FAQ about Basic Program Homestudy
If I want to study the FPMT education programs by way of homestudy, do I have to start with Discovering Buddhism ?
Do I have to register at a center to participate in Basic Program homestudy?
Why isn't there just one teacher for the FPMT BP Homestudy?
How does the FPMT BP Homestudy differ from BP Homestudy provided by specific centers?
Can I use BP homestudy packages from centers as well as from the Education Department, or should I stick to one of them once I have started?
Is it necessary to do all subjects or can I just do one or two?
Do I get a certificate when I have passed the test for a subject?
What is the completion card?
How do I get a homestudy completion card?
How is the assessment done in case of homestudy?
What is the purpose of the 'honor system', and how does it work?
Where do I find a list of the texts studied in the Basic Program?
Do I need to buy the translations of the texts and other books?
Why are there tests and a final exam?
What are the requirements for the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate?
Is the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate different from the general Basic Program Completion Certificate?
What are the five lay-vows mentioned by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the Basic Program Practice & Conduct Info sheet?
Will there be an on-line bulletin board as with Discovering Buddhism at Home?
Do you provide help for BP homestudy by means of tutors, as The Foundation of Buddhist Thought does?
Is there more to the Basic Program than just study and tests?
I heard of something called dharma etiquette. Does this have anything to do with studying the Basic Program?
Do I need initiation into Buddhism? At what point if at all?
Is Basic Program Homestudy only offered in English?
Are there any provisions to study Tibetan alongside the Basic Program Homestudy?
What does the BP Homestudy cost?
Why are the packages offered in DVD and audio and not just in one format?
The Basic Program as offered in centers seems to be a five-year program. How long will it take me to do the program as Homestudy? How many hours per week do I need?
If I want to study the FPMT education programs by way of homestudy, do I have to start with Discovering Buddhism ?
It depends on your familiarity with this tradition of Buddhism. If you are new to Tibetan Buddhism it would be best to do the more accessible Discovering Buddhism at Home first. The Basic Program is a more traditional, in-depth study based on Tibetan and Indian texts.
Do I have to register at a center to participate in Basic Program homestudy?
No. You can simply order the packages from the Education Department or on-line at The Foundation Store.
Why isn't there just one teacher for the FPMT BP Homestudy?
FPMT BP homestudy is aimed at students worldwide who do not have a connection with a particular center or any one teacher. For these students we feel it is most beneficial to provide each BP subject taught by a different FPMT teacher. In this way we give them the opportunity to get to know several of our Basic Program teachers and their styles of teaching.
How does the FPMT BP Homestudy differ from BP Homestudy provided by specific centers?
Some centers provide homestudy based on teachings by their resident teacher. These packages are usually aimed at students who have a connection with a particular center or teacher, but can't attend the teachings for one reason or another. Not all Basic Program centers can offer this option, and also, many students worldwide who do not live near enough to a center to have an established connection with either center or teacher, have expressed an interest in Basic Program homestudy. For them the FPMT BP Homestudy has been developed.
Can I study by combining BP homestudy packages from a particular center with the FPMT BP homestudy packages?
Yes. And you can qualify for the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate this way too, completing the entire BP by using packages from different centers or from the FPMT BP Homestudy.
Is it necessary to do all subjects or can I just do one or two?
You can do as many subjects as you are interested in. If you want to qualify for the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate you will have to do at least all 9 subjects of the core curriculum.
Do I get a certificate when I have passed the test for a subject?
There are no certificates issued for individual Basic Program subjects. You can have your homestudy completion card signed if you complete a subject with the test. You can participate in the BP final exam when you have fulfilled all the requirements. Successful completion of all the components of the program is recognized by a Basic Program Homestudy Completion Certificate.
What is the completion card?
The card is designed so you can keep a record of your participation in the program. Students who complete the entire BP homestudy are awarded the Homestudy Completion Certificate on presentation of a card endorsed by the Education Department homestudy assessor or the teacher or center director, indicating that you have completed all subjects as well as the retreat, and met the requirements regarding meditation, conduct, practice, and examination.
How do I get a homestudy completion card?
You receive the card when you send in your first test to the homestudy assessor at Education Department, or, if you use a center's homestudy, from the center upon request.
How is the assessment done in case of homestudy?
Students can check their understanding by using the tests and answer keys included in the packages. If you want to qualify for the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate the test is done under an honor system and you should not use the answer key. The completed test is then sent by email to the BP homestudy assessor at Education Department, or to the center if you follow a BP homestudy program there.
What is the purpose of the 'honor system', and how does it work?
This system makes it possible for homestudy students to participate fully in the Basic Program, including the elements of conduct and behavior, retreat, and meditation as well as the academic component of study with tests and a final exam. Homestudy students do not have to participate fully in the program in this way, but they can if they want to.
The honor system is applied in the following ways:
- for the tests: by signing the statement at the top of the test you indicate that you have not used the answer key or your text and notes etc., while completing the test.
- for the meditation requirement: you need to keep a weekly meditation record; this is your own responsibility - the record is not checked by anybody else.
- for the one or three month lamrim retreat: if you do the retreat independently, you can sign the completion card yourself when this requirement is fulfilled.
- for the final exam: if the exam is done independently at home, you need to sign the honor statement included, indicating that you did not make use of your course materials, notes etc.
- for the Basic Program conduct and practice requirement: you are expected to apply yourself to this practice to the best of your ability, sincerely and honestly.
Where do I find a list of the texts studied in the Basic Program?
The curriculum and standard Basic Program texts and commentaries are listed under general information about the Basic Program here.
Do I need to buy the translations of the texts and other books?
All essential materials needed to study a subject are included in the package as a minimum. This almost always includes a translation of the main text. On rare occasions the main text can only be purchased from a publisher. Sometimes there are some books recommended for additional reading, but generally there is sufficient recommended reading and supplementary study material included in the course materials.
Why are there tests and a final exam?
The tests are intended as a study tool; they will help you assess your understanding of the subject matter. You are free to make use of them or not. If you want to qualify for the Basic Program Homestudy Completion Certificate, you have to do all the tests and the final exam and fulfill the requirements of full participation in the program.
What are the requirements for the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate?
To qualify for the FPMT Basic Program Homestudy Completion Certificate, students are required:
·
to have completed the 9 subjects of the BP core curriculum and their respective tests
·
to have completed the lamrim retreat
·
to have passed the BP Final Exam
·
to have conduct that accords with Buddhist ethics, in particular, to develop the practice of abstention from killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct (adultery), and intoxicants
and
to be practicing awareness of positive and negative states in one's mind and be developing the practice of patience and concern for others in particular
·
to have engaged in at least two half-hour lamrim meditation sessions a week during their BP studies
The completion of a three month lamrim retreat, as advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for the Basic Program, is not mandatory for homestudy students. The requirement for the Basic Program Homestudy Completion Certificate is a one month mandatory lamrim retreat.
Is the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate different from the general Basic Program Completion Certificate?
Yes; the certificate indicates that it was awarded on the basis of homestudy, and that students therefore did not study with a teacher in person; the certificate does not qualify one to teach.
What are the five lay-vows mentioned by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the Basic Program Practice & Conduct Info sheet?
The five lay-vows consist of the practice of abstention from killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct (adultery), and intoxicants.
Will there be an on-line bulletin board as with Discovering Buddhism at Home?
An on-line bulletin board has been created for Basic Program homestudy, giving you the opportunity to discuss the subject matter and how it relates to practice with other students. Instructions on how to become a member of the bulletin board are included in your course package.
Do you provide help for BP homestudy by means of tutors, as The Foundation of Buddhist Thought does?
Other than the elders who take part in the virtual discussion group provided by the online bulletin board, we can not presently provide tutors for Basic Program homestudy. However, centers can and do sometimes provide extra help with their BP homestudy in various forms, e.g. tutors, a 'buddy system' of older students teaming up with homestudy students, support by correspondence etc.
Is there more to the Basic Program than just study and tests?
All packages include guided meditations or written meditation and retreat instructions, and you are strongly encouraged to make use of these. Centers implementing the Basic Program sometimes schedule practice days or short retreats that you may like to consider participating in as well. Also, as a Basic Program student you would ideally have some experience of both Lamrim study and meditation, enabling you to structure your own retreats and a daily or regular meditation practice.
I heard of something called dharma etiquette. Does this have anything to do with studying the Basic Program?
Yes; all materials containing Dharma teachings should be handled with respect, and it is appropriate to also treat your study area respectfully. This is explained in more detail in the Guidelines for Discovering Buddhism at Home at the end of page 13.
Do I need initiation into Buddhism? At what point if at all?
Once faith and sufficient understanding develop, one may decide to 'take refuge' in the Buddhist teachings. This is the name given to the formal step of entrusting oneself to the Buddhist path. Discovering Buddhism and The Foundation of Buddhist Thought include modules on refuge and the development of the bodhisattva aspiration. In the Basic Program the Stages of the Path teachings further explain these, and Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds and Mahayana Mind Training will help you develop the commitments involved and train in keeping them. For the tantric subjects towards the end of the Basic Program a highest yoga tantra initiation is required; this entails taking the bodhisattva and tantra vows and a specific tantra daily practice commitment.
Is Basic Program Homestudy only offered in English?
The FPMT Basic Program homestudy packages are offered only in English at this stage. If centers are providing their Basic Program modules as home study packages the language depends on the center. Two of our Spanish centers, Nagarjuna Valencia and Nagarjuna Barcelona, offer their Basic Program materials as homestudy, and Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa did, and probably will again in the future, provide its Basic Program in Italian for homestudy.
Are there any provisions to study Tibetan alongside the Basic Program Homestudy?
All FPMT BP homestudy packages include the Tibetan text, giving students with some proficiency in Tibetan the opportunity to increase their knowledge.
What does the BP Homestudy cost?
The price varies considerably according to the length of the subject and the format in which the teachings are provided, from around 40-140 US dollars.
Why are the packages offered in DVD and audio and not just in one format?
While aiming at the highest quality and hoping in future to be able to provide all packages in DVD format, as an international organization we depend on the goodwill of the contributing centers, and on the technology they have at hand. At this stage not all centers can provide video recorded teachings, and thus the packages are presented in different formats. Also, some subjects are so long that providing them as DVDs would make the package too expensive.
The Basic Program as offered in centers seems to be a five-year program. How long will it take me to do the Homestudy?
It depends on the intensity and frequency of your study sessions. Most centers offer one teaching per subject per week, while there are also much more intensive residential Basic Programs. You can work your way through the material offered at your own pace, in accordance with your circumstances. Because the subject matter is often quite involved we expect that the entire program will take you at least four years.
