Logic and Reason

• 306The Elements

  Compare and contrast the Buddhist elemental system (earth, water, fire, air, space) with modern scientific understanding of matter; analyze how recognizing elemental qualities in phenomena develops sensory awareness; and evaluate how elemental meditation practices support understanding of impermanence and interdependence.
• 307The Logic of Practicing Virtue

  Recall the ten virtuous and non virtuous actions, and analyze how applying these principles creates beneficial effects in daily life.
• 308Buddha

  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.
• 309The Five Remembrances

  Articulate the five remembrances and analyze how each contemplation addresses fundamental human experiences of aging, illness, death, separation, and ethical responsibility. Evaluate how regular reflection on impermanence transforms daily decision-making and creates greater presence and mindfulness in immediate experience.
• 310Karma Overview

  Analyze the concept of karma, differentiating between intentional actions and their outcomes, and evaluate how personal choices, including intentions, words, and actions, create effects for oneself and others.
• 311Bodhicaryavatara

  Analyze the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life text, its structure, author, and importance. Differentiate between aspirational and ultimate bodhicitta, and evaluate how impermanence is a basis for generating compassion.
• 313Madhyamaka

  Analyze Nagarjuna’s concept of dependent arising by examining how phenomena exist only in relationship to other things, then evaluate how attachment to fixed ideas creates suffering in personal situations. Apply the Middle Way perspective to challenging life circumstances, comparing responses based on rigid thinking versus flexible understanding, and synthesize how recognizing the interdependent nature of problems and successes can lead to greater compassion and skillful action.
• 315Parting from the Four Attachments

  Identify the four types of attachment described in this teaching. Examine how each manifests in contemporary life, then evaluate personal motivations and priorities to identify which attachments most strongly influence decision-making.
• 317The Two Truths

  Analyze the distinction between relative truth (conventional reality) and ultimate truth (emptiness) in Mahayana Buddhism, evaluate how these two approaches towards understanding our experience apply to specific life situations, and synthesize examples demonstrating how both truths can be simultaneously valid without contradiction.
• 302Three 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.