Buddhist Mind Science: Activating Your Potential is a FPMT introductory course. Buddhism is considered by some to be a “science of mind” because it presents a comprehensive map describing the mind and its various aspects and functions. The Buddha’s teachings also provide methods to observe the mind directly and to discover and activate our inner potential. And it does so with one intention: to overcome suffering and its causes, and to cultivate true, lasting happiness.

This course introduces the Buddhist knowledge of the mind to provide:

• Practical techniques and insight on meditation,
• Understanding of the mechanisms of suffering and happiness,
• Tools to find purpose and mental balance in our daily life, and
• The means to discover and activate our inner potential for warmheartedness and wisdom.

And it does so through presenting both the Buddhist and a comparative modern scientific perspectives to stimulate reflection and inquiry.

The course is intended to address the needs of modern students, with a fact-based approach to the study of the mind and meditation. It is ideally suited for those:

• Open to learning about Buddhism with an emphasis on the practical integration of its teachings in daily life.
• Interested in the dialogue between the Buddhist and scientific perspectives when applied to the fields of study on meditation, the mind, compassion, or well-being, among others.
• Keen on developing a repertoire of tools, including meditation and contemplation techniques, to contribute to living meaningful, beneficial, and happier lives.

It is designed for people who may or may not have experience with secular or other forms of meditation.

The course is presented over seven modules, with a strong experiential component that invites everyone to reflect and check for themselves the different topics presented in the modules:

1. Cultivating lasting happiness: What Buddhism and science have to say about it is an exploration of purpose in life and what leads to dissatisfaction and suffering, and what to happiness, for oneself and others. It also explores the value of warmheartedness and wisdom, and it lays out the general foundation for the following modules.
2. Transforming the mind to cultivate lasting happiness focuses on meditation, mental balance, and emotions.
3. Getting to know your mind focuses on the mind.
4. Fundamental trainings to cultivate lasting happiness presents the foundations of the Buddhist paths.
5. Wise paths to the heart focuses on warmheartedness.
6. The nature of perception focuses on wisdom.
7. Embodying warmheartedness and wisdom explores how to bring the values of warmheartedness and wisdom into the world.

For more details, download the Extensive Presentation of the Course and Syllabus for our Buddhist Mind Science course.