Intermediate Program
A Commitment to Excellence
Overview
Our 6-year Intermediate Program, centered on Maitreya’s “The Ornament of Clear Knowledge,” fosters an understanding of the diverse wisdom levels among great teachers and motivates comprehensive Buddhist practice. As a core text in the “Five Great Treatises” curriculum, it provides insights into the Buddha, Bodhisattva, Śrāvaka, and Pratyekabuddha, highlighting their varying levels of wisdom, methods of helping others, and the outcomes of their practices. Through studying this text, students gain a thorough understanding of the content, method, and stages of learning, thereby developing a comprehensive view of Buddhist practice and a strong motivation to learn.
Course Requirements
- Required: 165 credits
- Electives: 28 credits
| "Five Great Treatises" | Foundations of Buddhist Practice | Buddhist Monasticism & Ministry | Language Studies for Sutra Translation | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Required: 125 credits Ornament of Clear Knowledge (41 credits) Debate (36 credits) Sutra Recitation (48 credits) |
Required: 28 credits Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (4credits) Precepts (24 credits) |
Required: 12 credits Morning and Evening Prayers (12 credits) |
Electives: 4 credits Chinese Language (2 credits) Tibetan Language (2 credits) |
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Electives: 12 credits Supplementary materials from Ornament of Clear Knowledge (12 credits) |
Electives: 8 credits Commentaries on Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (4 credits) Buddhist Teachings (2 credits) Buddhist Sutra Recitation (2 credits) |
Electives: 4 credits Ceremonial Prayers (2 credits) Practical Buddhism (2 credits) |
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Year 1 Required Courses
| Course Title | Credit(s) |
|---|---|
| FGT1301. A Commentary on the Seventy Topics; A Garland of Philosophies | 3 |
| FGT1302. Debate on A Commentary on the Seventy Topics; A Garland of Philosophies | 3 |
| FGT1303. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge I | 4 |
| FBP1109. The Great Treatise IX | 2 |
| FBP1209. Bodhisattva Precepts III | 2 |
| BMM1109. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate I | 1 |
| FGT1304. Ornament of Clear Knowledge I | 4 |
| FGT1305. Debate on Explanation and Analysis of Ornament of Clear Knowledge I; Annotations on Chapter One of Ornament of Clear Knowledge I | 3 |
| FGT1306. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge II | 4 |
| FBP1110. The Great Treatise X | 2 |
| FBP1210. Bodhisattva Precepts IV | 2 |
| BMM1110. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate II | 2 |
Year 2 Required Courses
| Course Title | Credit(s) |
|---|---|
| FGT1307. Ornament of Clear Knowledge II | 4 |
| FGT1308. Debate on Explanation and Analysis of Ornament of Clear Knowledge II; Annotations on Chapter One of Ornament of Clear Knowledge II | 3 |
| FGT1309. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge III | 4 |
| FBP1211. Nanshan Precepts: Beilan I | 2 |
| BMM1111. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate III | 1 |
| FGT1310. Ornament of Clear Knowledge III | 4 |
| FGT1311. Debate on Explanation and Analysis of Ornament of Clear Knowledge II; Annotations on Chapter One of Ornament of Clear Knowledge II; The Twenty Practitioners | 3 |
| FGT1312. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge IV | 4 |
| FBP1212. Nanshan Precepts: Beilan II | 2 |
| BMM1112. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate IV | 1 |
Year 3 Required Courses
| Course Title | Credit(s) |
|---|---|
| FGT1313. Ornament of Clear Knowledge IV | 4 |
| FGT1314. Debate on Explanation and Analysis of Ornament of Clear Knowledge Ⅳ; Annotations on Chapter One of Ornament of Clear Knowledge Ⅳ | 3 |
| FGT1315. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge V | 4 |
| FBP1213. Nanshan Precepts: Beilan Ⅲ | 2 |
| BMM1113. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate Ⅴ | 1 |
| FGT1316. Twelve Dependent Arisings | 3 |
| FGT1317. Debate on A Detailed Explanation of the Twelve Dependent Arisings | 3 |
| FGT1318. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge VI | 4 |
| FBP1214. Nanshan Precepts: Beilan Ⅳ | 2 |
| BMM1114. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate Ⅵ | 1 |
Year 4 Required Courses
| Course Title | Credit(s) |
|---|---|
| FGT1319. Ornament of Clear Knowledge V | 4 |
| FGT1320. Debate on Explanation and Analysis of Ornament of Clear Knowledge Ⅴ; Annotations on Chapter One of Ornament of Clear Knowledge Ⅴ | 3 |
| FGT1321. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge VII | 4 |
| FBP1215. Nanshan Precepts: Beilan Ⅴ | 2 |
| BMM1115. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate Ⅶ | 1 |
| FGT1322. Fundamental Consciousness | 3 |
| FGT1323. Debate on Key Difficult Points Regarding the Fundamental Consciousness | 3 |
| FGT1324. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge VIII | 4 |
| FBP1216. Nanshan Precepts: Beilan VI | 2 |
| BMM1116. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate VIII | 1 |
Year 5 Required Courses
| Course Title | Credit(s) |
|---|---|
| FGT1325. Ornament of Clear Knowledge VI | 3 |
| FGT1326. Debate on Explanation and Analysis of Ornament of Clear Knowledge VI | 3 |
| FGT1327. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge IX | 4 |
| FBP1217. Nanshan Precepts: Beilan VII | 2 |
| BMM1117. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate IX | 1 |
| FGT1328. Essence of True Eloquence | 3 |
| FGT1329. Debate on Essence of Eloquence: Differentiating Interpretable and Definitive Meanings | 3 |
| FGT1330. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge X | 4 |
| FBP1218. Nanshan Precepts: Beilan VIII | 2 |
| BMM1118. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate X | 1 |
Year 6 Required Courses
| Course Title | Credit(s) |
|---|---|
| FGT1331. Ornament of Clear Knowledge VII | 3 |
| FGT1332. Debate on Explanation and Analysis of Ornament of Clear Knowledge VII | 3 |
| FGT1333. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge XI | 4 |
| FBP1219. Precepts for Fully-Ordained Buddhist Nuns I | 2 |
| BMM1119. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate XI | 1 |
| FGT1334. Form and Non-Form | 3 |
| FGT1335. Debate on “Form and Non-Form” | 3 |
| FGT1336. Recitation on Ornament of Clear Knowledge XII | 4 |
| FBP1220. Precepts for Fully-Ordained Buddhist Nuns II | 2 |
| BMM1120. Morning & Evening Prayer – Intermediate XII | 1 |
Program Requirements
- Be registered and enrolled at Great Wisdom
- Fulfill all required credits (see “Course Requirements”)
- Maintain a satisfactory “C” average after each academic year
- Pass all “Five Great Treatises” year-end examinations, consist of three parts: written exam, debate exam, and memorization exam.