Justice

• 200ELineage 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.
• 202EThe Buddha and Social Hierarchies

  Analyze the radical nature of the Buddha’s teachings on caste, and evaluate their significance within the cultural context in which they emerged.
• 104EMerit

  Analyze the relationship between virtuous actions and their karmic effects; evaluate how motivation influences the merit generated by specific behaviors; and synthesize understanding of merit by designing anonymous acts of service that demonstrate the Buddhist principle of selfless giving.
• 103EAhimsa in Society

  Analyze systemic structures through the lens of ahimsa (non-aggression) by identifying who benefits and who is harmed by specific economic, social, or political systems; evaluate personal participation in potentially harmful systems using Buddhist ethical frameworks; and synthesize understanding by designing alternative approaches that prioritize ahimsa and pratityasamutpada (dependent origination) in social change efforts.
• 106EWork as Practice

  Analyze the Buddhist concept of right livelihood as it applies to contemporary work and service; evaluate how transforming daily tasks into mindfulness practice affects both personal well-being and contribution to others; and synthesize understanding by implementing work-as-practice approaches that demonstrate dignity, presence, and selfless service in various life contexts.
• 133EExploring Boundaries

  Analyze personal and physical boundaries, implement healthy boundary-setting practices, and evaluate how visible and invisible boundaries shape experience.
• 305ESangha

  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.
• 129EThe Buddha’s Equanimity

  Analyze the Buddha’s demonstration of equanimity in the kusa grass story by examining how he transcended social hierarchies and caste distinctions; evaluate how treating all beings with equal dignity challenges contemporary forms of bias and discrimination; and implement practices of unconditional respect that demonstrate recognition of innate goodness in all people regardless of their social status, background, or relationship to oneself.
• 121EEmpathy 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.