The Practice of Buddhism
An introduction to Buddhist practice focusing on how ethics and meditation work together to improve our lives.
What is the Practice of Buddhism?
Buddhism is a practice meant to increase our happiness by encouraging our cultivation of moral virtues, mental clarity, and compassionate wisdom.
Buddhism supports this “threefold training” by providing both essential, explanatory frameworks and practical guidance. The Buddha himself called this a “Dhamma-Vinaya,” or “Philosophy-Discipline,” but we might simply call it “a way of life” because Buddhism is meant to transform our entire lives from our selfish, restless, addicted, never-satisfied “default mode,”1 to the pinnacle of human potential—the total eradication of suffering.
Prerequisites
This course strives to be a rigorous overview of Buddhism suitable for everyone—from beginners to experienced practitioners alike—and it is recommended for all.
For a softer introduction, featuring a variety of teachers, see Buddhism 101.