Course in Buddhist Reasoning and Debate (2017-19)

Teachings on The Course in Buddhist Reasoning and Debate: An Asian Approach to Analytical Thinking Drawn from Indian and Tibetan Sources by Daniel Perdue given at Sravasti Abbey.

Root Text

The Course in Buddhist Reasoning and Debate: An Asian Approach to Analytical Thinking Drawn from Indian and Tibetan Sources is available from Shambhala Publications here.

Why study debate?

Introduction to the text with an explanation of why we would want to study debate.

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Motivation to practice

How mindfulness of death and impermanence provides motivation to practice the Dharma, and why we need reasoning and logic as part of our spiritual practice.

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Syllogisms

Venerable Thubten Tarpa elaborates on the brief debate from the previous teaching, providing insight into the form of syllogisms and how they lead to wisdom.

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The three higher trainings

Teaching Chapter Three, focusing on the three higher trainings of ethical conduct, meditative stabilization and wisdom.

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Practicing the Dharma

Finishing Chapter Three, with advice for how to incorporate the Buddha's teachings into our lives skillfully, without contradiction.

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The comparison of phenomena

Beginning chapter four by teaching on how to use logic and reasoning to understand how categories of phenomena relate to each other.

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Four possibilities

Continuing Chapter Four by engaging the audience in identifying the 'four possibilities' when comparing different phenomena

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Review of four possibilities

Reviewing the debate on the four possibilities and the four possibilities without anything that is neither in debate

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Syllogisms

Geshe Dadul Namgyal explains how syllogisms are used in Buddhist logic and debate, and answers general questions on Buddhist philosophy.

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Buddhist ontology

Venerable Tenzin Tsepal gives a brief overview of Buddhist ontology and walks the class through completion of Exercise 4.4

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Mutually inclusive phenomena

Venerable Thubten Tarpa teaches on mutually inclusive phenomena and reviews mutually exclusive phenomena

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Tips for practice

Venerable Thubten Tarpa covers advice for engaging in the comparison of phenomena, as per the methods taught in previous weeks.

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