Questions: Buddhists Editor Stephen Pett

ND CO AR E Y S

RE Today R

ISSN 1759-927X E A from inside

It is always important for students of RE to hear authentic voices from inside in a faith community. Dr Joyce Miller, formerly an RE teacher and adviser, belongs to the Thai Forest , a tradition within Buddhism. We asked her to bring together her Buddhist and teacher identities and answer some questions about teaching Buddhism. (Note: In accordance with the Theravada School, we have used the terms in this article.)

Dr Joyce Miller

What do you want young people What matters most in British Buddhism What are the questions that Buddhists to know about Buddhism in Britain at the moment? Why? worry about? What are the issues that today? I think there are two answers to this. concern the Buddhist community? That Buddhism is a spiritual, moral and The first is that I don’t feel that I am Do we worry? My teacher often religious practice that has worldwide part of ‘British Buddhism’ – I’m not talks about not turning a difficulty significance. I want young people sure what that is. I am a Buddhist into a problem. The reality is that to understand the key aspects of living in Britain, trying to follow the life is unsatisfactory and we try to the Buddha’s teaching and that Buddha’s teaching. We’re not remember to face difficulties in the they provide a coherent analysis of evangelical and we don’t have knowledge of the first Noble Truth. the situation in which we live and a a strong socio-political agenda to That doesn’t mean that we don’t get means of achieving happiness and pursue. Buddhists aren’t much into involved in issues, but we try to keep wellbeing within it. labels. a balanced perspective on all such It’s also true, however, to say that the questions. practice of is extremely There are issues that are of concern important and therefore there is to Buddhists – the environment or deep concern about issues of social human rights, for example – and justice and suffering. Many Buddhists I would guess that many will give in Britain will identify with Buddhist support to charities that work in countries where there are major areas they are concerned about – political problems, such as Burma and but it’s important to remember that Tibet. Buddhism is the middle path and it’s There are issues, for some Buddhists, always about striving for , about the place of women and the as well as practising compassion and perceived inferior status of nuns as kindness. Non-attachment is difficult opposed to monks, but I try not to but it’s partly about not getting too get caught up in these controversies. emotionally caught up in issues, Buddhism is an ancient, eastern however noble they might be. religion that is adapting to life in the West and this is a long, gradual process. It’s also important to find a balance between our Western perspectives and what the Buddha taught was the real path to finding wellbeing. There are tensions there that we need to continue to try to resolve and that will take time and patience.

© 2012 RE Today Services 2 Permission is granted to photocopy this page for use in classroom activities in schools that have purchased this publication. RE Today What are your favourite stories and What issues do you want RE teachers These pages were written for teachers sayings of the Buddha? to remember when they plan to teach but you might get your older students about Buddhism? In the tradition to which I belong, to use them and ask them to: the focus is on meditation and That Buddhism is more than a • identify what is most important to morality rather than stories and texts. philosophy of life. It’s easy to Joyce, giving evidence The Buddha’s teachings underpin secularise Buddhism and I think one all of this but rarely do we read the of the reasons it is so popular in the • find two statements that make scriptures, as such. On the full and West is that it doesn’t make demands them think and explain why new moon days, each month, the in terms of what one believes. But it • devise some more questions they abbot of the monastery I support is a religion with rituals, teachings, a would like to put to Joyce sends out, by email, a quotation strong ethical code and a body of • contact a Buddhist from a different from the , a collection literature. Teaching Buddhism offers tradition and ask the same of very beautiful, short Buddhist a real opportunity to explore some questions; can they explain the teachings and to this he adds his fundamental questions about our lives reasons for any differences? own commentary on how it can and to develop pupils’ conceptual help us on our spiritual path. The understanding. Dhammapada is very accessible and, What else would you like to say? Import I think, inspirational. ess ant I’m about to commit heresy and say L My other favourite is the teachings that I don’t think pupils below A level portant Im on the divine abidings, the need to learn about, for example, mpo , which are about y I rta the differences between Theravada er n the cultivation of four key qualities: and Buddhism or that they V t kindness (metta), compassion need to study a variety of traditions. Most (karuna), sympathetic (mudita) Focusing on the Buddha’s teaching Important and equanimity (upekkha). I often use and how that is interpreted in people’s these as the basis for meditation and lives is sufficient at school level. reflection and hope they help me develop those qualities.

Learning from Buddhist ways of living 1 After reading Joyce Miller’s answers carefully, ask students to work in pairs or individually to try and identify nine key words that sum up what Buddhism means to her. 2 Compare their nine words with this selection. Note any words that match their own choices, and any different words chosen. Decide together which are the best nine words from this list and their own.

The Buddha Kindness Compassion Happiness Equanimity Non-attachment Meditation Morality Rituals

3 Use the nine words agreed in the pairs, plus a selection of other words suggested in Activity 2 (between 5 and 10). Use a target board and ask students to go through the words one at a time, deciding where to place them on the target board. They should place one word in the centre, and then 3, 5 and 7 words as the rings move away from the centre. The rings represent what is of ultimate importance to Buddhists (from this interview); what is very important; quite important; not so important. Use this again after some further study of Buddhism, adding key words and concepts to assess your students’ understanding. There will be no single right answer to this. 4 Ask students for their own suggestions for how we find happiness in the situation in which we live.

See p.31 for an ACCESS activity to make this more accessible to lower-achieving students.

© 2012 RE Today Services RE Today Permission is granted to photocopy this page for use in classroom activities in schools that have purchased this publication. 3 May all beings Seven ways to use ’s prayer

everywhere . . . 1 Read the Dedication aloud. What tone is This prayer of dedication is a compliation of verses by best? What difference does it make if you Shantideva, a Buddhist master from India in the eighth read it calmly or enthusiastically, grumpily or century CE. It is from the Bodhicaryavatara, or A Guide angrily, fast or slowly? to the Bodhissatva’s Way of Life. It is one of His Holiness the Dalai ’s favourite prayers, and is important 2 Get students working in groups. Half of the to many Buddhists, particularly those from the Tibetan groups should list words that describe the traditions. world as it is expressed in the prayer; the other half should list words describing the world as May all beings everywhere Shantideva would like it to be. They can use Plagued by sufferings of body and mind words in the poem as well as their own words. Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy By of my merits. 3 Give each verse to a group of three or four students. Ask them to come up with a freeze- May no living creature suffer, frame or a short drama to express something Commit evil, or ever fall ill. from before the prayer, and one to express May no one be afraid or belittled, what might happen if the prayer is fulfilled. With a mind weighed down by 4 Give each student in the class one line or depression. couplet to express through art or sculpture. They should consider an appropriate colour May the blind see forms to express the emotion of the phrase, as well And the deaf hear sounds, as images or symbols to express the meaning May those whose bodies are worn with toil and the hope. Create a display using all of Be restored on finding repose. the artwork alongside the prayer.

May the naked find clothing, 5 The Buddha taught that his followers should The hungry find food; practise metta (P.metta) – loving-kindness to all beings. Using the information in this prayer, May the thirsty find water ask students to come up with a definition of And delicious drinks. metta, with examples to show what it means in action. May the poor find wealth, Those weak with sorrow find joy; 6 Set students the task of finding an example of May the forlorn find hope, this prayer being fulfilled in the news during Constant happiness, and prosperity. the next week. Get them to bring in the information and to be able to describe the May there be timely rains people or individuals who have brought And bountiful harvests; the good news into reality. Have students themselves done anything to help? May all medicines be effective And wholesome prayers bear fruit. 7 Ask students to imagine they were to recite May all who are sick and ill this Dedication every day. What difference might it make to how they live? Give three Quickly be freed from their ailments. things they probably would not do any more Whatever diseases there are in the world, and three things they probably would do. May they never occur again. May the frightened cease to be afraid And those bound be freed; May the powerless find power, And may people think of benefiting each other. For as long as space remains, For as long as sentient beings remain, Until then may I too remain To dispel the miseries of the world.

© 2012 RE Today Services 4 Permission is granted to photocopy this page for use in classroom activities in schools that have purchased this publication. RE Today What is the heart of Buddhist teaching? Does it matter?

Summary of learning Using the pages Outcomes The essence of the Buddha’s Activity 1 Three wishes Students can demonstrate teaching on the causes of suffering This activity is designed to open up achievement at levels 4–6 in these and the way to end suffering, is discussion about desire and craving activities if they can say ‘yes’ to some expressed in the . as an introduction to the Four Noble of these ‘I can’ statements: The fourth Noble Truth is also known Truths. It is useful to return to this as the Eightfold Path. activity following Activity 2 and Written for students aged 11–12, the ask students to reflect on any fresh Description of achievement: activities in this section are designed insights and questions they may have. I can . . . to introduce students to the Buddha’s Activity 2 The teaching in a variety of active This activity uses simple drama and ways which encourage them to digital cameras to engage students Level 4 reflect on their own understandings with the impact of the Four Sights and questions about the causes of on the development of Siddhartha suffering and the things that give their • describe and link up Buddhist Gautama’s thinking and teaching life value and purpose. beliefs about ethical conduct (P. Siddhattha Gotama). and how Buddhists show this in Activity 3 The Parable of the Arrow their behaviour Resources The Parable of the Arrow introduces • ask questions and suggest the idea that the Buddha had BBC’s Learning Zone Broadband Clips some answers about why made a diagnosis of the human Library Buddhists try to live ethically. condition and identified a cure, and A searchable database of video clips a prescription to follow for the cure. It on a variety of topics covered in RE, explains why the Buddha did not offer Level 5 e.g. clips 8349-8350 comment on speculative questions. See: www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips Activity 4 Ethical conduct Buddhanet • explain the impact for Students will need a response sheet Buddhists of believing that An extensive site on many aspects of (p.10) and a set of cards (pp. 8–9) there is a ‘cure’ for suffering Buddhism including a story of the life for each group. The activity asks of the Buddha, an interactive Wheel them to consider: the meaning of • connect my own views about of Life and a collection of Buddhist ethical conduct as expressed in some causes and cures of suffering stories. ; how some Buddhists with the understandings expressed by Buddhists. See: www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/ express this in action; how students’ buddhism/lifebuddha own actions reflect their beliefs. CLEO Level 6 A collection of short videos designed A version of the life of the for the RE classroom including W Buddha for Activity 2 on an interactive Wheel of Life with p.6 is also available as a • interpret Buddhist texts and use commentary and template to design downloadable presentation examples to give an informed your own Wheel of Life. Choose KS3 available for subscribers. account of what Buddhists section. mean by the Four Noble Truths See: www.cleo.net.uk • express my own insights into The Dhammapada See p.31 for a the understanding of the ACCESS version of Activity 1 causes and cure for suffering An illustrated version of the suited to lower- offered by Buddhism. Dhammapada: achieving students. See: www.buddhanet.net dhammapada/index.htm For the teacher Suggestions for Where two spellings are given CHALLENGE higher-achieving for key Buddhist terms, the first is students can be in , with the Pali following found on p.32. in brackets e.g. karma (kamma) and duhkha (dukkha). Sanskrit is the language of the texts of the Mahayana school, while Pali is used in the Theravada school.

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