhist speech principles across cultures
Design creative projects (videos, podcasts, graphic novels) that demonstrate skillful communication; create and perform educational...
-
Building resilience through loving-kindness
Investigate how loving-kindness practice affects their emotional well-being and sense of security even during social...
-
Personal speech awareness through contemplative practice
Design and implement personal speech awareness practices, including structured daily reflection on the four harmful...
-
Creating sacred spaces for contemplation
Investigate traditional methods for creating contemplative space, implement systematic approaches to container-building using objects and...
-
Learning community agreements that help everyone thrive
Design and implement classroom agreements that reflect Buddhist principles of non-harm and mutual benefit; practice...
-
Stories of helpful leaders and generous people
Analyze stories of helpful leaders and generous people by comparing characters who help versus those...
-
Building classroom peace through mindful speech
Apply the five-question framework (true, helpful, kind, gentle, timely) to real classroom situations; practice conflict...
-
Everyday acts of care and friendship
Practice generating feelings of warmth and goodwill toward family, friends, and classmates while noticing how...
-
Learning from Buddhist stories about wise speech
Explore Buddhist stories and parables about the power of speech, identify lessons about wise and...
-
Using tools and agreements for group practice
Create and practice classroom agreements that support group meditation, design simple rituals for starting and...
-
Creating family and classroom agreements that help everyone feel safe
Compare family rules, classroom agreements, and simple community guidelines by identifying what makes each group...
-
Making kind choices to help others
Practice making kind choices in classroom situations by identifying when someone needs help, demonstrating gentle...
-
Learning to use words that help and heal
Practice kind and helpful words through daily classroom interactions. Demonstrate the difference between words that...
-
Stories of friendship and care
Listen to stories about characters who feel safe and happy when showing and receiving kindness,...
-
Speaking with kindness through stories and practice
Listen to simple stories about characters who choose kind or unkind words, and practice retelling...
-
Simple ways to make quiet time special
Practice simple ways to make special quiet time by sitting in circles, using gentle voices,...
-
Psychological Measures
-
Using tea service to create connection and atmosphere
Analyze tea ceremony as contemplative practice that integrates mindfulness of the five elements; evaluate how...
-
Creating conditions for spontaneous joy and play
Define and analyze the concepts of lila (divine play), mudita (sympathetic joy), and anicca (impermanence)...
-
Skillful reflection
Analyze the distinction between wise and unwise attention in personal experience; evaluate how different types...
-
Developing concentration to calm and focus the mind
Analyze the relationship between mental stability, ethical conduct, and the development of insight; evaluate how...
-
Anticipating and accepting challenges without judgment in the creative process
Create art with a gentle, non-aggressive attitude toward self and process, and evaluate the balance...
-
The joy of spontaneity in art
Create spontaneous, playful artistic expressions with awareness of impermanence, and analyze how non-agenda-driven creativity enhances...
-
Maintaining an open mind, fresh and curious
Analyze the relationship between "beginner's mind" and insight as taught in Zen Buddhism; evaluate how...
-
Using the senses wisely
Analyze the Buddha's teachings on sense restraint; evaluate how sensory input influences mental states, thoughts,...
-
The wisdom of knowing when to act
Evaluate how cultural attitudes toward time and efficiency can either support or hinder compassionate action;...
-
Doing nothing
Analyze various stillness practices, evaluate their value in daily life, and implement discerning choices about...
-
Working with our people-pleasing habits
Analyze the role that praise and blame play in human motivation; evaluate the role of...
-
Working with pleasant and unpleasant experiences
Investigate the experience of practicing equanimity with naturally-arising pleasurable and unpleasurable experiences; and develop some...
-
Generating compassion for all beings
Analyze the nature of karuna/compassion; guide unscripted meditation practices to generate this quality; and implement...
-
Using parables to remember a bird's eye view
Implement practices that cultivate an expansive, “bird’s eye view” perspective, and analyze the frog-in-the-well parable...
-
Tuning motivation to benevolence
Implement regular motivation checks and adjustments, appreciating the value of benefiting others, and analyze how...
-
Don't be swayed by external circumstances
Evaluate what it means to be influenced by external circumstances; and implement the slogan—“don't be...
-
The gift of practicing deep listening
Implement deep listening practices, and analyze the “listening pot” metaphor to identify essential conditions for...
-
Perseverance that frees the mind
Analyze the four aspects of right effort by identifying examples of helpful and harmful mental...
-
The power of imagination in meditation and mind training
Compare and contrast the use of visualization in different Buddhist meditations with its use in...
-
Relaxing the competitive mind
Implement a positive, playful approach to competition without attachment to outcomes; practice observing and releasing...
-
Altruistic Intent
Define both relative and absolute bodhicitta. Assess the personal motivations behind daily choices and adopt...
-
Work and activity in harmony with others
Evaluate activities based on their quality of creating benefit or harmony without harming, and analyze...
-
OM MANI PADME HUM
Analyze the symbolic meaning of each syllable in OM MANI PADME HUM; evaluate how mantra...
-
Generating joy for all beings
Analyze the nature of sympathetic joy; guide unscripted meditation practices for cultivating this quality; and...
-
Using the breath as an object of meditation
Implement mindfulness and breathing awareness to develop a calm, focused, and balanced mind. Create and...
-
Intentional placement of attention without judgment
Analyze an experience of mindful pausing, evaluating immediate thoughts and feelings without judgment, and critiquing...
-
Calm abiding meditation
Explore shamatha meditation as a way to calm the mind and support both insight (vipassana)...
-
Meditation to develop insight (clear seeing)
Analyze the distinction between awareness and its objects during vipassana practice, evaluate how investigating the...
-
Common obstacles to contemplative practice and some remedies
Identify and categorize the five hindrances to meditation practice with their corresponding antidotes; analyze how...
-
Debate as a practice of logic
Analyze diverse perspectives through structured debate, and demonstrate the application of gestures and concepts from...
-
Buddhist views on happiness
Analyze different definitions of happiness; evaluate how equanimity transforms our relationship to pleasant and unpleasant...
-
Traditional analysis of mind
Define abhidharma precisely; analyze how its practice reduces aversion, craving, and suffering; and evaluate examples...
-
Generating love and kindness for all beings
Analyze the nature of *metta*/loving-kindness; improvise a guided meditation that generates this quality; and initiate...
-
Overview of various techniques to train the mind
Compare and contrast multiple Buddhist meditation techniques (shamatha, vipassana, loving-kindness, walking meditation), analyze how each...
-
Power of memorization
Demonstrate fluency with primary Buddhist lists through accurate recall; analyze their significance in group settings;...
-
Understanding Relative and Ultimate Truths
Analyze the distinction between relative truth (conventional reality) and ultimate truth (emptiness) in Mahayana Buddhism,...
-
The effects of selfish and selfless actions
Recall the ten virtuous and non virtuous actions, and analyze how applying these principles creates...
-
Effects of the company we keep
Evaluate the impact of one's social connections; identify the qualities and virtues that make a...
-
The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way
Analyze Nagarjuna's concept of dependent arising by examining how phenomena exist only in relationship to...
-
Four contemplations on impermanence and one on karma
Articulate the five remembrances and analyze how each contemplation addresses fundamental human experiences of aging,...
-
Free your mind from irritation
Analyze anger as a mental state that projects exaggerated negativity onto situations or people, and...
-
The logic of making and keeping vows
Analyze the logic and purpose of taking vows in Buddhist practice, evaluate how different types...
-
Respectful inquiry and discussion about beliefs
Design thoughtful, respectful questions to investigate others' beliefs and lineage, balancing confidence, tact, and humility,...
-
Seeing things as they are
Analyze ignorance as misunderstanding—particularly regarding impermanence, interdependence, and selflessness. Evaluate how ignorance serves as the...
-
Three sources of refuge
Analyze which qualities of the Buddha, the teachings, and group practices resonate personally, and evaluate...
-
The methods and responsibilities of lineage traditions
Compare how the three main Buddhist traditions (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) pass down teachings, evaluating the...
-
Innate goodness exists in all beings
Analyze the Buddha's demonstration of equanimity in the kusa grass story by examining how he...
-
Idealism versus pragmatism
Analyze how attachment to idealistic expectations creates suffering in social engagement; evaluate how equanimity enables...
-
Creating codes of conduct inspired by the Vinaya
Analyze the purpose and structure of the Vinaya as both monastic discipline and community harmony...
-
De-escalating conflict and promoting harmony with mediation
Analyze the role of dependent origination and subjective perception in creating miscommunication and conflict; evaluate...
-
Techniques for taking different perspectives
Analyze how Buddhist teachings on dependent origination explain the subjective nature of perception; evaluate the...
-
Putting yourself in someone else's shoes
Differentiate between cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and compassion by analyzing how each contributes to understanding...
-
Wise leadership and good motivation
Analyze the motivations behind leaders' decisions by evaluating evidence of the three poisons versus the...
-
Codes of conduct for benefiting self and others
Categorize the ten virtuous and non virtuous actions according to body, speech, and mind; analyze...
-
A Practical Framework for Ethical Living
Analyze how the eight components of the path work together to reduce suffering, then apply...
-
Mindful partaking of food and drink
Analyze the food cycle, differentiating its causes, conditions, and effects. Evaluate how elements from the...
-
Discovering hidden motivations
Investigate the layered nature of personal motivation by uncovering hidden drives beneath surface intentions; evaluate...
-
Cultivating present-moment joy and authentic celebration
Create conditions for spontaneous joy in daily life through mindful attention to present-moment opportunities; practice...
-
Application of the Buddha's ethical tenets to daily life
Analyze the five precepts (pancha shila) as both restraints from harmful action and foundations for...
-
Learning from Buddhist stories about motivation
Examine Buddhist biographical stories to identify how right motivation led to beneficial outcomes and wrong...
-
Expressing joy through diverse creative approaches
Express understanding of *lila* and *mudita* through diverse creative projects while practicing spontaneous joy; design...
-
Applying Buddhist principles to leadership decisions
Apply right motivation principles from the eightfold path to evaluate leadership decisions by practicing the...
-
Communities that protect our values
Compare how different Buddhist traditions understand sangha's protective function against contemporary peer pressure and social...
-
Adapting traditional wisdom for modern communities
Analyze the historical development of the *Vinaya* within its cultural context and evaluate its adaptation...
-
Understanding how meditation serves diverse learners
Practice and analyze meditation techniques through multiple intelligence frameworks (bodily-kinesthetic through movement meditation, musical-rhythmic through...
-
Ceremonial practices for cultivating goodwill
Design loving-kindness ceremonies that generate positive emotions and strengthen group bonds, participate in structured metta...
-
How equanimity enables social justice activism
Examine the Buddha's revolutionary rejection of caste hierarchy through critical analysis of the kusha grass...
-
Ethical decision-making through Buddhist refuge
Analyze the three jewels as a comprehensive ethical decision-making framework; evaluate how this system addresses...
-
Buddhist ethics for contemporary challenges
Investigate the practical application of the five precepts in contemporary ethical dilemmas; experiment with precept-based...
-
Recognizing harmful patterns in leadership
Investigate the three poisons in leadership decisions by observing how greed, anger, and ignorance affect...
-
Stories of joy and celebration
Explore stories and examples of joyful play and sympathetic celebration from various cultures; create and...
-
Practical guidance in Buddhist life
Analyze how the three jewels function as sources of guidance in complex life situations; evaluate...
-
Mutual support in learning communities
Evaluate personal social connections by analyzing how different friend groups influence their choices and values;...
-
Understanding how spiritual principles become practical rules
Analyze the relationship between individual ethics and community agreements using Buddhist frameworks; evaluate the effectiveness...
-
Learning ethics through stories and examples
Investigate biographical accounts of how Buddhist practitioners and ethical leaders have applied precept principles in...
-
Challenging unfairness while showing respect for all
Design multimedia presentations combining research, art, and performance to explore equality themes, create kinesthetic learning...
-
Building resilience through loving-kindness
Investigate how loving-kindness practice affects their emotional well-being and sense of security even during social...
-
Meditation for different learning styles
Practice diverse meditation techniques using multiple learning modalities (visual focus, kinesthetic movement, auditory guidance, reflective...
-
Learning different meditation techniques
Demonstrate multiple meditation techniques including breath awareness, walking meditation, and object focus; practice the seven-point...
-
How Buddhists find guidance and support
Compare the three jewels by describing how each provides different types of guidance; explain how...
-
Communities that support good choices
Analyze stories about loyal friendship and community support, including age-appropriate Buddhist tales about sangha; compare...
-
Joyful play and celebrating friends
Practice spontaneous play and creative expression through movement, art, and imaginative activities; celebrate friends' achievements...
-
Learning community agreements that help everyone thrive
Design and implement classroom agreements that reflect Buddhist principles of non-harm and mutual benefit; practice...
-
Buddhist guidelines for daily kindness
Implement the five children's precepts (reverence for life, generosity, body responsibility, harmonious speech, mindful consumption)...
-
Stories of helpful leaders and generous people
Analyze stories of helpful leaders and generous people by comparing characters who help versus those...
-
Learning fairness from the Buddha's example
Demonstrate equal respect for all classmates through inclusive actions, practice responding to unfair treatment with...
-
Everyday acts of care and friendship
Practice generating feelings of warmth and goodwill toward family, friends, and classmates while noticing how...
-
Understanding our intentions
Identify your intentions before everyday activities and notice how different motivations affect your actions and...
-
Noticing why we do things
Name simple intentions for daily activities and demonstrate kind actions; practice noticing how different intentions...
-
Simple ways to sit quietly and breathe
Experience and explore different ways to sit quietly and breathe by practicing simple meditation activities...
-
Stories of friendship and care
Listen to stories about characters who feel safe and happy when showing and receiving kindness,...
-
Practicing kindness with everyone we meet
Practice treating everyone with kindness by offering seats to classmates, demonstrate caring actions toward all...
-
Making kind choices to help others
Practice making kind choices in classroom situations by identifying when someone needs help, demonstrating gentle...
-
Simple rules for being kind
Practice simple acts of kindness and caring in daily classroom situations; demonstrate gentle treatment of...
-
Creating family and classroom agreements that help everyone feel safe
Compare family rules, classroom agreements, and simple community guidelines by identifying what makes each group...
-
Creative expressions of the three jewels
Identify the three jewels using multiple senses and intelligence pathways; create simple artistic representations (drawing,...
-
Friends who help us learn and grow
Practice being a good friend by sharing, helping classmates, and participating in circle time activities...
-
Social Justice Pathway
-
Turn inward
Analyze the difference between accepting teachings through belief, versus discovering truth through direct experience, then...
-
Acting ethically
Analyze potential consequences of actions in different areas of life, honestly acknowledging personal challenges and...
-
The innate goodness of beings
Analyze how the concept of buddhanature may affect one’s outlook on life; compare and contrast...
-
Working with our people-pleasing habits
Analyze the role that praise and blame play in human motivation; evaluate the role of...
-
Generating impartial regard towards all
Analyze interpersonal conflicts as learning opportunities, and develop a habit of acceptance and goodwill rather...
-
Generating compassion for all beings
Analyze the nature of karuna/compassion; guide unscripted meditation practices to generate this quality; and implement...
-
Refuge as a practice for being present and responsive to others
Implement awareness practices to generate a calm, grounded center, and evaluate how being present and...
-
Recollecting and drawing inspiration from the Buddha's qualities
Analyze the Buddha's qualities as described in traditional texts across multiple sources; evaluate which Buddha...
-
Patience as a practice
Analyze the three forms of Buddhist patience: enduring harm from others, persevering through practice difficulties,...
-
Don't be swayed by external circumstances
Evaluate what it means to be influenced by external circumstances; and implement the slogan—“don't be...
-
Mindful speech practices
Evaluate speech patterns by identifying personal examples of any of the four non-virtuous speech actions;...
-
The preciousness of human life from a Buddhist perspective
Analyze the Buddhist teaching on the rarity and preciousness of human birth using the traditional...
-
Five aggregates appearing as a self
Analyze the *five aggregates* (skandhas) as the components that create the illusion of a permanent...
-
Trishiksha
Analyze the interconnected relationship between ethical conduct, concentration, and wisdom within the three trainings’ framework;...
-
Impermanence Overview
Analyze the principle of impermanence, evaluate how perception of it transforms experience, and implement this...
-
Self and selflessness
Explain the truth of selflessness and how clinging to a sense of self affects our...
-
Essential characteristics of phenomena
Analyze the three marks of existence by investigating specific examples of impermanence, suffering, and selflessness...
-
The law of cause and effect
Analyze the concept of karma, differentiating between intentional actions and their outcomes, and evaluate how...
-
Effects of the company we keep
Evaluate the impact of one's social connections; identify the qualities and virtues that make a...
-
Heritage, identity, and selflessness
Analyze the Buddhist teaching of anatta (no-self) in relation to cultural identity formation; evaluate how...
-
Respectful inquiry and discussion about beliefs
Design thoughtful, respectful questions to investigate others' beliefs and lineage, balancing confidence, tact, and humility,...
-
The individuals who helped preserve and propagate the dharma over time
Compare and contrast the contributions of at least three significant Buddhist patrons across different historical...
-
Language, culture, and communication
Analyze how language shapes cultural understanding and worldview formation; evaluate the challenges and opportunities in...
-
History of the spread of Buddhism
Trace and analyze the geographical and cultural spread of Buddhism from ancient India to contemporary...
-
Free your mind from irritation
Analyze anger as a mental state that projects exaggerated negativity onto situations or people, and...
-
Buddhist women in patriarchal society
Analyze the Buddha's teachings on gender equality, and evaluate the historical challenges women have faced...
-
Historic and modern challenges to the propagation of Buddhism
Analyze factors contributing to Buddhism's decline historically, and create strategies to preserve dharma traditions in...
-
How the historical Buddha promoted equality
Analyze the radical nature of the Buddha's teachings on caste, and evaluate their significance within...
-
Buddhism and the indigenous cultures that influenced it
Analyze which indigenous cultures pre-existed Buddhism in at least five regions, and evaluate what has...
-
The life of the historical Buddha
Sequence and analyze the ten acts of Buddha's life within their historical and geographical contexts;...
-
Cultivating peace through understanding
Analyze Buddhism's characteristics compared to Abrahamic, indigenous, and other world religions; evaluate different conceptual frameworks...
-
Admiring the noble qualities and deeds of Buddhist heroes
Analyze the biographical narratives of at least five Buddhist heroes from diverse cultural and historical...
-
Languages related to Buddhism
Analyze the evolution of dharma transmission across linguistic boundaries from Magadhi Prakrit to contemporary languages;...
-
The practice of saving lives
Evaluate the Buddhist practice of life release within contemporary ecological contexts, analyze the ethical complexities...
-
Putting yourself in someone else's shoes
Differentiate between cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and compassion by analyzing how each contributes to understanding...
-
Redefining wealth and choosing career paths
Analyze how conventional definitions of wealth based solely on material accumulation can lead to dukkha...
-
Letting others form their views
Analyze Buddha's non-dogmatic teaching approach as exemplified by ehipassiko ("come and see"); contrast this method...
-
Cultural appreciation and tolerance
Analyze how Buddhist teachings on pratityasamutpada (dependent origination) support tolerance and dialogue across differences; evaluate...
-
Techniques for taking different perspectives
Analyze how Buddhist teachings on dependent origination explain the subjective nature of perception; evaluate the...
-
Buddhist approaches to ecological responsibility
Compare and contrast Buddhist, indigenous, and Western perspectives on environmental responsibility; analyze how Buddhist principles...
-
De-escalating conflict and promoting harmony with mediation
Analyze the role of dependent origination and subjective perception in creating miscommunication and conflict; evaluate...
-
Idealism versus pragmatism
Analyze how attachment to idealistic expectations creates suffering in social engagement; evaluate how equanimity enables...
-
Engaging with equanimity and avoiding apathy
Analyze the critical distinction between equanimity and apathy by examining how each responds to witnessing...
-
The methods and responsibilities of lineage traditions
Compare how the three main Buddhist traditions (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) pass down teachings, evaluating the...
-
Buddhist approaches to social change
Analyze the work of exemplary, socially engaged Buddhists; implement their principles in daily life; and...
-
Innate goodness exists in all beings
Analyze the Buddha's demonstration of equanimity in the kusa grass story by examining how he...
-
Investigating visible and invisible boundaries
Analyze personal and physical boundaries, implement healthy boundary-setting practices, and evaluate how visible and invisible...
-
Buddhist principles for harmonious communication
Analyze complex communication scenarios (family conflicts, social tensions, leadership challenges, literary or public media sources)...
-
A Practical Framework for Ethical Living
Analyze how the eight components of the path work together to reduce suffering, then apply...
-
Challenging assumptions and conventions
Evaluate invalid assumptions and harmful dogmas, and generate skillful responses to challenge them using discriminating...
-
Work as practice, finding dignity in labor
Analyze the Buddhist concept of right livelihood as it applies to contemporary work and service;...
-
Positive action and its benefits
Analyze the relationship between virtuous actions and their karmic effects; evaluate how motivation influences the...
-
Applying the measure of non-aggression to systems
Analyze systemic structures through the lens of ahimsa (non-aggression) by identifying who benefits and who...
-
A pathway for alleviating suffering
Apply the four noble truths framework to analyze a specific community issue by identifying the...
-
Humble service
Analyze systemic issues within the community by evaluating their root causes and interconnected effects, then...
-
Wise leadership and good motivation
Analyze the motivations behind leaders' decisions by evaluating evidence of the three poisons versus the...
-
Understanding the Buddha's revolutionary message in context
Analyze the Buddha's life within the social, political, and religious context of ancient India; evaluate...
-
Communities that protect our values
Compare how different Buddhist traditions understand sangha's protective function against contemporary peer pressure and social...
-
Applying Buddhist principles to leadership decisions
Apply right motivation principles from the eightfold path to evaluate leadership decisions by practicing the...
-
Speaking truth to power with compassion
Address challenging communication scenarios involving authority figures, peer pressure, and family dynamics by applying Buddhist...
-
How equanimity enables social justice activism
Examine the Buddha's revolutionary rejection of caste hierarchy through critical analysis of the kusha grass...
-
How historical boundary decisions affect communities today
Investigate local land history by researching indigenous peoples who originally inhabited your area, analyze how...
-
Right speech as personal contemplative discipline
Develop comprehensive personal practice integrating right speech with the broader eightfold path, establish advanced contemplative...
-
Mutual support in learning communities
Evaluate personal social connections by analyzing how different friend groups influence their choices and values;...
-
Exploring the Buddha's life through historical research
Research the historical Buddha's life using multiple sources and timelines; analyze how his personal experiences...
-
Recognizing harmful patterns in leadership
Investigate the three poisons in leadership decisions by observing how greed, anger, and ignorance affect...
-
Applying Buddhist speech principles across cultures
Design creative projects (videos, podcasts, graphic novels) that demonstrate skillful communication; create and perform educational...
-
Personal boundaries and understanding land history
Investigate your school's location and boundaries by mapping local areas and authorities, research and present...
-
Challenging unfairness while showing respect for all
Design multimedia presentations combining research, art, and performance to explore equality themes, create kinesthetic learning...
-
Personal speech awareness through contemplative practice
Design and implement personal speech awareness practices, including structured daily reflection on the four harmful...
-
Learning from Buddhist stories about wise speech
Explore Buddhist stories and parables about the power of speech, identify lessons about wise and...
-
Learning fairness from the Buddha's example
Demonstrate equal respect for all classmates through inclusive actions, practice responding to unfair treatment with...
-
Honoring the people who first cared for our land
Create simple diagrams showing your school within larger community areas, identify authority figures and map...
-
Building classroom peace through mindful speech
Apply the five-question framework (true, helpful, kind, gentle, timely) to real classroom situations; practice conflict...
-
Stories of helpful leaders and generous people
Analyze stories of helpful leaders and generous people by comparing characters who help versus those...
-
Following the Buddha's journey from prince to teacher
Retell the Buddha's life story in chronological order from birth to enlightenment; identify the four...
-
Communities that support good choices
Analyze stories about loyal friendship and community support, including age-appropriate Buddhist tales about sangha; compare...
-
Understanding the Buddha through stories and celebrations
Explore the Buddha's story through songs, drawings, and movement activities that celebrate his birth, his...
-
Making kind choices to help others
Practice making kind choices in classroom situations by identifying when someone needs help, demonstrating gentle...
-
Learning to use words that help and heal
Practice kind and helpful words through daily classroom interactions. Demonstrate the difference between words that...
-
Learning about school boundaries and asking permission
Learn your school's name and identify main buildings and playground areas, point to school boundaries...
-
Practicing kindness with everyone we meet
Practice treating everyone with kindness by offering seats to classmates, demonstrate caring actions toward all...
-
Speaking with kindness through stories and practice
Listen to simple stories about characters who choose kind or unkind words, and practice retelling...
-
Friends who help us learn and grow
Practice being a good friend by sharing, helping classmates, and participating in circle time activities...
-
Special Interest Pathways
-
Creating conditions for spontaneous joy and play
Define and analyze the concepts of lila (divine play), mudita (sympathetic joy), and anicca (impermanence)...
-
Blending ritual and creativity through contemplative arts
Compare and contrast contemplative arts traditions (ikebana, chado or tea ceremony, calligraphy, kyudo, charya dance)...
-
Creative expression without expectation
Create art for intrinsic enjoyment rather than external validation, and analyze extrinsic motivations that can...
-
Applying confident optimism in creative activity and in life
Analyze the Buddhist concept of saddha by tracing the three traditional steps of developing confidence...
-
Honoring the body as our vehicle for awakening
Implement mindful self-care practices that honor the body as a vehicle for awakening, and analyze...
-
Maintaining an open mind, fresh and curious
Analyze the relationship between "beginner's mind" and insight as taught in Zen Buddhism; evaluate how...
-
Art as Offering
Analyze the relationship between creative offering and the paramita of generosity; evaluate how releasing attachment...
-
Habits and disciplines that support mastery of the arts
Identify and define the six paramitas; analyze how diligence (*virya*), concentration (*dhyana*), and patience (*ksanti*)...
-
Exploring music as a medium for expressing dharma
Analyze how specific musical elements in chosen pieces convey Buddhist values, evaluating how qualities like...
-
Anticipating and accepting challenges without judgment in the creative process
Create art with a gentle, non-aggressive attitude toward self and process, and evaluate the balance...
-
The joy of spontaneity in art
Create spontaneous, playful artistic expressions with awareness of impermanence, and analyze how non-agenda-driven creativity enhances...
-
Using tea service to create connection and atmosphere
Analyze tea ceremony as contemplative practice that integrates mindfulness of the five elements; evaluate how...
-
Contemplating the four noble truths
Analyze each of the four noble truths by connecting traditional teachings with personal contemplative insights;...
-
Tuning motivation to benevolence
Implement regular motivation checks and adjustments, appreciating the value of benefiting others, and analyze how...
-
Symbolic gestures of great meaning
Demonstrate basic symbolic gestures (mudras) common across Buddhist traditions, and analyze the meaning and purpose...
-
Creating atmosphere in practice spaces
Analyze shrine room etiquette practices as external expressions of internal reverence for the three jewels;...
-
Everyone is responsible for their own awakening
Analyze how the Buddha's teaching on self-mastery challenges common assumptions about external salvation or rescue,...
-
The analogy of the middle way
Implement techniques for physical, mental, and emotional balancing, and analyze how equilibrium in each area...
-
Refuge as a practice for being present and responsive to others
Implement awareness practices to generate a calm, grounded center, and evaluate how being present and...
-
How beings take refuge
Analyze the fundamental differences between Buddhist refuge (three jewels) and ordinary refuge practices by evaluating...
-
Generating compassion for all beings
Analyze the nature of karuna/compassion; guide unscripted meditation practices to generate this quality; and implement...
-
Working with pleasant and unpleasant experiences
Investigate the experience of practicing equanimity with naturally-arising pleasurable and unpleasurable experiences; and develop some...
-
Working with our people-pleasing habits
Analyze the role that praise and blame play in human motivation; evaluate the role of...
-
The wisdom of knowing when to act
Evaluate how cultural attitudes toward time and efficiency can either support or hinder compassionate action;...
-
The gift of practicing deep listening
Implement deep listening practices, and analyze the “listening pot” metaphor to identify essential conditions for...
-
Mindful speech practices
Evaluate speech patterns by identifying personal examples of any of the four non-virtuous speech actions;...
-
Generosity as a practice
Differentiate between ordinary giving and transcendent generosity (dana) that expects nothing in return; analyze how...
-
Going beyond worrying about reputation
Evaluate personal motivations regarding fame and notoriety, and implement actions that are free from both...
-
Don't be swayed by external circumstances
Evaluate what it means to be influenced by external circumstances; and implement the slogan—“don't be...
-
The power of imagination in meditation and mind training
Compare and contrast the use of visualization in different Buddhist meditations with its use in...
-
Diligence as a practice
Analyze the distinction between ordinary effort and joyful diligence (virya) in Buddhist practice; evaluate personal...
-
Relaxing the competitive mind
Implement a positive, playful approach to competition without attachment to outcomes; practice observing and releasing...
-
Patience as a practice
Analyze the three forms of Buddhist patience: enduring harm from others, persevering through practice difficulties,...
-
Work and activity in harmony with others
Evaluate activities based on their quality of creating benefit or harmony without harming, and analyze...
-
How all that arises depends on interconnected causes and conditions
Investigate the interconnected nature of phenomena through direct observation; cultivate appreciation for the web of...
-
The Buddhist approach to death and afterlife
Analyze the three contemplations regarding death; compare Buddhist and non-Buddhist concepts of rebirth; and consider...
-
Creating and maintaining sacred spaces for practice
Analyze the Buddhist understanding of sacredness in relation to the Three Jewels and practice objects;...
-
The law of cause and effect
Analyze the concept of karma, differentiating between intentional actions and their outcomes, and evaluate how...
-
Greed vs. Sustainability
Evaluate unsustainable practices; design alternatives that challenge materialist mindsets; and analyze how craving and desire...
-
Suffering Overview
Differentiate between the three types of dukkha by analyzing specific examples from personal experience; evaluate...
-
Investigating where things come from and where they go
Analyze the origins and destinations of everyday objects, and differentiate the complex physical, ecological, social,...
-
Creating structure for daily practice
Analyze various ritual forms that support personal practice, and design simple rituals that effectively guide...
-
Respectful inquiry and discussion about beliefs
Design thoughtful, respectful questions to investigate others' beliefs and lineage, balancing confidence, tact, and humility,...
-
Honoring the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and teachers through prose and poetry
Actively pay homage and express gratitude to those who have taught, guided, and transmitted wisdom—showing...
-
The individuals who helped preserve and propagate the dharma over time
Compare and contrast the contributions of at least three significant Buddhist patrons across different historical...
-
Relating to unseen beings
Analyze the role of unseen beings across Buddhist traditions, and differentiate the unique qualities attributed...
-
Language, culture, and communication
Analyze how language shapes cultural understanding and worldview formation; evaluate the challenges and opportunities in...
-
Pilgrimage sites related to Buddhism
Identify and locate major Buddhist pilgrimage sites while analyzing their historical and symbolic significance, evaluate...
-
Free your mind from irritation
Analyze anger as a mental state that projects exaggerated negativity onto situations or people, and...
-
Buddhism and the indigenous cultures that influenced it
Analyze which indigenous cultures pre-existed Buddhism in at least five regions, and evaluate what has...
-
Approaches to taking refuge across different Buddhist traditions
Analyze the distinctive approaches to taking refuge across the three Buddhist vehicles, evaluate how different...
-
Ritual in daily activities
Categorize ritual practices across Buddhist traditions according to their functions (purification, mindfulness cultivation, merit generation),...
-
Amitabha's Pure Land
Compare Pure Land Buddhism with other forms of Buddhism, analyzing how the practice of chanting...
-
Cultivating peace through understanding
Analyze Buddhism's characteristics compared to Abrahamic, indigenous, and other world religions; evaluate different conceptual frameworks...
-
Origin stories across traditions
Compare and contrast Buddhist cosmological narratives with at least two other creation stories (Abrahamic, indigenous,...
-
Relating to the celestial bodies
Compare and contrast astrological systems used in Buddhist cultures (Chinese/Tibetan and Western zodiacs) with Buddhist...
-
The purpose, function, and history of different types of Buddhist architecture
Categorize the three main types of Buddhist architecture (stupas, monasteries, temples) according to their functions;...
-
The role and meaning of Buddhist symbols
Analyze Buddhist iconography and symbolism, and differentiate the characteristic visual elements associated with different Buddhist...
-
Buddhist principles for harmonious communication
Analyze complex communication scenarios (family conflicts, social tensions, leadership challenges, literary or public media sources)...
-
Investigating visible and invisible boundaries
Analyze personal and physical boundaries, implement healthy boundary-setting practices, and evaluate how visible and invisible...
-
Innate goodness exists in all beings
Analyze the Buddha's demonstration of equanimity in the kusa grass story by examining how he...
-
Revering and protecting life
Analyze the first precept's prohibition against killing in relation to Buddhist teachings on interdependence and...
-
Practicing politeness with three key paramitas: generosity, patience, and discipline
Analyze how the first three paramitas (generosity, discipline, patience) function as frameworks for cross-cultural ethical...
-
Putting yourself in someone else's shoes
Differentiate between cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and compassion by analyzing how each contributes to understanding...
-
The practice of saving lives
Evaluate the Buddhist practice of life release within contemporary ecological contexts, analyze the ethical complexities...
-
Redefining wealth and choosing career paths
Analyze how conventional definitions of wealth based solely on material accumulation can lead to dukkha...
-
Letting others form their views
Analyze Buddha's non-dogmatic teaching approach as exemplified by ehipassiko ("come and see"); contrast this method...
-
Cultural appreciation and tolerance
Analyze how Buddhist teachings on pratityasamutpada (dependent origination) support tolerance and dialogue across differences; evaluate...
-
Buddhist approaches to ecological responsibility
Compare and contrast Buddhist, indigenous, and Western perspectives on environmental responsibility; analyze how Buddhist principles...
-
De-escalating conflict and promoting harmony with mediation
Analyze the role of dependent origination and subjective perception in creating miscommunication and conflict; evaluate...
-
Idealism versus pragmatism
Analyze how attachment to idealistic expectations creates suffering in social engagement; evaluate how equanimity enables...
-
Engaging with equanimity and avoiding apathy
Analyze the critical distinction between equanimity and apathy by examining how each responds to witnessing...
-
Approaching art with beginner's mind
Cultivate beginner's mind through contemplative art practices by approaching familiar materials with fresh curiosity, questioning...
-
Cultivating present-moment joy and authentic celebration
Create conditions for spontaneous joy in daily life through mindful attention to present-moment opportunities; practice...
-
Discovering hidden motivations
Investigate the layered nature of personal motivation by uncovering hidden drives beneath surface intentions; evaluate...
-
Wise leadership and good motivation
Analyze the motivations behind leaders' decisions by evaluating evidence of the three poisons versus the...
-
Applying optimism and diligence when working with others
Differentiate between ordinary hope and authentic optimism in Buddhist practice; analyze how joyful effort (*virya*)...
-
Humble service
Analyze systemic issues within the community by evaluating their root causes and interconnected effects, then...
-
A pathway for alleviating suffering
Apply the four noble truths framework to analyze a specific community issue by identifying the...
-
Positive action and its benefits
Analyze the relationship between virtuous actions and their karmic effects; evaluate how motivation influences the...
-
Work as practice, finding dignity in labor
Analyze the Buddhist concept of right livelihood as it applies to contemporary work and service;...
-
Challenging assumptions and conventions
Evaluate invalid assumptions and harmful dogmas, and generate skillful responses to challenge them using discriminating...
-
Integrity and congruence with peaceful body, speech, and mind.
Evaluate personal conduct and motivations through systematic self-reflection, analyzing alignment between inner development and outer...
-
Mindful partaking of food and drink
Analyze the food cycle, differentiating its causes, conditions, and effects. Evaluate how elements from the...
-
Varying Buddhist approaches to consuming animals
Formulate a clear rationale for your choice regarding vegetarianism, and evaluate your capacity to demonstrate...
-
Creating without attachment to outcomes
Practice creating art without attachment to specific outcomes by starting projects with open curiosity rather...
-
Expressing joy through diverse creative approaches
Express understanding of *lila* and *mudita* through diverse creative projects while practicing spontaneous joy; design...
-
Learning from Buddhist stories about motivation
Examine Buddhist biographical stories to identify how right motivation led to beneficial outcomes and wrong...
-
Different approaches to creating sacred space
Research sacred space practices across Buddhist cultures; evaluate how blessing and consecration practices transform ordinary...
-
Developing personal and group ritual practices
Examine personal relationship with ritual and sacred practice through sustained contemplative experiment, analyzing how different...
-
Applying Buddhist principles to leadership decisions
Apply right motivation principles from the eightfold path to evaluate leadership decisions by practicing the...
-
Speaking truth to power with compassion
Address challenging communication scenarios involving authority figures, peer pressure, and family dynamics by applying Buddhist...
-
How historical boundary decisions affect communities today
Investigate local land history by researching indigenous peoples who originally inhabited your area, analyze how...
-
How equanimity enables social justice activism
Examine the Buddha's revolutionary rejection of caste hierarchy through critical analysis of the kusha grass...
-
Personal and social suffering
Examine personal and social sources of suffering through contemplative inquiry; evaluate how understanding the four...
-
Listening across differences
Generate therapeutic-level listening skills for holding space during difficult conversations; test approaches for listening across...
-
Right speech as personal contemplative discipline
Develop comprehensive personal practice integrating right speech with the broader eightfold path, establish advanced contemplative...
-
Understanding generosity as spiritual foundation
Design personal experiments to test how generous actions affect mental states and relationships. Analyze the...
-
Turning mistakes into creative discoveries
Practice mindful art-making by focusing completely on one activity at a time, noticing when their...
-
Stories of joy and celebration
Explore stories and examples of joyful play and sympathetic celebration from various cultures; create and...
-
Sacred space as mind training
Design and facilitate group rituals for consecrating learning spaces, marking seasonal transitions, and supporting contemplative...
-
Learning about rituals from different cultures
Research ritual traditions across Buddhist cultures and contemporary communities; analyze how rituals adapt to different...
-
Recognizing harmful patterns in leadership
Investigate the three poisons in leadership decisions by observing how greed, anger, and ignorance affect...
-
Applying Buddhist speech principles across cultures
Design creative projects (videos, podcasts, graphic novels) that demonstrate skillful communication; create and perform educational...
-
Personal boundaries and understanding land history
Investigate your school's location and boundaries by mapping local areas and authorities, research and present...
-
Challenging unfairness while showing respect for all
Design multimedia presentations combining research, art, and performance to explore equality themes, create kinesthetic learning...
-
Problem-solving with the Buddha's method
Compare the Buddha's medical analogy (diagnosis, cause, prognosis, treatment) with modern problem-solving approaches; investigate how...
-
Using listening to solve problems
Execute advanced listening techniques including reflective listening and asking clarifying questions in real classroom conflicts;...
-
Personal speech awareness through contemplative practice
Design and implement personal speech awareness practices, including structured daily reflection on the four harmful...
-
Learning generosity through Buddhist stories
Analyze the role of generosity in Buddhist Jataka tales and compare with contemporary examples, evaluate...
-
Joyful play and celebrating friends
Practice spontaneous play and creative expression through movement, art, and imaginative activities; celebrate friends' achievements...
-
Creating peaceful spaces together
Create and maintain classroom sacred spaces through hands-on altar keeping, flower arranging, and candle care;...
-
Discovering how rituals create sacred space and community
Practice various ritual elements through hands-on experience with altar keeping, candle lighting, and group ceremonies;...
-
Stories of helpful leaders and generous people
Analyze stories of helpful leaders and generous people by comparing characters who help versus those...
-
Building classroom peace through mindful speech
Apply the five-question framework (true, helpful, kind, gentle, timely) to real classroom situations; practice conflict...
-
Honoring the people who first cared for our land
Create simple diagrams showing your school within larger community areas, identify authority figures and map...
-
Learning fairness from the Buddha's example
Demonstrate equal respect for all classmates through inclusive actions, practice responding to unfair treatment with...
-
Buddha's first teaching about disappointment
Retell the Buddha's first teaching at Deer Park and explain how his four discoveries help...
-
Listening as a special gift
Execute structured partner listening exercises where one person shares while the other demonstrates complete attention...
-
Understanding our intentions
Identify your intentions before everyday activities and notice how different motivations affect your actions and...
-
Learning from Buddhist stories about wise speech
Explore Buddhist stories and parables about the power of speech, identify lessons about wise and...
-
Discovering generosity through practice
Design and implement a classroom generosity project, track acts of giving in a personal journal,...
-
Special objects and gentle spaces
Experience sacred objects through multiple senses by touching, arranging, and caring for altar items; create...
-
Making art with all five senses
Explore different art materials through the five senses by touching, smelling, and observing colors and...
-
Learning about special activities that bring us together
Demonstrate simple daily rituals by practicing altar care and classroom ceremonies; show respect for sacred...
-
Making kind choices to help others
Practice making kind choices in classroom situations by identifying when someone needs help, demonstrating gentle...
-
Learning to use words that help and heal
Practice kind and helpful words through daily classroom interactions. Demonstrate the difference between words that...
-
Learning about school boundaries and asking permission
Learn your school's name and identify main buildings and playground areas, point to school boundaries...
-
Practicing kindness with everyone we meet
Practice treating everyone with kindness by offering seats to classmates, demonstrate caring actions toward all...
-
Simple feelings and helping
Experience the basic human feelings of sadness, wanting, and feeling better through simple activities; recognize...
-
Learning to listen with your whole body
Demonstrate good listening by showing quiet body, watching eyes, and still hands during story time;...
-
Noticing why we do things
Name simple intentions for daily activities and demonstrate kind actions; practice noticing how different intentions...
-
Speaking with kindness through stories and practice
Listen to simple stories about characters who choose kind or unkind words, and practice retelling...
-
Sharing stories that inspire giving
Listen to and act out simple stories about generous animals or children, draw pictures of...
-
Core Buddhist Pathways
-
Turn inward
Analyze the difference between accepting teachings through belief, versus discovering truth through direct experience, then...
-
Skillful reflection
Analyze the distinction between wise and unwise attention in personal experience; evaluate how different types...
-
The innate goodness of beings
Analyze how the concept of buddhanature may affect one’s outlook on life; compare and contrast...
-
Meditation as a practice
Differentiate between ordinary concentration and the paramita of dhyana as described in Buddhist texts; analyze...
-
Wisdom as a practice
Analyze how discriminating wisdom (prajna) reveals they way all things have no independent existence (emptiness);...
-
Developing concentration to calm and focus the mind
Analyze the relationship between mental stability, ethical conduct, and the development of insight; evaluate how...
-
Applying confident optimism in creative activity and in life
Analyze the Buddhist concept of saddha by tracing the three traditional steps of developing confidence...
-
Honoring the body as our vehicle for awakening
Implement mindful self-care practices that honor the body as a vehicle for awakening, and analyze...
-
The joy of spontaneity in art
Create spontaneous, playful artistic expressions with awareness of impermanence, and analyze how non-agenda-driven creativity enhances...
-
Elemental and emotional energy seen as awakened wisdom
Implement practices that honor the five elements in daily life. Lead guided meditations that explore...
-
Contemplating the four noble truths
Analyze each of the four noble truths by connecting traditional teachings with personal contemplative insights;...
-
Creating space for practice
Analyze various methods for creating sacred space and practice boundaries in contemplative settings; evaluate how...
-
Symbolic gestures of great meaning
Demonstrate basic symbolic gestures (mudras) common across Buddhist traditions, and analyze the meaning and purpose...
-
Creating atmosphere in practice spaces
Analyze shrine room etiquette practices as external expressions of internal reverence for the three jewels;...
-
Everyone is responsible for their own awakening
Analyze how the Buddha's teaching on self-mastery challenges common assumptions about external salvation or rescue,...
-
The analogy of the middle way
Implement techniques for physical, mental, and emotional balancing, and analyze how equilibrium in each area...
-
Recollecting and drawing inspiration from the Buddha's qualities
Analyze the Buddha's qualities as described in traditional texts across multiple sources; evaluate which Buddha...
-
How beings take refuge
Analyze the fundamental differences between Buddhist refuge (three jewels) and ordinary refuge practices by evaluating...
-
Generating impartial regard towards all
Analyze interpersonal conflicts as learning opportunities, and develop a habit of acceptance and goodwill rather...
-
Definition and purpose of chanting mantra
Identify the function of mantra practice within Buddhist meditation traditions. Analyze how the *prajnaparamita* mantra...
-
Doing nothing
Analyze various stillness practices, evaluate their value in daily life, and implement discerning choices about...
-
Using the senses wisely
Analyze the Buddha's teachings on sense restraint; evaluate how sensory input influences mental states, thoughts,...
-
The gift of practicing deep listening
Implement deep listening practices, and analyze the “listening pot” metaphor to identify essential conditions for...
-
Striving to develop the skillful means to awaken
Implement the principles of right effort in daily life; analyze opportunities to cultivate wholesome thoughts...
-
Perseverance that frees the mind
Analyze the four aspects of right effort by identifying examples of helpful and harmful mental...
-
The power of imagination in meditation and mind training
Compare and contrast the use of visualization in different Buddhist meditations with its use in...
-
Understanding the Eight Worldly Concerns
Analyze the eight worldly concerns by categorizing specific life experiences into the four opposing pairs,...
-
OM MANI PADME HUM
Analyze the symbolic meaning of each syllable in OM MANI PADME HUM; evaluate how mantra...
-
Generating love and kindness for all beings
Analyze the nature of *metta*/loving-kindness; improvise a guided meditation that generates this quality; and initiate...
-
Overview of various techniques to train the mind
Compare and contrast multiple Buddhist meditation techniques (shamatha, vipassana, loving-kindness, walking meditation), analyze how each...
-
Five aggregates appearing as a self
Analyze the *five aggregates* (skandhas) as the components that create the illusion of a permanent...
-
Traditional analysis of mind
Define abhidharma precisely; analyze how its practice reduces aversion, craving, and suffering; and evaluate examples...
-
Trishiksha
Analyze the interconnected relationship between ethical conduct, concentration, and wisdom within the three trainings’ framework;...
-
Impermanence Overview
Analyze the principle of impermanence, evaluate how perception of it transforms experience, and implement this...
-
Self and selflessness
Explain the truth of selflessness and how clinging to a sense of self affects our...
-
How all that arises depends on interconnected causes and conditions
Investigate the interconnected nature of phenomena through direct observation; cultivate appreciation for the web of...
-
The preciousness of human life from a Buddhist perspective
Analyze the Buddhist teaching on the rarity and preciousness of human birth using the traditional...
-
Debate as a practice of logic
Analyze diverse perspectives through structured debate, and demonstrate the application of gestures and concepts from...
-
Remembering the wisdom and optimism of the view
Analyze the importance of right view within the noble eightfold path, evaluating how this foundation...
-
Common obstacles to contemplative practice and some remedies
Identify and categorize the five hindrances to meditation practice with their corresponding antidotes; analyze how...
-
Meditation to develop insight (clear seeing)
Analyze the distinction between awareness and its objects during vipassana practice, evaluate how investigating the...
-
Calm abiding meditation
Explore shamatha meditation as a way to calm the mind and support both insight (vipassana)...
-
Intentional placement of attention without judgment
Analyze an experience of mindful pausing, evaluating immediate thoughts and feelings without judgment, and critiquing...
-
Using the breath as an object of meditation
Implement mindfulness and breathing awareness to develop a calm, focused, and balanced mind. Create and...
-
Generating joy for all beings
Analyze the nature of sympathetic joy; guide unscripted meditation practices for cultivating this quality; and...
-
Creating and maintaining sacred spaces for practice
Analyze the Buddhist understanding of sacredness in relation to the Three Jewels and practice objects;...
-
Effects of the company we keep
Evaluate the impact of one's social connections; identify the qualities and virtues that make a...
-
The heart of the perfection of wisdom
Describe the conversation between Avalokiteshvara and Shariputra; recite key passages from the sutra, Analyze how...
-
Foundational Buddhist understanding of elemental qualities
Compare and contrast the Buddhist elemental system (earth, water, fire, air, space) with modern scientific...
-
The teacher and goal of the path
Identify the historical Buddha and the qualities that define a fully awakened being; analyze how...
-
Four contemplations on impermanence and one on karma
Articulate the five remembrances and analyze how each contemplation addresses fundamental human experiences of aging,...
-
The law of cause and effect
Analyze the concept of karma, differentiating between intentional actions and their outcomes, and evaluate how...
-
The Way of the Bodhisattva
Analyze the *Bodhisattva's Way of Life* text, its structure, author, and importance. Differentiate between aspirational...
-
The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way
Analyze Nagarjuna's concept of dependent arising by examining how phenomena exist only in relationship to...
-
The mind-training practice of the different levels of experience along the path
Identify the four types of attachment described in this teaching. Examine how each manifests in...
-
Essential characteristics of phenomena
Analyze the three marks of existence by investigating specific examples of impermanence, suffering, and selflessness...
-
Understanding Relative and Ultimate Truths
Analyze the distinction between relative truth (conventional reality) and ultimate truth (emptiness) in Mahayana Buddhism,...
-
Suffering Overview
Differentiate between the three types of dukkha by analyzing specific examples from personal experience; evaluate...
-
The twelve links of dependent origination
Identify and sequence the twelve links of dependent origination; analyze how specific links (particularly craving...
-
Investigating where things come from and where they go
Analyze the origins and destinations of everyday objects, and differentiate the complex physical, ecological, social,...
-
The methodology to apply
Differentiate between dharma as teaching methodology and dharma as ultimate truth; evaluate how core Buddhist...
-
The Epistemic Ways of Knowing
Evaluate how we know what’s real by analyzing the two key ways of knowing: direct...
-
Three sources of refuge
Analyze which qualities of the Buddha, the teachings, and group practices resonate personally, and evaluate...
-
Creating structure for daily practice
Analyze various ritual forms that support personal practice, and design simple rituals that effectively guide...
-
Honoring the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and teachers through prose and poetry
Actively pay homage and express gratitude to those who have taught, guided, and transmitted wisdom—showing...
-
Buddhist monastic traditions across cultures
Analyze the historical development and contemporary roles of monastic communities across Buddhist traditions, evaluate the...
-
Himalayan Tantric Buddhism
Identify the methodologies specific to Vajrayana Buddhism. Examine how tantric practices integrate ritual, visualization, and...
-
Heritage, identity, and selflessness
Analyze the Buddhist teaching of anatta (no-self) in relation to cultural identity formation; evaluate how...
-
The Buddha's path of wisdom
Analyze key themes in the *Dhammapada*, and evaluate how these ancient teachings remain relevant to...
-
Seeing things as they are
Analyze ignorance as misunderstanding—particularly regarding impermanence, interdependence, and selflessness. Evaluate how ignorance serves as the...
-
The life of the historical Buddha
Sequence and analyze the ten acts of Buddha's life within their historical and geographical contexts;...
-
Amitabha's Pure Land
Compare Pure Land Buddhism with other forms of Buddhism, analyzing how the practice of chanting...
-
The stories that shape our lives
Analyze Buddhist stories and parables to extract wisdom for daily living, and differentiate between the...
-
Relating to Arya beings
Analyze the qualities of noble beings, evaluate which qualities to cultivate personally, and create strategies...
-
A Mahayana practice to remove obstacles
Analyze specific examples of Tara's virtues (compassion, fearlessness, and wisdom) as described in selected verses...
-
The structure and use of classical Buddhist scriptures
Differentiate between source texts and commentaries, and analyze how these textual categories function within each...
-
Buddhist principles for harmonious communication
Analyze complex communication scenarios (family conflicts, social tensions, leadership challenges, literary or public media sources)...
-
Redefining wealth and choosing career paths
Analyze how conventional definitions of wealth based solely on material accumulation can lead to dukkha...
-
Letting others form their views
Analyze Buddha's non-dogmatic teaching approach as exemplified by ehipassiko ("come and see"); contrast this method...
-
Techniques for taking different perspectives
Analyze how Buddhist teachings on dependent origination explain the subjective nature of perception; evaluate the...
-
De-escalating conflict and promoting harmony with mediation
Analyze the role of dependent origination and subjective perception in creating miscommunication and conflict; evaluate...
-
The methods and responsibilities of lineage traditions
Compare how the three main Buddhist traditions (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) pass down teachings, evaluating the...
-
Recognizing reliable sources of dharma
Analyze what is presented as buddhadharma by evaluating its source and differentiating its key characteristics...
-
Personal discipline that supports group practice
Develop individual practice commitments that support group contemplative experience, analyze the relationship between personal boundaries...
-
Application of the Buddha's ethical tenets to daily life
Analyze the five precepts (pancha shila) as both restraints from harmful action and foundations for...
-
Wise leadership and good motivation
Analyze the motivations behind leaders' decisions by evaluating evidence of the three poisons versus the...
-
Humble service
Analyze systemic issues within the community by evaluating their root causes and interconnected effects, then...
-
Applying the measure of non-aggression to systems
Analyze systemic structures through the lens of ahimsa (non-aggression) by identifying who benefits and who...
-
Positive action and its benefits
Analyze the relationship between virtuous actions and their karmic effects; evaluate how motivation influences the...
-
Codes of conduct and personal ethics
Evaluate the relationship between external ethical guidelines and internal moral compass development; synthesize understanding of...
-
Mindful partaking of food and drink
Analyze the food cycle, differentiating its causes, conditions, and effects. Evaluate how elements from the...
-
A Practical Framework for Ethical Living
Analyze how the eight components of the path work together to reduce suffering, then apply...
-
Different approaches to creating sacred space
Research sacred space practices across Buddhist cultures; evaluate how blessing and consecration practices transform ordinary...
-
Ethical decision-making through Buddhist refuge
Analyze the three jewels as a comprehensive ethical decision-making framework; evaluate how this system addresses...
-
Communities that protect our values
Compare how different Buddhist traditions understand sangha's protective function against contemporary peer pressure and social...
-
Developing personal and group ritual practices
Examine personal relationship with ritual and sacred practice through sustained contemplative experiment, analyzing how different...
-
Understanding the Buddha's revolutionary message in context
Analyze the Buddha's life within the social, political, and religious context of ancient India; evaluate...
-
Buddhist ethics for contemporary challenges
Investigate the practical application of the five precepts in contemporary ethical dilemmas; experiment with precept-based...
-
Applying Buddhist principles to leadership decisions
Apply right motivation principles from the eightfold path to evaluate leadership decisions by practicing the...
-
Speaking truth to power with compassion
Address challenging communication scenarios involving authority figures, peer pressure, and family dynamics by applying Buddhist...
-
Ceremonial practices for cultivating goodwill
Design loving-kindness ceremonies that generate positive emotions and strengthen group bonds, participate in structured metta...
-
Personal and social suffering
Examine personal and social sources of suffering through contemplative inquiry; evaluate how understanding the four...
-
Understanding how meditation serves diverse learners
Practice and analyze meditation techniques through multiple intelligence frameworks (bodily-kinesthetic through movement meditation, musical-rhythmic through...
-
Listening across differences
Generate therapeutic-level listening skills for holding space during difficult conversations; test approaches for listening across...
-
Sacred space as mind training
Design and facilitate group rituals for consecrating learning spaces, marking seasonal transitions, and supporting contemplative...
-
Practical guidance in Buddhist life
Analyze how the three jewels function as sources of guidance in complex life situations; evaluate...
-
Mutual support in learning communities
Evaluate personal social connections by analyzing how different friend groups influence their choices and values;...
-
Learning about rituals from different cultures
Research ritual traditions across Buddhist cultures and contemporary communities; analyze how rituals adapt to different...
-
Exploring the Buddha's life through historical research
Research the historical Buddha's life using multiple sources and timelines; analyze how his personal experiences...
-
Learning ethics through stories and examples
Investigate biographical accounts of how Buddhist practitioners and ethical leaders have applied precept principles in...
-
Recognizing harmful patterns in leadership
Investigate the three poisons in leadership decisions by observing how greed, anger, and ignorance affect...
-
Applying Buddhist speech principles across cultures
Design creative projects (videos, podcasts, graphic novels) that demonstrate skillful communication; create and perform educational...
-
Building resilience through loving-kindness
Investigate how loving-kindness practice affects their emotional well-being and sense of security even during social...
-
Problem-solving with the Buddha's method
Compare the Buddha's medical analogy (diagnosis, cause, prognosis, treatment) with modern problem-solving approaches; investigate how...
-
Meditation for different learning styles
Practice diverse meditation techniques using multiple learning modalities (visual focus, kinesthetic movement, auditory guidance, reflective...
-
Using listening to solve problems
Execute advanced listening techniques including reflective listening and asking clarifying questions in real classroom conflicts;...
-
Creating sacred spaces for contemplation
Investigate traditional methods for creating contemplative space, implement systematic approaches to container-building using objects and...
-
Creating peaceful spaces together
Create and maintain classroom sacred spaces through hands-on altar keeping, flower arranging, and candle care;...
-
How Buddhists find guidance and support
Compare the three jewels by describing how each provides different types of guidance; explain how...
-
Communities that support good choices
Analyze stories about loyal friendship and community support, including age-appropriate Buddhist tales about sangha; compare...
-
Discovering how rituals create sacred space and community
Practice various ritual elements through hands-on experience with altar keeping, candle lighting, and group ceremonies;...
-
Following the Buddha's journey from prince to teacher
Retell the Buddha's life story in chronological order from birth to enlightenment; identify the four...
-
Buddhist guidelines for daily kindness
Implement the five children's precepts (reverence for life, generosity, body responsibility, harmonious speech, mindful consumption)...
-
Stories of helpful leaders and generous people
Analyze stories of helpful leaders and generous people by comparing characters who help versus those...
-
Building classroom peace through mindful speech
Apply the five-question framework (true, helpful, kind, gentle, timely) to real classroom situations; practice conflict...
-
Everyday acts of care and friendship
Practice generating feelings of warmth and goodwill toward family, friends, and classmates while noticing how...
-
Buddha's first teaching about disappointment
Retell the Buddha's first teaching at Deer Park and explain how his four discoveries help...
-
Learning different meditation techniques
Demonstrate multiple meditation techniques including breath awareness, walking meditation, and object focus; practice the seven-point...
-
Listening as a special gift
Execute structured partner listening exercises where one person shares while the other demonstrates complete attention...
-
Using tools and agreements for group practice
Create and practice classroom agreements that support group meditation, design simple rituals for starting and...
-
Special objects and gentle spaces
Experience sacred objects through multiple senses by touching, arranging, and caring for altar items; create...
-
Creative expressions of the three jewels
Identify the three jewels using multiple senses and intelligence pathways; create simple artistic representations (drawing,...
-
Friends who help us learn and grow
Practice being a good friend by sharing, helping classmates, and participating in circle time activities...
-
Learning about special activities that bring us together
Demonstrate simple daily rituals by practicing altar care and classroom ceremonies; show respect for sacred...
-
Understanding the Buddha through stories and celebrations
Explore the Buddha's story through songs, drawings, and movement activities that celebrate his birth, his...
-
Simple rules for being kind
Practice simple acts of kindness and caring in daily classroom situations; demonstrate gentle treatment of...
-
Making kind choices to help others
Practice making kind choices in classroom situations by identifying when someone needs help, demonstrating gentle...
-
Learning to use words that help and heal
Practice kind and helpful words through daily classroom interactions. Demonstrate the difference between words that...
-
Stories of friendship and care
Listen to stories about characters who feel safe and happy when showing and receiving kindness,...
-
Simple feelings and helping
Experience the basic human feelings of sadness, wanting, and feeling better through simple activities; recognize...
-
Simple ways to sit quietly and breathe
Experience and explore different ways to sit quietly and breathe by practicing simple meditation activities...
-
Learning to listen with your whole body
Demonstrate good listening by showing quiet body, watching eyes, and still hands during story time;...
-
Simple ways to make quiet time special
Practice simple ways to make special quiet time by sitting in circles, using gentle voices,...
-