Lesson 1: Introduction to Buddhism

This is a basic overview and introduction to what Buddhism is and the different types of Buddhism you may encounter. We will take a brief look at the differences between the Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan and Zen schools of Buddhism.

Lesson 2: Karma

Karma is perhaps one of the most commonly recognised of eastern philosophies but also one which is very much misunderstood. We look at the karmic cycle, instant karma and karma credits in this lesson.

Lesson 3: Samsara

Continuing from the last lesson’s discussion of karma we take a look at Samsara, the continuous cycles of life and the Buddhist approach to them.

Lesson 4: The Four truths

This lesson is a conceptual look at the path that the Buddha found as part of his mission to end all suffering and how the four truths can affect daily life.

Lesson 5: The Eightfold path

In this lesson we take a practical look at the elements that the Buddha recommended for the development of a compassionate path.

Lesson 6: The Sangha

The term Sangha has changed use over the years, we look at what is meant by this. We also look at the effects of the human condition and the difference between personal thought and contributions to the universal Buddhist mind.

Lesson 7: Awareness

Awareness in a Buddhist sense or more accurately in a Zen sense is a particular state in which time does not exist and the immersion into the constant present is unlocks a deeper understanding of the world around us.

Lesson 8: Detachment

Detachment of materials, property, desires, thoughts and the notion of self will be looked at in this lesson.

Lesson 9: Nirvana

The increase in awareness, reduction of wants and the end of suffering can lead to a joining into the universal mind. In this lesson we will look at Nirvana and its relationship with samsara.

Each lesson will clearly define the aim of the lesson and the scope of what will and will not be included.

This section will be a general overview and a basic definition of what we are looking at and any new terminology that is introduced.

Further details to help add depth and clearer understanding of the topic.

Each lesson will end with a few exercises; the answers to these are not always easy and are not necessarily in the text of the lesson. This is not a comprehension exercise but is here to make you think about each lesson and its relevance. You can also post your answers/thoughts in the forum.