Windows into Buddhism

• 401EDhyana: Meditation Techniques

  Compare and contrast multiple Buddhist meditation techniques (shamatha, vipassana, loving-kindness, walking meditation), analyze how each method addresses specific mental states and obstacles, and design appropriate meditation practices for different situations and temperaments.
• 312EThree Poisons: Greed

  Evaluate unsustainable practices; design alternatives that challenge materialist mindsets; and analyze how craving and desire influence consumption patterns.
• 431Setting Boundaries

  Investigate traditional methods for creating contemplative space, implement systematic approaches to container-building using objects and agreements, and assess how different elements contribute to effective practice environments.
• 430CFour Noble Truths Overview

  Compare the Buddha’s medical analogy (diagnosis, cause, prognosis, treatment) with modern problem-solving approaches; investigate how the four truths explain patterns of dissatisfaction in different life areas; and develop systematic approaches for applying the eightfold path to specific challenges.
• 503CContemplative Arts

  Practice creating art without attachment to specific outcomes by starting projects with open curiosity rather than fixed plans, experimenting with letting go of “perfect” results, and discovering how releasing expectations can lead to surprising discoveries; engage in contemplative art practices that develop present-moment awareness such as mindful drawing, meditative clay work, or focused color mixing; and reflect on how the creative process changes their relationship with patience, frustration, and acceptance.
• 431BSetting Boundaries

  Create and practice classroom agreements that support group meditation, design simple rituals for starting and ending practice time, and demonstrate how clear agreements help everyone participate peacefully.
• 439BRight Motivation

  Identify your intentions before everyday activities and notice how different motivations affect your actions and feelings; practice checking your motivation during the day and adjusting when you notice selfish or harmful intentions; and demonstrate understanding that the same action can have different effects depending on your intention.
• 430DFour Noble Truths Overview

  Examine personal and social sources of suffering through contemplative inquiry; evaluate how understanding the four truths transforms relationships with disappointment, conflict, and change; and implement mindfulness practices that cultivate emotional resilience and compassionate response to others’ pain.
• 430Four Noble Truths Overview

  Retell the Buddha’s first teaching at Deer Park and explain how his four discoveries help people understand disappointment; connect the four truths to familiar experiences like not getting what you want or losing something important; and demonstrate compassionate responses to others’ suffering.