Liberation (Ages 15-18)

• 134Polarization and Tolerance

  Analyze how Buddhist teachings on pratityasamutpada (dependent origination) support tolerance and dialogue across differences; evaluate the causes and consequences of polarization in contemporary society; and implement communication strategies that demonstrate deep listening while expressing personal views with appropriate humility and confidence based on dharmic principles.
• 135Subjectivity

  Analyze how Buddhist teachings on dependent origination explain the subjective nature of perception; evaluate the limitations of individual perspectives by practicing systematic perspective-taking exercises; and synthesize understanding by applying multiple-viewpoint analysis to complex problems while demonstrating awareness of the relative nature of all viewpoints.
• 138Working with Miscommunication

  Analyze the role of dependent origination and subjective perception in creating miscommunication and conflict; evaluate various conflict resolution techniques through the lens of Buddhist principles; and implement mediation practices that help others recognize multiple perspectives while fostering mutual understanding and harmony.
• 139Engaging with Equanimity

  Analyze how attachment to idealistic expectations creates suffering in social engagement; evaluate how equanimity enables balanced responsiveness to change while maintaining compassion; and implement community service approaches that demonstrate neither detached indifference nor rigid attachment to outcomes.
• 140Equanimity versus Apathy

  Analyze the critical distinction between equanimity and apathy by examining how each responds to witnessing harm or injustice; evaluate when compassionate action requires skillful intervention versus accepting what cannot be changed; and implement discernment practices that demonstrate caring engagement without emotional overwhelm, using skillful means to address harmful situations while maintaining inner balance and open-heartedness.
• 201Discerning Authentic Dharma

  Analyze what is presented as buddhadharma by evaluating its source and differentiating its key characteristics from non-authentic teachings with a solid grounding in the core teachings to evaluate new ideas and avoid being misled.
• 206Buddhist Rituals Across Traditions

  Categorize ritual practices across Buddhist traditions according to their functions (purification, mindfulness cultivation, merit generation), analyze how specific rituals engage body, speech, and mind simultaneously, and evaluate the role of ritual in preserving dharma transmission and fostering contemplative awareness.
• 323Pramana

  Evaluate how we know what’s real by analyzing the two key ways of knowing: direct experience and inference (logical reasoning); assess how differentiating between clear and confused thinking supports better decision-making and helps avoid the ignorance that keeps us stuck in suffering; integrate this understanding by applying these principles to real-life situations, demonstrating how valid ways of knowing (cognition) helps us distinguish between how things seem (appearance) and how they really are (reality), both in everyday life and in meditation.
• 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.
• 121Empathy and Compassion

  Differentiate between cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and compassion by analyzing how each contributes to understanding others’ perspectives and experiences; evaluate how dependent origination explains the uniqueness of individual viewpoints using examples like “The Blind Men and the Elephant”; and implement mindful listening and perspective-taking practices that cultivate empathy and transform it into compassionate action for alleviating others’ suffering.