DONATE
  receive our newsletters     join Friends of FPMT
  • DONATE
  • Home
  • News / Media
    • Mandala Magazine
      • Online Features
      • Archive
      • About Mandala Publications
      • This Issue
      • Subscribe
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Support Prisoners
    • FPMT News
    • Important Announcements
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News
    • e-News
      • e-News Archives
      • Receive Our Newsletters
      • Unsubscribe e-News
      • Unsubscribe FPMT Latest News
    • RSS Feeds
      • All News
      • FPMT Announcements
      • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News
      • Rinpoche’s Schedule
      • Rinpoche’s Health Updates
      • News About Ösel
      • FPMT Projects News
      • Education News
      • Mandala Magazine
    • Social Media
    • Videos, Photos, & Publications
      • Video Resources
      • Photo Galleries
      • Publications
      • Resources
  • Education
    • Education News
    • Programs
      • New to Buddhism?
      • Discovering Buddhism
      • Basic Program
      • Masters Program
      • Maitripa College
      • Living in the Path
      • Advice for Death and Dying
      • Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Program
    • Prayers & Practice Materials
      • Available by Donation
      • Free Downloads
      • Lamrim Resources
      • Dharma Dates – Tibetan Calendar
      • Prayer Book Updates
    • Mantras and Sutras
      • Various Mantras and Resources
      • Various Sutras and Resources
    • Death and Dying
    • Benefiting Animals
    • Teachings and Advice
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Audio Teachings
      • Light of the Path Teachings
      • FPMT YouTube Channel
    • Holy Objects
      • Prayer Flags
      • Prayer Wheels
      • Relics
      • Statues
      • Stupas
      • Thangkas
      • Tsa-Tsas
      • Microfilm for Stupas and Prayer Wheels
    • FPMT Service Seminars
    • Translations
    • Offer Your Support
    • Youth
      • Children’s Practice Materials
      • Mandala Magazine Articles on Youth
      • FDCW Family Activities
    • Secular
    • Buddhism FAQ
  • Centers
    • Center Directory
    • Center FAQ
    • Resident Teachers
    • Community Service
    • Affiliates Area
    • Monks and Nuns
    • Retreat Information
      • Retreat Schedule
      • Discovering Buddhism Retreat Schedule
      • Basic Program Retreat Schedule
  • Teachers
    • His Holiness the Dalai Lama
      • Biography
      • Books & Teachings
      • Foundation for Universal Responsibility
      • Long Life Prayers
      • Praise to His Holiness by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
      • Speeches and Letters
    • Lama Thubten Yeshe
      • Biography of Lama Yeshe & Lama Zopa
      • Photo Gallery
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Tributes to Lama Yeshe
      • Lama Yeshe’s Vision for FPMT
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche
      • About
      • News
      • Schedule
      • Videos
      • Photos
      • Advice
      • Rinpoche’s Teachers
      • How to Contact
      • Rinpoche’s Health – Official Updates & Practices
  • Projects
    • Make a Donation
    • Charitable Projects
      • FPMT’s Charitable Projects
      • Supporting Our Lamas
      • Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund
      • Social Services Fund
      • Holy Objects Fund
      • Practice and Retreat Fund
      • Education and Preservation Fund
      • Applying for Grants
    • News about Projects
    • Other Projects within FPMT
      • Animal Liberation Sanctuary
      • Lama Yeshe Sangha Fund
      • Land of Calm Abiding
      • FPMT Mongolia
      • Tara Puja Fund
      • Tsum
    • Support International Office
      • Friends of FPMT Membership
      • Work a Day for Rinpoche
      • Planned Giving
      • Endowment Fund
      • Merit Box
      • Give a Gift that Helps Others
    • Give Where Most Needed
  • FPMT
    • About FPMT
      • Mission Statement
      • Vast Visions for FPMT
      • The Origins of FPMT
      • Wisdom Culture
      • Osel Hita
      • Video Documentary
      • Messages of Appreciation
    • FPMT Announcements
    • International Office
      • Board of Directors
      • Staff – Key Positions
      • Contact Us
      • Map & Directions
      • Environmental Plan
      • Donate
    • Annual Review
    • Regional & National Offices
    • Safeguarding
    • Volunteer & Jobs
    • Shugden/Dolgyal Information
  • Shop
    • The Foundation Store
    • New Arrivals
    • Specials
    • Foundation Store Newsletter
    • Practice Generosity
Education Programs FPMT Basic Program

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 or BP Online?

Why isn’t there just one teacher for the FPMT BP Online?

How does FPMT BP Online differ from BP Online/Homestudy provided by specific centers?

Can I study by combining BP Online/Homestudy from a particular center with FPMT BP Online?

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?

How is the assessment done in case of BP Online?

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 separately?

Why are there tests and a final exam?

What are the requirements for the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate?

Is the Basic Program 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 forum as with Discovering Buddhism at Home?

Do you provide help for BP Online by means of tutors?

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 Basic Program Online?

What does BP Online cost?

Why are some subjects offered in video and others in audio; why is there not just 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 while Discovering Buddhism focuses on specific topics, explained by Western teachers, and gradually introduces meditation practice and retreats. You need familiarity both with the tradition and with independent study, practice and retreat to be able to experience benefit from your BP studies.

Do I have to register at a center to participate in Basic Program Homestudy or BP Online?
No. You can simply order the package from the center or the access keys for the BP Online subjects offered at the Online Learning Center at The Foundation Store.

Why isn’t there just one teacher for FPMT BP Online?
FPMT BP Online is aimed at students worldwide who do not have a connection with a particular center or any one teacher. For these students we feel that it is most beneficial to provide the BP subjects taught by different FPMT teachers. In this way we give students the opportunity to get to know several of our Basic Program teachers and their different styles of teaching.

How does the FPMT BP Online differ from BP Online/Homestudy provided by specific centers?
Some centers provide BP Homestudy/Online based on teachings by their resident teacher. This option is aimed at students who have a connection with a particular center or teacher, but can’t attend the teachings for one reason or another. Many students worldwide who do not live near enough to a center to have an established connection with either a center or a teacher, have expressed an interest in Basic Program homestudy. For them FPMT BP Online has been developed.

Can I study by combining BP Online/Homestudy from a particular center with FPMT BP Online?
You can  study by combining BP Online subjects as offered by a center with subjects offered as FPMT BP Online. And you can qualify for the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate this way too, completing the entire BP by using these different options.

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 nine subjects of the core curriculum.

Do I get a certificate when I have passed the test for a subject?
FPMT BP Online issues a certificate for each subject that you succesfully complete. Centers offer the BP completion card signed off for completed online subjects in case you leave the program and would later continue it elsewhere. You can participate in the BP review and 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.

How is the assessment done in case of BP Online?
For BP Online an online test with an online answer key is provided for each subject. If you want to qualify for the BP Homestudy Completion Certificate the test is done under an honor system and you should not use your notes and course materials such as transcripts, text translations, and notes. 

Where do I find a list of the texts studied in the Basic Program?
The standard Basic Program texts and commentaries are listed in the overview of the BP curriculum.

Do I need to buy the translations of the texts and other books separately?
All essential materials needed to study a subject are included in the study materials. This includes a translation of the main text. If the main text can only be purchased from a publisher, this is indicated in the course description (on the online Learning Center) and in the product description (on the Foundation Store). The only subject with a required published book is currently Grounds and Paths of Secret Mantra.  Published books are listed for most subjects as recommended reading; these books are not required for studying the subject, and there is sufficient supplementary study material included in the course materials provided for each subject.

Why are there tests and a final exam?
The quizzes and the test 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 pass the test for the completion of each subject, complete the review (based on review questions provided by Education Services), pass 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 after completing a three-month review period
  • 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 the BP studies

A three-month lamrim retreat, as advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for the Basic Program in general, is not mandatory for homestudy students. The minimum requirement for the Basic Program Homestudy Completion Certificate is a one-month lamrim retreat.

Is the Basic Program 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. Also, while BP graduates are eligible to become FPMT registered teachers at In-depth level, BP Homestudy graduates can enter the teacher registration process for Foundational level, which qualifies them to teach introductory courses and Discovering Buddhism.

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 forum as with Discovering Buddhism at Home?
The BP Online forums at the Online Learning Center give you the opportunity to discuss the subject matter and how it relates to practice with other students. Centers have their own specific forms of support for their BP Online, often also by means of an online forum.

Do you provide help for BP Online by means of tutors?
Elders take part in the virtual discussion group provided by the FPMT BP Online forums. Centers provide help with their BP Online in various forms. The Online Basic Programs offered by Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa and by Nalanda Monastery are in real time, following the residential schedule, with tutors and the BP coordinator offering support in the form of review classes, online discussions or by checking exams and attending the online forum, etc.

Is there more to the Basic Program than just study and tests?
All subjects 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 should have some experience of 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.

You are encouraged to use the BP Online study materials on your computer rather than printing the sometimes large texts. This has the added advantage of the use of the  bookmarks in the PDF files, making cross reference much easier. In this way you also do not end up with large amounts of printed Dharma material that you might find difficult to eventually respectfully and correctly dispose of.

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 includes 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 tantra subjects towards the end of the Basic Program a highest yoga tantra initiation may be required when studying BP Online from a center; this entails taking the bodhisattva and tantra vows and a specific tantra daily practice commitment.

Is Basic Program homestudy only offered in English?
FPMT BP Online is offered only in English at this stage. If centers are providing their Basic Program courses as homestudy subjects 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 provides its BP Online in Italian as well as in English.

Are there any provisions to study Tibetan alongside Basic Program Online?

All FPMT BP Online subjects include the standard Tibetan texts and their translations, giving students with some proficiency in Tibetan the opportunity to increase their knowledge. Studying Tibetan is not a requirement or part of the Basic Program though, and students can complete the entire BP without knowledge of Tibetan language.

What does BP Online cost?

The FPMT BP Online subjects cost 45 USD each, unless there is a special offer.

Why are some subjects offered in video and others in audio; why is there not just one format?
While aiming at the highest quality and hoping in future to be able to provide all subjects in video 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 subjects are presented in different formats.

The Basic Program offered in centers seems to be a five-year program. How long will it take me to do the BP by homestudy?
It depends on the intensity and frequency of your study sessions. Several centers offer one teaching per subject per week, while there are also much more intensive residential Basic Programs, indicating that the BP is studied at a variety of levels over the five year period set for it. At home 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 done at home will also take about five years, based on a disciplined and quite intensive schedule of study and practice. For BP Online a time-wise planning and other recommendations are included with each subject on the How to study… page, while the expected length of time needed per available subject is indicated on the BP Online introductory page.

Facebooktwitter
  • Tagged: basic program
  • Home
  • News / Media
    • Mandala Magazine
      • Online Features
      • Archive
      • About Mandala Publications
        • FPMT News Around the World Submission Guidelines
      • This Issue
      • Subscribe
        • Subscribe to Mandala Publications
        • Subscribe to our RSS Feeds
      • Contact
        • Laura Miller – Managing Editor and Publisher
        • Nicole Parisi-Smith – Assistant Editor
        • Friends of FPMT
        • Address Changes
      • Advertise
      • Support Prisoners
    • FPMT News
    • Important Announcements
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News
    • e-News
      • e-News Archives
      • Receive Our Newsletters
      • Unsubscribe e-News
      • Unsubscribe FPMT Latest News
    • RSS Feeds
      • All News
      • FPMT Announcements
      • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News
      • Rinpoche’s Schedule
      • Rinpoche’s Health Updates
      • News About Ösel
      • FPMT Projects News
      • Education News
      • Mandala Magazine
    • Social Media
    • Videos, Photos, & Publications
      • Video Resources
        • Teachings of Lama Zopa Rinpoche
        • FPMT Live Webcast Channel
        • FPMT YouTube Channel
        • Mystic Tibet
          • Credits & Sponsors
          • Pictures
          • Press Packet
          • Purchase DVD
          • Reviews
          • Synopsis
          • Watch the Trailer
      • Photo Galleries
      • Publications
      • Resources
  • Education
    • Education News
    • Programs
      • New to Buddhism?
      • Discovering Buddhism
        • Homestudy Program
        • Online Learning Center
        • Centers Hosting the Program
        • Discovering Buddhism DVD
        • See the Trailer
        • Watch Discovering Buddhism Videos
        • Resources
        • Info on Mod 14
        • Western Teachers
        • FAQ
        • Statements of Appreciation
      • Basic Program
        • Standard Texts and Commentaries
        • Subject Descriptions
        • Preparatory Study and Practice
        • Centers
        • Homestudy
        • Homestudy Teachers
        • Homestudy FAQ
      • Masters Program
      • Maitripa College
      • Living in the Path
      • Advice for Death and Dying
      • Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Program
    • Prayers & Practice Materials
      • Available by Donation
      • Free Downloads
      • Lamrim Resources
      • Dharma Dates – Tibetan Calendar
        • Purchase Calendar
        • Dates Explained
      • Prayer Book Updates
    • Mantras and Sutras
      • Various Mantras and Resources
      • Various Sutras and Resources
        • Amitayus Long Life Sutra
        • Entering the Great City of Vaishali
        • Heart Sutra
        • Sanghata Sutra
        • Sutra of Golden Light
        • Vajra Cutter Sutra
    • Death and Dying
    • Benefiting Animals
    • Teachings and Advice
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Audio Teachings
      • Light of the Path Teachings
        • 2017 Video Archive
        • 2016 Video Archive
        • 2014 Video Archive
        • 2010 Video Archive
        • 2009 Video Archive
      • FPMT YouTube Channel
    • Holy Objects
      • Prayer Flags
      • Prayer Wheels
      • Relics
      • Statues
      • Stupas
      • Thangkas
      • Tsa-Tsas
      • Microfilm for Stupas and Prayer Wheels
        • Information on How to Fill a Prayer Wheel
        • Benefits of Making Prayer Wheels
        • How this Latest Mani Microfilm was Developed
    • FPMT Service Seminars
    • Translations
    • Offer Your Support
    • Youth
      • Children’s Practice Materials
      • Mandala Magazine Articles on Youth
      • FDCW Family Activities
    • Secular
    • Buddhism FAQ
  • Centers
    • Center Directory
    • Center FAQ
    • Resident Teachers
    • Community Service
    • Affiliates Area
    • Monks and Nuns
    • Retreat Information
      • Retreat Schedule
      • Discovering Buddhism Retreat Schedule
      • Basic Program Retreat Schedule
  • Teachers
    • His Holiness the Dalai Lama
      • Biography
      • Books & Teachings
      • Foundation for Universal Responsibility
      • Long Life Prayers
      • Praise to His Holiness by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
      • Speeches and Letters
    • Lama Thubten Yeshe
      • Biography of Lama Yeshe & Lama Zopa
      • Photo Gallery
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Tributes to Lama Yeshe
      • Lama Yeshe’s Vision for FPMT
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche
      • About
      • News
      • Schedule
      • Videos
      • Photos
      • Advice
      • Rinpoche’s Teachers
      • How to Contact
      • Rinpoche’s Health – Official Updates & Practices
        • Practices
        • En Français
        • Ongoing List of Some of the Pujas Done
  • Projects
    • Make a Donation
    • Charitable Projects
      • FPMT’s Charitable Projects
      • Supporting Our Lamas
        • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund
          • News
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Big Love Fund
          • News
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Long Life Puja Fund
          • Photos
      • Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund
        • Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Social Services Fund
        • Animal Liberation Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Protecting the Environment
      • Holy Objects Fund
        • Zangdog Palri: Guru Rinpoche Pure Land Project
        • Stupa Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Padmasambhava Project for Peace
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Maitreya Projects
        • Prayer Wheel Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Practice and Retreat Fund
        • Puja Fund
          • News
          • Activities
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Prajnaparamita Project
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Education and Preservation Fund
        • Education Fund
          • Donate Now
        • Translation Fund
        • Preserving the Lineage Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Applying for Grants
    • News about Projects
    • Other Projects within FPMT
      • Animal Liberation Sanctuary
      • Lama Yeshe Sangha Fund
      • Land of Calm Abiding
      • FPMT Mongolia
        • Donate Now
      • Tara Puja Fund
      • Tsum
        • Living Conditions
        • Plans for the Future
        • A Personal Account
        • Health Survey
        • Photo Album
        • Donate Now
    • Support International Office
      • Friends of FPMT Membership
      • Work a Day for Rinpoche
      • Planned Giving
      • Endowment Fund
      • Merit Box
      • Give a Gift that Helps Others
    • Give Where Most Needed
  • FPMT
    • About FPMT
      • Mission Statement
      • Vast Visions for FPMT
      • The Origins of FPMT
      • Wisdom Culture
      • Osel Hita
        • News about Ösel
        • Photos of Ösel
        • Videos of Ösel
        • Books, Articles, Talks
      • Video Documentary
      • Messages of Appreciation
    • FPMT Announcements
    • International Office
      • Board of Directors
      • Staff – Key Positions
      • Contact Us
      • Map & Directions
      • Environmental Plan
      • Donate
    • Annual Review
    • Regional & National Offices
    • Safeguarding
    • Volunteer & Jobs
    • Shugden/Dolgyal Information
  • Shop
    • The Foundation Store
    • New Arrivals
    • Specials
    • Foundation Store Newsletter
    • Practice Generosity

Translate*

*powered by Google TranslateTranslation of pages on fpmt.org is performed by Google Translate, a third party service which FPMT has no control over. The service provides automated computer translations that are only an approximation of the websites' original content. The translations should not be considered exact and only used as a rough guide.

Whatever problem one experiences if one thinks about the benefits of problems and how they are beneficial for ones own life, to develop ones mind in compassion, to develop loving kindness, patience, wisdom, and all the positive qualities for the path to liberation. By thinking of the benefits one develops this precious quality, this most healthy positive way of thinking that brings happiness and that stops you from harming yourself and stops you from harming others.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Contact Info

1632 SE 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214-4702 USA
Tel (503) 808-1588 | Fax (503) 232-0557

About FPMT

FPMT is an organization devoted to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service. more...

About Buddhism

If you're new to Buddhism, please read our Buddhism FAQ. A place to learn about Buddhism in general, FPMT, and our Discovering Buddhism at Home series.
Contact Us | RSS Feeds | Privacy & Security | Copyright ©2019 FPMT Inc.