Formal students and monks of OPB are exposed to a variety of training resources to facilitate their practice and study of Pragmatic Buddhism. A majority of our educational resources are available online--with the exception of daily practice, of course!
If you are not yet a formal member of OPB but are interested in this path, please go to the "Buddhist Education" page to learn more, or if you are ready you may fill out the application now.
Formal students and monks, login by clicking the OPB logo below:
Socially Engaged Monasticism at CPB
The Order of Pragmatic Buddhists (OPB) trains formal
students in "socially engaged monasticism." Whereas
traditional Buddhism focuses on the temple life when
defining monasticism, OPB emphasizes how the monastic
lives his or her life in the face of the same social
circumstances and situations as other members of society.
Thus, OPB monastics, as "normalized" members of society,
are well equipped to demonstrate to others how one might
approach contemporary life and its hardships with
increased harmony.
The idea for socially engaged monasticism stems from Jim
Eubanks' primary teachers, Ryugen Fisher (Shi Shen Long)
and David E. Shaner Sensei. Both men view the socially
engaged life as crafting the optimum situation for one to
enact meaningful change in the world. By remaining
integrated in society, one is able to serve as an example
for the majority of Americans and their hectic
lifestyles. It is not the case that one needs to abandon
his or her family, social responsibilities, or live a
cloistered temple setting to cultivate positive
characteristics and realize a life as a good human being;
it can be achieved right here, right now, with the
resources presently at our disposal.
The monastics in OPB all
remain socially engaged, and work normal occupations, may
raise families, participate in normal social events, and
look just like any other "average" American. One defining
aspect of CPB monasticism is the willingness of the
formal student to study and practice so that he or she is
better able to handle the pressures of life in the
contemporary US. Please see our "Buddhist Education"
section for more specific information about our
informal and formal education programs.
If you have questions about CPB monasticism, or would
like to join us as a formal student, please email our
Abbot, Jim Eubanks, at jim.eubanks@gmail.com and/or
complete an application for formal study Educational
options include studying with one of CPB's local
chapters, or as a "distance learning" student
(internet access required).
A major component of Formal training at CPB is our
"Buddhist Studies Courses," (BSC) which correspond to the
rank of each member and cover the major topics of study
and practice. They are accompanied by corresponding
reading lists (not listed). Here is a breakdown of the
topics of the BSC for the Formal Student and Novice Monk:
Buddhist Studies Courses (Formal Student):
BSC-1: PRAGMATIC BUDDHISM (Foundations of Daily Practice)
BSC-2: PRAGMATIC BUDDHISM (Philosophical Considerations)
BSC-3: COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY (Worldviews, Pluralism
& Pragmatism)
Buddhist Studies Courses (Novice):
BSC-4: DAOISM (DaoDeJing & Yuan Dao: Primary Sources
in Philosophical Daoism)
BSC-5: EARLY BUDDHISM (Siddhartha Gautama & Indian
Philosophy)
BSC-6: EARTLY BUDDHISM (Causality, Karma & Buddhist
Ethics)
BSC-7: CHAN BUDDHISM (The Early Patriarchs: Bodhidharma
to Wei Neng)
BSC-8: CHAN BUDDHISM (The Formation of a New Approach to
Buddhism)
BSC-9: ZEN BUDDHISM (Kukai & Dogen)
BSC-10: ZEN BUDDHISM (Nishida Kitaro & The Kyoto
School)
BSC-11: CLASSICAL AMERICAN PRAGMATISM (The Fathers of
American Pragmatism: James & Dewey)
BSC-12: CLASSICAL AMERICAN PRAGMATISM (Mead & the
Social Self)
