Personal Practice

• 463The Paramita of Dhyana/Meditation

  Differentiate between ordinary concentration and the paramita of dhyana as described in Buddhist texts; analyze the role of meditative absorption (samadhi) in developing wisdom and compassion; and demonstrate competency by designing and leading basic meditation sessions that cultivate both individual focus and group harmony.
• 466Right Action

  Analyze potential consequences of actions in different areas of life, honestly acknowledging personal challenges and ethical blind spots, and create a systematic approach to decision-making that prioritizes universal well-being and harmony.
• 465Right Samadhi

  Analyze the relationship between mental stability, ethical conduct, and the development of insight; evaluate how right samadhi differs from ordinary concentration through examining motivation and ethical foundation; and implement systematic concentration practices while documenting how sustained attention supports both daily clarity and deeper understanding of mind’s nature.
• 464The Paramita of Prajna/Wisdom

  Analyze how discriminating wisdom (prajna) reveals they way all things have no independent existence (emptiness); evaluate how wisdom serves as both the foundation and culmination of the other paramitas; and demonstrate understanding by examining how conceptual study and reflection can lead to direct insight through contemplative practice.
• 434You Are Your Own Master

  Analyze how the Buddha’s teaching on self-mastery challenges common assumptions about external salvation or rescue, and synthesize understanding by designing accountability practices that demonstrate personal responsibility for ethical choices and inner development.
• 454Good Timing

  Evaluate how cultural attitudes toward time and efficiency can either support or hinder compassionate action; compare reactive timing driven by urgency or personal agenda with mindful timing motivated by benefit to others; and synthesize understanding by developing personal criteria for discerning when to act, when to pause, and when to allow natural unfolding in complex interpersonal situations.
• 437The Qualities of the Buddha

  Analyze the Buddha’s qualities as described in traditional texts across multiple sources; evaluate which Buddha qualities most effectively inspire personal development; and implement contemplative practices that cultivate specific Buddha qualities while assessing their impact on daily ethical decision-making and relationships with others.
• 441Buddhist and Ordinary Refuge

  Analyze the fundamental differences between Buddhist refuge (three jewels) and ordinary refuge practices by evaluating their effectiveness in providing protection from fear and suffering. Create criteria for assessing the wholesomeness of various refuge sources using the eightfold path as a framework, then apply these criteria to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources of refuge in contemporary life experiences.
• 442Four Immeasurables Overview

  Analyze the distinctive qualities and antidotes of each immeasurable by examining their progression from conditional to unconditional states, evaluate how systematic cultivation of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity transforms relationships with all beings, and implement guided meditation practices that demonstrate the expansion from limited affection to boundless regard for all sentient beings.
• 452Stillness Practices

  Analyze various stillness practices, evaluate their value in daily life, and implement discerning choices about energy expenditure, recognizing that sometimes the best option is to do nothing.