Band E (Ages 15-18)
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421EGain and LossImplement 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.
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423EThe Paramita of Ksanti/PatienceAnalyze the three forms of Buddhist patience: enduring harm from others, persevering through practice difficulties, and accepting ultimate truths; evaluate personal triggers that challenge patience practice; and implement strategies for maintaining equanimity that transform irritation into opportunities for wisdom development.
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424EBodhicittaDefine both relative and absolute bodhicitta. Assess the personal motivations behind daily choices and adopt practices that turn everyday activities into acts of altruism aimed at benefiting all sentient beings.
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426EEight Worldly Dharmas: OverviewAnalyze the eight worldly concerns by categorizing specific life experiences into the four opposing pairs, evaluate how attachment to these conditions creates cycles of hope and fear that perpetuate samsara, and synthesize understanding by developing equanimity practices that demonstrate freedom from dependence on external circumstances for well-being.
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427EMantra of CompassionAnalyze the symbolic meaning of each syllable in OM MANI PADME HUM; evaluate how mantra recitation functions as both meditation practice and a method for cultivating compassion; and implement regular practice while documenting personal observations about the relationship between mantra repetition and emotional patterns or responses to challenging situations.
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429EMudrasDemonstrate basic symbolic gestures (mudras) common across Buddhist traditions, and analyze the meaning and purpose of each.
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433EShrine Room EtiquetteAnalyze shrine room etiquette practices as external expressions of internal reverence for the three jewels; evaluate how mindful behavior in sacred spaces cultivates respect, awareness, and devotion; and implement appropriate ritual conduct while explaining how these practices function as mind-training techniques that transform outer behavior into inner spiritual development.
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434EYou Are Your Own MasterAnalyze 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.
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435EThe Middle Way between ExtremesImplement techniques for physical, mental, and emotional balancing, and analyze how equilibrium in each area supports the others.