Cultural Preservation and Celebration

• 225Homage and Praise as Practice

  Actively pay homage and express gratitude to those who have taught, guided, and transmitted wisdom—showing appreciation for those who bring us closer to the truth.
• 216Buddhist Architecture

  Categorize the three main types of Buddhist architecture (stupas, monasteries, temples) according to their functions; analyze how architectural elements support dharma practice and community building; and evaluate the symbolic meaning embedded in specific design features across different Buddhist cultural traditions.
• 220The Life Stories of Buddhist Heroes

  Analyze the biographical narratives of at least five Buddhist heroes from diverse cultural and historical contexts, evaluate how their activities demonstrate core Buddhist principles, and synthesize understanding by identifying specific qualities and actions that demonstrate their transformation from ordinary individuals to exemplars of wisdom and compassion.
• 222Evolving Languages of Transmission

  Analyze the evolution of dharma transmission across linguistic boundaries from Magadhi Prakrit to contemporary languages; evaluate the challenges and benefits of translating Buddhist concepts while preserving essential meaning; and synthesize understanding by comparing original Sanskrit/Pali terms with modern translations to demonstrate both what is gained and lost in cross-linguistic dharma preservation.
• 206Buddhist Rituals Across Traditions

  Categorize ritual practices across Buddhist traditions according to their functions (purification, mindfulness cultivation, merit generation), analyze how specific rituals engage body, speech, and mind simultaneously, and evaluate the role of ritual in preserving dharma transmission and fostering contemplative awareness.
• 201Discerning Authentic Dharma

  Analyze what is presented as buddhadharma by evaluating its source and differentiating its key characteristics from non-authentic teachings with a solid grounding in the core teachings to evaluate new ideas and avoid being misled.
• 123Preservation of the Dharma

  Evaluate choices that might contribute to the preservation of Buddhist traditions, and create strategies that ensure the continuation of dharma practices and teachings over time, supported with knowledge of historical efforts to protect and preserve the Buddhadharma.
• 202The Buddha and Social Hierarchies

  Analyze the radical nature of the Buddha’s teachings on caste, and evaluate their significance within the cultural context in which they emerged.
• 203Buddhism and Indigenous Cultures

  Analyze which indigenous cultures pre-existed Buddhism in at least five regions, and evaluate what has remained constant and what has transformed in Buddhist traditions based on cultural interactions.
• 204The Decline of Buddhism

  Analyze factors contributing to Buddhism’s decline historically, and create strategies to preserve dharma traditions in contemporary contexts.