Academic Area Pathways

• 323EPramana

  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.
• 224ECross-Cultural Dialogue

  Design thoughtful, respectful questions to investigate others’ beliefs and lineage, balancing confidence, tact, and humility, and evaluate how this approach enhances cross-cultural understanding.
• 227ETransmission of the Dharma

  Analyze the role of lineage in preserving authentic dharma transmission across generations and cultures; evaluate contemporary methods of communicating Buddhist teachings (digital media, arts, education) against traditional oral and textual transmission; and synthesize understanding by creating innovative approaches to dharma communication that maintain authenticity while engaging modern audiences effectively.
• 229EMonastic Traditions

  Analyze the historical development and contemporary roles of monastic communities across Buddhist traditions, evaluate the relationship between ordained and lay practitioners in preserving and transmitting dharma, and demonstrate understanding of how monastic traditions adapt to cultural contexts while maintaining essential functions.
• 230EThree Yanas: Theravada Buddhism

  Analyze the foundational principles, practices, and scriptural authority of Theravada Buddhism, compare and contrast Theravada approaches to liberation with Mahayana and Vajrayana perspectives, and evaluate how different cultural contexts have shaped the preservation and expression of early Buddhist teachings.
• 231EThree Yanas: Mahayana Buddhism

  Articulate the distinctive characteristics of Mahayana Buddhism, including the bodhisattva ideal and emphasis on universal liberation; analyze how Mahayana approaches to practice (emptiness philosophy, Pure Land practice, Zen meditation) address different paths to awakening; and evaluate the relationship between Mahayana adaptability and preservation of core Buddhist principles.
• 232EThe Three Yanas: Vajrayana Buddhism

  Identify the methodologies specific to Vajrayana Buddhism. Examine how tantric practices integrate ritual, visualization, and guru-disciple relationships, and evaluate how Vajrayana approaches to transformation relate to the foundational teachings preserved in Theravada and Mahayana traditions.
• 233EAnatta and Identity

  Analyze the Buddhist teaching of anatta (no-self) in relation to cultural identity formation; evaluate how understanding the impermanent nature of identity can reduce sectarianism and nationalism while maintaining healthy cultural appreciation; and synthesize understanding by developing approaches to heritage that honor origins without demanding conformity from others.
• 235EThe 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.