Science of the Mind

• 331EThe Brain is not the Mind

  Identify key brain structures on diagrams. Analyze their functions, and compare how neuroscience and Buddhist psychology explain mental phenomena. Apply this knowledge to implement both brain-based regulation techniques and awareness-based practices that address challenges effectively.
• 335EBuddhist Debate

  Analyze diverse perspectives through structured debate, and demonstrate the application of gestures and concepts from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of debate.
• 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.
• 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.
• 107EChallenging Others’ Views

  Evaluate invalid assumptions and harmful dogmas, and generate skillful responses to challenge them using discriminating intelligence. Model and implement respectful inquiry techniques.