Windows into Buddhism

• 330EAnatta Overview

  Explain the truth of selflessness and how clinging to a sense of self affects our experience. Apply insight of the impermanent, changing quality of the self to be more at ease with different experiences.
• 332EDependent Origination Overview

  Investigate the interconnected nature of phenomena through direct observation; cultivate appreciation for the web of conditions supporting daily life; and apply the principle of dependent origination to understand how positive change is possible by addressing root causes.
• 335EBuddhist Debate

  Analyze diverse perspectives through structured debate, and demonstrate the application of gestures and concepts from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of debate.
• 336ERight View

  Analyze the importance of right view within the noble eightfold path, evaluating how this foundation shapes all other elements of the path.
• 403EShamatha Meditation

  Explore shamatha meditation as a way to calm the mind and support both insight (vipassana) practice and everyday mental habits; evaluate personal experience with meditation; and demonstrate the practice by leading shamatha sessions that guide breath-based concentration while recognizing common challenges, obstacles, and their antidotes.
• 308EBuddha

  Identify the historical Buddha and the qualities that define a fully awakened being; analyze how the Buddha’s life exemplifies the transformation of suffering into wisdom and compassion; and evaluate the significance of taking refuge in the Buddha as inspiration for personal development rather than dependence on external authority.
• 302EThree Poisons: Ignorance

  Analyze ignorance as misunderstanding—particularly regarding impermanence, interdependence, and selflessness. Evaluate how ignorance serves as the root of all afflictions and distorted perceptions, and implement practices such as mindfulness, reflection on interdependence, and analytical meditation to weaken habitual confusion and cultivate wisdom and clarity in daily life.
• 323EPramana

  Evaluate how we know what’s real by analyzing the two key ways of knowing: direct experience and inference (logical reasoning); assess how differentiating between clear and confused thinking supports better decision-making and helps avoid the ignorance that keeps us stuck in suffering; integrate this understanding by applying these principles to real-life situations, demonstrating how valid ways of knowing (cognition) helps us distinguish between how things seem (appearance) and how they really are (reality), both in everyday life and in meditation.
• 301EThree Poisons: Anger

  Analyze anger as a mental state that projects exaggerated negativity onto situations or people, and evaluate how it arises from unmet desires and leads to further confusion and suffering; then implement contemplative practices such as mindfulness, patience, and perspective-taking to recognize triggers and gradually transform reactive habits into balanced responses that support emotional clarity and compassion.