The Taiwan-headquartered global Buddhist charity and humanitarian organization Tzu Chi Charity Foundation recently announced the launch of a free online study course titled “Buddhism: Past, Present, and Future.” The online program is aimed at instilling a foundational understanding of the Buddhist teachings and philosophy and their evolving cultural, social, and spiritual application in the world today, including their relevance for human rights and social justice.
“Brought to you by the Tzu Chi Charity Foundation, Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago, and Tzu Chi University, [this] is a self-paced online course . . . delivered through five engaging and in-depth modules,” Tzu Chi Charity Foundation said in a recent announcement. (Tzu Chi Foundation)
The course runs online on the Home of Harmony: School of World Religions platform through to 31 December 2025, with an estimated time commitment of 2–5 hours per week. The deadline for enrollment is 31 March.
“The course’s content and its structure cater to self-motivated students of all ages, regardless of their religious affiliation or prior education/knowledge of Buddhism. Each module contains approximately 18 hours of reading or video material, in addition to periodic quizzes, essay or research assignments, self-reflection assignments, and other homework.” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
The five core modules are “Origin and Core Concepts of Buddhism,” “Early Development of Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana,” “Later Developments of Buddhism and Buddhist Modernism,” “Buddhism in Contemporary Society,” and “Buddhism as a Changemaker in the World.”
These five modules explore a wide range of thought-provoking topics, such as “The Buddha’s Time and Life,” The Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha,” “Madhyamaka & Yogacara Thought,” “Buddhist Modernism and Reform,” “Buddhist Social Engagement,” “Buddhist Chaplaincy,” and many more aspects of traditional and contemporary Buddhism.
Course curriculum contributors include professors and scholars from international institutions in Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and the United States.
“Modules [are] released at two-month intervals,” Tzu Chi Foundation noted. “Students who complete the entire course by 31 December will receive a certificate of completion. Access to the course [materials] will remain available once the course ends on 31 December.
Click here for full details and to register for “Buddhism: Past, Present, and Future”
The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Republic of China, more widely known as the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, was founded in Taiwan in 1966 by the Buddhist nun and Dharma teacher Master Cheng Yen. With a focus on “putting compassion into action,” the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is a UN-accredited NGO with some 10 million supporters and 432 offices worldwide across 51 countries, undertaking regular activities in the fields of humanitarian aid, medical care, education, and environmental sustainability.
As a global icon of socially engaged Buddhism, Master Cheng Yen has expressed a deeply held belief that all people are capable of manifesting the same great compassion as the Buddha. She has noted that true compassion is not simply feeling sympathy for the suffering of others, but is found in reaching out to relieve suffering with concrete action.
Master Cheng Yen is popularly known in Taiwan as one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Buddhism, the others being: Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain; Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan; and Master Wei Chueh, founder of Chung Tai Shan. These four global Buddhist orders, correspondingly known as the “Four Great Mountains,” have grown to become among the most influential Chinese Buddhist organizations in the world.
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Tzu Chi Foundation
Tzu Chi USA
Free e-Course: “Buddhism: Past, Present, and Future” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
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