Personal Practice

• 420The Paramita of Virya/Diligence

  Analyze the distinction between ordinary effort and joyful diligence (virya) in Buddhist practice; evaluate personal experiences of learning dharma through the three-step process of listening, contemplation, and meditation; and synthesize understanding by implementing consistent practice that demonstrates “cheerful commitment” to inner development.
• 412Right Effort

  Analyze the four aspects of right effort by identifying examples of helpful and harmful mental states in daily life; evaluate how joyful effort differs from forced effort in personal practice; and implement the principles of right effort in daily life, analyzing opportunities to cultivate wholesome thoughts and actions while evaluating how this practice transforms well-being and relationships.
• 408Fame and Anonymity

  Evaluate personal motivations regarding fame and notoriety, and implement actions that are free from both craving recognition and fearing obscurity.
• 404Right Mindfulness

  Analyze an experience of mindful pausing, evaluating immediate thoughts and feelings without judgment, and critiquing your chosen response.
• 409Right Effort

  Implement the principles of right effort in daily life; analyze opportunities to cultivate wholesome thoughts and actions; and evaluate how this practice transforms well-being and relationships.
• 425Right Livelihood

  Evaluate activities based on their quality of creating benefit or harmony without harming, and analyze the concept of right livelihood.
• 421Gain and Loss

  Implement a positive, playful approach to competition without attachment to outcomes; practice observing and releasing arising emotions without dwelling on them; and create expressions of goodwill toward opponents.
• 401Dhyana: 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.
• 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.
• 111Practicing Refuge for Others

  Implement awareness practices to generate a calm, grounded center, and evaluate how being present and nonjudgmental serves as effective support for others.