Download this overview of the course
Some core ideas to gain a new perspective on our lives.
- Views – wrong view, right view, perfect view; qualities of Dharma
- Conditionality – conditioned co-production as the middle way
- Facets of conditionality – impermanence, compoundedness, interconnectedness
- Four Noble Truths
- Orders of conditionality – reactive and creative; karmic and non-karmic conditionality
- Wisdom and compassion – altruistic dimension of Buddhism, Bodhisattva ideal
- Exploring the Wheel of Life, the Spiral Path, and the Mandala of the Five Buddhas.
Week 1: Four Noble Truths
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Review of previous and introduction to this module
- Our own questions and/vs. the Buddha’s big question
- The four truths
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
b) Materials/handouts:
- Reading Text from (old) Foundation Course, The Dharma 1, week 7
- Handout on main topics
Week 2: Week 2 - Views – Wrong View, Right View, Perfect View – and Qualities of Dharma
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Learning outcomes
- Review of last session and home practice
- Views – perfect vision and right view
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
c) Materials/handouts:
- Text from (old) Foundation Course, Part 4: Exploring Buddhist Practice – Ways of thinking, Week 1: The way to wisdom
- Exercise on views (in different situations)
- Handout on main topics
Week 3: Week 3 - Conditionality, Conditioned Co-production as the Middle Way
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Learning outcomes
- Review of last session and home practice
- Conditioned co-production: the theory; middle way (between hopelessness and wilfulness, determinism and randomness, existence and non-existence)
- Interconnectedness and Indra’s Net
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
b) Materials/handouts:
- Handout on main topics
Week 4: Week 4 - Facets of Conditionality – Impermanence, Compoundedness, Interconnectedness
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Review of previous class and home practice – the three laksanas (with exercises)
- Insight meditation
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
b) Materials/handouts:
- Handout on main topics
Week 5: Week 5 - Orders of Conditionality – Reactive and Creative; Karmic and Non-karmic Conditionality
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Review of previous class and home practice
- Orders of conditionality (5 niyamas)
- What is karma?
- Mind reactive & creative
- How to maintain resourceful, positive mental states
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
b) Materials/handouts:
- Handout on main topics
Week 6: Week 6 - Wisdom and Compassion – the Altruistic Dimension of Buddhism and the Bodhisattva Ideal
a) Notes for the teacher, including suggestions for:
- Review of previous class and home practice
- Wisdom & Compassion, introductory exercise
- The Bodhisattva Ideal and the Bodhicitta
- Bringing it down to earth
- Suggestions for home practice
- Recommended further reading
b) Materials/handouts:
- Handout on main topics