Liberation (Ages 15-18)

• 113Eightfold Path: Overview

  Analyze how the eight components of the path work together to reduce suffering, then apply these principles to daily life situations. Evaluate the effectiveness of Buddhist ethical guidance through personal reflection, and demonstrate how the eightfold path can inform decision-making in real-world scenarios.
• 116Not Killing/Vegetarianism

  Formulate a clear rationale for your choice regarding vegetarianism, and evaluate your capacity to demonstrate tolerance and understanding towards those who make different choices.
• 131Sangha

  Evaluate the impact of one’s social connections; identify the qualities and virtues that make a good friend; implement boundaries with non-virtuous influences; and analyze the definition and importance of sangha in Buddhism.
• 141Three Poisons: Greed

  Evaluate unsustainable practices; design alternatives that challenge materialist mindsets; and analyze how craving and desire influence consumption patterns.
• 200Lineage Traditions

  Compare how the three main Buddhist traditions (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) pass down teachings, evaluating the strengths of each approach. Examine your own cultural and family traditions, and analyze which ones benefit people and which might cause harm. Evaluate how these ideas were transmitted to you, and how you transmit them to others, and develop criteria for responsibly choosing which ideas and traditions are worth continuing or changing.
• 212Noble Beings

  Analyze the qualities of noble beings, evaluate which qualities to cultivate personally, and create strategies to incorporate these qualities into daily activities.
• 436The Story of the Frog in the Well

  Implement practices that cultivate an expansive, “bird’s eye view” perspective, and analyze the frog-in-the-well parable to illustrate the limitations of narrow viewpoints, and to remember that a bigger perspective is possible.
• 228Unseen Beings

  Analyze the role of unseen beings across Buddhist traditions, and differentiate the unique qualities attributed to commonly referenced non-human entities. Evaluate how these symbolic relationships support practitioners’ cultivation of positive qualities such as protection, wisdom, and compassion.
• 235The Power of Language

  Analyze how language shapes cultural understanding and worldview formation; evaluate the challenges and opportunities in translating Buddhist concepts across linguistic and cultural boundaries; and implement communication strategies that demonstrate both confidence in personal understanding and humility about the limitations of language in conveying ultimate meaning.
• 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.