Course Contents for “Buddhism 101 Course 2018”
Date / Topics / Remark7 Jan 2018 / The Noble Eightfold Path – Right View/Right Understanding
Brief methodology of the Four Noble Truths
Right View – Cause and effects
Right Understanding
What are the dukkha the participants experience in this stage of life
“Mid-life crisis”
Kids
Work
Exhaustion/burnout
Mangala Sutta – three aspects of a blessed life
1. Professional skills
2. Interpersonal relationship
3. Personal spiritual life
How to carry on with renewed energy from Right Understanding
Self-care (Personal Spiritual Life) / Third Noble Truth –
Do you acknowledge that there can be an end to suffering?
Fourth Noble Truth –
Are you willing to make the change?
Baby steps, confidence-building steps
14 Jan 2018 / The Noble Eightfold Path – Right Action
The Five Precepts as cultivation of trustworthiness
Third Precept: ‘dangerous liaison’ – office symbiosis?
Starting a family
Husband and wife should have the same ideas about bringing up their children
“It takes a village to bring up a kid” – how to collaborate with extended families / Interpersonal relationship
Everybody wants to be understood, to be loved (= to be respected, to be appreciated)
Though these principles can be applied to all interpersonal relationships, focus here on family as discussion topic
21 Jan 2018 / The Noble Eightfold Path – Right Speech
Fourth Precept: Verbal Communication skills + Right Understanding
With spouse and own children (“Z 时代”) / For whom do you toil?
28 Jan 2018 / The Noble Eightfold Path – Right Livelihood (1)
1. Wealth Management – spend within one’s means
2. Extravagance on children – pros and cons
3. 不让孩子“输在起跑线上” – what do you want to teach your kids
We cannot foresee the future, so what can we equip our kids with? How can they be better than robots and apps? / How do you spend your hard-earned money?
4 Feb 2018 / The Noble Eightfold Path – Right Livelihood (2)
1. Wealth Management – the Buddhist way
2. Retirement plans – not just financial planning; live now
3. Legacy for children? / Wealth can be viewed as a tool or medium to live a meaningful life
11 Feb 2018 / The Noble Eightfold Path – Right Intention
1. Renunciation (of fixated views, attitudes, wants)
2. Good will (as opposed to ill will) = Mettā
3. Harmlessness = Karuṇā
Stress from all directions can take a toll on us; by getting fixated and harbouring anger/impatience (ill will can upgrade to harmfulness), we become less of a human and more of a monster
In lay terms, Right Intention is to have the intention of understanding self and others properly (and create win-win situation) / Subtitle is actually -
How to manage yourself?
Recap:
View → Intention → Action
(cycle)
* Contents subject to change