Band E (Ages 15-18)

• 240EThe Dhammapada

  Analyze key themes in the Dhammapada, and evaluate how these ancient teachings remain relevant to contemporary issues and experiences.
• 300EVows

  Analyze the logic and purpose of taking vows in Buddhist practice, evaluate how different types of vows (Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva, Vajrayana) support increasing skillful means and wisdom, and implement practices of ethical consistency that align personal commitments with expressed values and stated intentions.
• 301EThree Poisons: Anger

  Analyze anger as a mental state that projects exaggerated negativity onto situations or people, and evaluate how it arises from unmet desires and leads to further confusion and suffering; then implement contemplative practices such as mindfulness, patience, and perspective-taking to recognize triggers and gradually transform reactive habits into balanced responses that support emotional clarity and compassion.
• 302EThree 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.
• 221EThe Life Story of the Buddha Shakyamuni

  Sequence and analyze the ten acts of Buddha’s life within their historical and geographical contexts; evaluate the universal themes in Buddha’s journey that relate to contemporary human experience; and synthesize understanding by examining how specific events in Buddha’s life demonstrate key Buddhist principles such as the four noble truths and the middle way.
• 202EThe 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.
• 203EBuddhism 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.
• 204EThe Decline of Buddhism

  Analyze factors contributing to Buddhism’s decline historically, and create strategies to preserve dharma traditions in contemporary contexts.
• 205EApproaches to Refuge in the Three Yanas

  Analyze the distinctive approaches to taking refuge across the three Buddhist vehicles, evaluate how different motivations (personal liberation, universal awakening, rapid transformation) shape refuge practices, and synthesize understanding of how the three jewels function as sources of protection across diverse Buddhist traditions.