SYLLUBUS: First Floor - Small Vehicle

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The Four Hallmarks , Four Noble Truths, Five Aggregates, and Twelve Dependent Links

The Small Vehicle floor consists of modules organized around the Buddhist logic of Ground, Path, and Fruition. The Four Hallmarks and Four Noble Truths have been retrofit within this broader outline so that students can see the different Buddhist teachings’ relevance and relationships to other teachings. Guided Meditations have been freely woven into the outline throughout to give an experiential and contemplative component to the materials. Click on the titles below to access each learning module within the First Floor module. When complete, click the back button to reach this syllabus again. Keep track of the logical relationship between topics by considering where you are in the indented outline below. Then, move on to the next learning module.

Overall time estimate to complete 17 modules • 18 hours

Ground

Establishing the philosophical foundation through the First and Second Hallmarks

Path

Ethical guidelines, Meditation theory, and Phenomenological investigation aimed at Insight

  • First Hallmark – “All Conditioned Things are Impermanent”
    Module 1 • 90 min

    • Four Applications – Investigating the Ground
      Module 2 • 75 min

  • Second Hallmark – “All Things with Negative Influences are Suffering”

    • The First Noble Truth – Suffering
      Module 3 • 60 min

    • The Second Noble Truth – The Source of Suffering

    • The Third Noble Truth – The Cessation of Suffering
      Module 4 • 90 min

    • The Fourth Noble Truth – The Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering
      Module 5 • 50 min

      • Ethics in Theory and Practice

      • Meditation Theory of Śhamatha     ~70 min

        • Śhamatha Practice – Four Immeasurables     ~70 min

      • Meditation Theory of Vipaśhyanā – Four Kinds & Four Stages     ~50 min

        • Five Skandhas – Phenomenology     ~55 min

          • Conditioning Forces – Part 1     ~60 min

          • Conditioning Forces – Part 2     ~70 min

        • Four Applications – Complete Practice     ~85 min

    • Twelve Links – Introduction     ~65 min

      • Twelve Links & Four Noble Truths     ~55 min

      • Twelve Links as Contemplative Practice    ~55 min

  • Third Hallmark – “Everything is Empty of Identity”     ~70 min

  • Fourth Hallmark – “Nirvāṇa is Peace”     ~45 min

Fruition

The result of investigation: liberation

Personal Instruction & Retreat

We recommend scheduling at least one conversation with the meditation instructor before proceeding to the Great Vehicle floor. Students are welcome to schedule a retreat any time during this module.

Next Steps

When you have finished the Small Vehicle modules, feel free to move up to the Great Vehicle floor.