Core Buddhist Pathways

• 599Opanayiko

  Analyze the difference between accepting teachings through belief, versus discovering truth through direct experience, then evaluate how applying a Buddhist concept in daily life—such as impermanence or compassion—can lead to personal insights. Compare direct experience with theoretical understanding of dharma teachings, and assess whether this experiential approach demonstrates the quality of opanayiko by genuinely leading toward inner clarity and transformation.
• 523Five Wisdom Elements

  Implement practices that honor the five elements in daily life. Lead guided meditations that explore each element’s qualities and significance.
• 515Anicca and Lila

  Create spontaneous, playful artistic expressions with awareness of impermanence, and analyze how non-agenda-driven creativity enhances present-moment awareness.
• 502Tanha: Sensory Enjoyment

  Implement mindful self-care practices that honor the body as a vehicle for awakening, and analyze how unrestrained sensory craving creates suffering.
• 452Stillness Practices

  Analyze various stillness practices, evaluate their value in daily life, and implement discerning choices about energy expenditure, recognizing that sometimes the best option is to do nothing.
• 449Prajnaparamita Mantra

  Identify the function of mantra practice within Buddhist meditation traditions. Analyze how the prajnaparamita mantra connects to the Heart Sutra’s teachings on emptiness, and demonstrate competency by accurately reciting the mantra and explaining its meaning.
• 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.
• 456Sense Restraint

  Analyze the Buddha’s teachings on sense restraint; evaluate how sensory input influences mental states, thoughts, and emotions; and develop the habit of pausing before reacting to sensory experiences.
• 457Wise Attention

  Analyze the distinction between wise and unwise attention in personal experience; evaluate how different types of mental focus either support or hinder insight development; and implement specific techniques for cultivating wise attention during challenging emotional states or decision-making situations.
• 463The Paramita of Dhyana/Meditation

  Differentiate between ordinary concentration and the paramita of dhyana as described in Buddhist texts; analyze the role of meditative absorption (samadhi) in developing wisdom and compassion; and demonstrate competency by designing and leading basic meditation sessions that cultivate both individual focus and group harmony.