Winter 2017 (Feb. 13 – May 21, 2017)

Course Facilitator: Ven. Bup Mee (Kevin Hickey)

Arguably one of the most important and influential dimensions of Buddhism is ethical behavior. The Buddha himself strongly emphasized a code of conduct that should be followed by not only the monastics, but the laity as well. The Buddha knew that acting with a moral and ethical consciousness not only greatly diminished the suffering of the person practicing, but the suffering of all beings. This course will look at the foundations of Buddhist ethics, including the traditional Pratimoksha vows of the monastic, the Bodhisattva vows, the Buddhist vows for the laity, as well as the six paramitas (six perfections). Students will gain a fundamental understanding of these ethical norms, as well as learn how to view contemporary social and ethical challenges through a Buddhist perspective.