Seeing the implications of our behaviour for ourselves and others.
A six-week course exploring Buddhist Ethics. Provided by Vajrapriya, Cambridge Buddhist Centre, UK. This is the fourth module of Vajrapriya’s Level Two Buddhism Course in six modules.
Overview
- Ethics as individual choice
- Love – the golden rule
- Generosity – respecting and contributing
- Contentment – weakening the neurotic drives
- Honesty – being true about ourselves
- Awareness – the working edge for any growth
Week 1: Ethics As Individual Choice
a) Attitudes when trying to communicate ethics
b) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Learning outcomes for module
- Exercise: Why practise ethics?
- Sources of ethical judgment
- The workings of karma
- Intention and intelligence (skilfulness)
- Precepts as training principles
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
c) Materials/handouts:
- Exercise: Quotes on ethics
- Handout on main topics
Week 2: Love As The Golden Rule
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Learning outcomes
- Review of last session
- First precept
- Exercise: Debate on vegetarianism
- Love mode vs. power mode (with writing exercise and small group discussion)
- Suggestions for home practice
b) Materials/handouts:
- Handout on main topics
Week 3: Generosity
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Learning outcomes
- Review of last session and home practice
- Dana as the fundamental Buddhist virtue
- Ways of taking the not-given
- Recollecting generosity
- Role-play: giving – taking – receiving OR generosity audit
- Dana at the Buddhist centre
- Suggestions for home practice
b) Materials/handouts:
- Cards for Role-play
- Worksheet for generosity audit
- Handout on main topics
Week 4: Simplicity and Contentment
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Learning outcomes
- Review of previous class and home practice
- Brainstorm about Buddhist attitudes to sexuality
- How can we cultivate simplicity and contentment?
- Exploring stillness, simplicity, contentment
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
b) Materials/handouts:
- Handout on main topics
- Quotes about stillness, simplicity, contentment
Week 5: Truthfulness
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Learning outcomes
- Review of previous class and home practice
- Why be truthful?
- Exercise: What are the consequences of (un)truthfulness?
- How to practice
- Communication exercise
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
b) Materials/handouts:
- Handout on main topics
- Quotes on truth
Week 6: Mindfulness
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Learning outcomes
- Review of previous class and home practice
- Centrality of mindfulness in Buddhism – why?
- Exercise: mindful passing of an object
- Importance of body awareness
- Losing mindfulness and intoxication
- How to enhance mindfulness in everyday life
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
b) Materials/handouts:
- Worksheet Mindfulness and Intoxication
- Handout on main topics