Ages 7–11 WhatPrayer do mat designs believe happens when you die?

Background knowledge Assessment for the teacher for 7–11s • )NTHISSECTIONOFTHEBOOKYOUWILLÝNDACTIVITIESTHATENABLEPUPILSAGED The statements below suggest 7–11 to explore big questions about birth and death in the light of Hindu ‘emerging’, ‘expected’ and ‘exceeding’ beliefs and ideas. outcomes from this unit for 9-year-olds. Adapt them for the age of pupils you • Many Hindus teach the concept of to children from a young age. are teaching. If necessary, adapt the ‘e’ Dharma can be understood as duty or role in life. Questions about the words to the assessment language of purpose of life can be answered by referring to dharma: your school. Q: ‘What is the best way for me to live?’ A: ‘By following your dharma and living out your role with goodness Emerging in this life.’ • Recognise that samsara is the cycle • The background to this understanding of course is the belief in samsara; of birth, death and . the continuous cycle of life, death and rebirth. After death, the atman (, enlivening force, or the ‘true you’) will be reborn into another • Give an example of how Hindu MATERIALBODY&ULÝLLINGONElSDHARMAINTHISLIFEWILLLEADTOAN beliefs may affect how a Hindu AUSPICIOUSORBENEÝCIAL lives their life. • The release from the cycle of samsara is called . Moksha can only Expected be attained when one has a true, deep understanding about the way • Identify some different ways in things truly are. which Hindus respond to big • 0UPILSWILLÝNDOUTABOUT(INDUIDEASCONNECTEDTOREINCARNATION questions about the purpose and the concepts of dharma, , samsara and moksha. of life and the fact of death. Teaching pupils about Hindu teaching on atman, dharma and rebirth can • Identify the terms ‘dharma’, serve a useful purpose: it provides for a cool discussion space about the ‘atman’ and ‘moksha’ and say hot topics of death, loss and bereavement. There is a wide literature that what they mean. suggests pupils aged 7–11 need to discuss these kinds of issues, but our culture is often rather ‘death-phobic’. In RE, big questions about death Exceeding and the end of life can be approached calmly. Teachers will handle the • Use the key words ‘atman’, ‘dharma’ work sensitively, of course, and it’s good to be alert to any pupils facing and ‘moksha’ in a connected way PERSONALxLOSS to explain how Hindus live out their This unit would support learning in the RE Today syllabus units ‘What do vision of the purpose of life. say to us when life gets hard?’ and ‘Why do Hindus try to be good?’ • Connect and compare Hindu ideas of life after death to those found in another worldview.

This unit helps pupils in Scotland eResources to achieve RME 2-04c and 3-04c.

Go to www.natre.org.uk/inspiring-re/ to access these resources: • a searchable database that includes quotes from young Hindu people Essential knowledge • ASHORTÝLMOF.EELAM A YEAR OLD(INDUGIRL EXPLAININGHERVIEWS about death for the pupil • a short clip about the cycle of birth and rebirth from the BBC Pupils will know: programme My Life, My : Hindus • that Hindu religious belief is that the • resources for schools from Cruse, the bereavement care soul, or atman, transmigrates into a new body after the current body dies • NATRE’s gallery of pupils’ artworks • that for many Hindus, doing your DUTYORFULÝLLINGYOURDHARMALEADS to a better ‘next life’ after death • the meanings of these key Hindu terms: dharma, atman, moksha, samsara.

219 Activity Activity 1 3 Finding the meanings in ‘Life is like a circle.’ Is it? nine quotations Saying nothing about it, give pupils a copy of the illustration on p. 23, and display it on the Copy p. 24 for each group of three or four pupils and ask whiteboard. Ask them to discuss what they think it them to cut it up and discuss the different ideas on the page, means, and what captions, concepts, questions and summarising the ideas on at least four cards. They can identify ideas might belong in the six boxes surrounding the ANDDEÝNEÝVEKEYWORDSABOUT(INDUBELIEFSFROMTHEQUOTES image. Introduce the pupils to Hindu ideas about and write a tenth quote from their own point of . samsara, including that it is the cycle of birth and rebirth, and ask what the artist might be showing about this belief. The instructions for the artist were: ‘Show how a belief in samsara would look on a diagram, and express the idea of reincarnation and different stages of life.’ Ask pupils if they think the Activity Deeper thinking, artist did this well. When you think they are ready, 4 ASKTHEMTOÝLLINTHESIXBOXES0UPILSSHOULDUSE more knowledge the word ‘samsara’ at least once, and those who Share page 25 with pupils. The artwork is a profound are able should use ‘moksha’. REÞECTIONON(INDUVISIONSOFTHISLIFEANDTHECYCLEOFBIRTH and death, painted for display in Mandirs, as a kind of teaching aid. The page includes information, scripture and some tasks for pupils. Ensure that pupils understand the meaning of the quotes from scripture. Activity Questioning a film 2 about cycles of life and good karma Ask pupils in pairs to come up with questions they would like to ask about life after death, including Activity Hindu concepts about reincarnation and moksha. 5 Quiz on Hindu beliefs Note down the different questions, then show the The quiz on p. 26 can be copied for pupils and provides class the video clip from the BBC programme My Life, eight multiple-choice questions to check learning. Make it My Religion: Hindus (see eResources). Simran explains FUNù4HECORRECTANSWERSSOMEDISCUSSIONNEEDEDù ARE her ideas about the very clearly. Were any of D/B/B/C/D/A/D/D. the pupils’ questions answered? Either provide a template or ask children to draw ACIRCLETOREPRESENTAHUMANLIFE ANDMAKEÝVE PICTURESTOSHOWWHATTHEYTHINKAREÝVEKEY moments in life to go around the edges (examples: birth, learning to walk, going to school, getting a Next steps in learning job, learning to drive, being married, having a baby, retiring, dying). Ask the children: what would it mean Ask pupils to discuss all the other ideas they know of for the person, at each stage of life, to be gathering about life after this life – examples might include Islam’s good karma? To be doing their duty, or living out paradise, Christianity’s heaven, ideas about ghosts and their dharma? an atheist view that this life is the only life, etc. Give pupils a choice of titles for a work of art: either ‘Life after 'IVETHEMALARGERPIECEOFPAPERTOSTICKTHEÝRST this life’ or ‘A window into heaven’ make good starting onto, and ask them to draw another circle, following points. Review together the NATRE website’s gallery of ONFROMTHEÝRST)FTHEPERSONTHEYDREWINTHEÝRST pupil art on this topic – pupils might select, copy and cycle of life had ‘good karma’ what might their next comment on three of their favourites from this gallery of LIFEBELIKE !SKTHEMTODRAWÝVEMOREMOMENTS IN over 40 pupil responses (see eResources). which the person’s life was better than the ‘last time around’. Note that good karma is not about being rich, but doing your duty (dharma) and living well – WITHGOODNESS NOTMONEYù!SKCHILDRENTOCOMPARE notes about what they think good karma means and what they agree or disagree with about Hindu ideas on life after this life.

22 Activity 1 eResources

eResource and photocopiable by purchasing institutions © Copyright RE Today Services 2020 23 Activity 3 What do young British Hindus say about eResources the big questions of life after death?

We asked lots of British Hindu young people to tell us their ideas and beliefs about life, death and the afterlife. Look at their ideas carefully. Working with a partner, read these nine statements aloud to each other.

Hindu girl, 10 Hindu girl, 15 Hindu boy, 13 ‘What I believe about death ‘I think that there are two ‘Life for me is like modelling and life after death is that worlds: the soul world and clay. You can shape it we are reincarnated again the normal world. Once you and make it beautiful, but and again, and we repeat die from the normal world, you can also break it up. this cycle of birth and death. you get into the soul world Everyone should be happy The aim is to break the cycle and from there you get born and, even more importantly, of birth and death and enter again into the normal world, everyone should be equal. the world of paradise (we say but as a different person. Life is a challenge which “moksha”). You can break When you have managed to should be thought through.’ into this realm by doing good deeds so you should see no complete the tasks of life, you , do no evil and hear no ÝNALLYRESTIN evil – that is the way to .’ a wonderful place.’

Hindu boy, 14 Hindu girl, 13 Hindu girl, 13 ‘I think the best way to ‘I believe in reincarnation. ‘In the temple we are taught live is in a thoughtful and I believe that if you lived that when we die we get loving way, mindful of the a good life and you were reincarnated. Hindu beliefs respect due to parents, the good and didn’t do anything ALLÝTTOGETHERBECAUSEWE expectations of the wider harmful then you will become start off as something like community and, most another human, but if you a plant and keep getting importantly, the demands did live a bad life, doing only reincarnated. Our atman made by God. Make use of bad things, then you might stays the same though, and the life you have, and make fall out of humanity and after a long time, if you do decisions by having God become another, lower living good you will reach moksha.’ thing. If you dedicate your at the back of your mind. life to God you could Pleasing him is the success go to moksha of your life on earth.’ (a bit like “heaven”).’

Hindu girl, 9 Hindu boy, 10 Hindu girl, 12 ‘Death happens to everyone. ‘I think dying is the situation ‘I think that to have an We have lived our lives and where you actually die, and end to one life is nothing that’s the end of it. We die. your soul has been removed to be disappointed about – But in we believe to be reborn. I also think that you still have many to go in reincarnation – that means when you’re reborn it’s like through, though you will when we die we will become a path to the world above, never remember who you something else. If we were between life and death. Then were in your last life. Though good when we were a human you will be born into your you will know that if you we will be back as a human, next life.’ have a happy life now, it is but if we were bad then we because you have been good might become a creature in your last life.’ that’s really small.’

Here are three tasks: 1. Cut the sheet into nine cards, and discuss each comment in your group. Choose four different cards and try to summarise each in no more than 15 words. 2. What are the five key words in the comments the Hindu young people made? Write one sentence to explain each of the five words. 3. Write a card like this about your own ‘big ideas’ about the question ‘What do you think about the afterlife?’ Share the cards in your group.

24 eResource and photocopiable by purchasing institutions © Copyright RE Today Services 2020 Activity 4 Reflection on samsara eResources the body Gita, 2.13 Just as in Bhagavad Bhagavad happen to adulthood childhood, about this. he acquires he acquires and old age The wise one an embodied being, so also another body. is not deluded animals in the cycle of life. included at least 12 different included at least 12 different good questions on this topic? Look at the way the artist has at the way Look and what might happen next. Can and what might happen next. Can big questions to do with life, death big questions to do with life, YOUANDYOURPARTNERMAKEUPÝVE Humans have always thought about always Humans have is reborn, we we is reborn,

atman think about this idea? come to this world again. come to this world For many Hindus, the next For This Hindu artist has used the INÝNITYSYMBOL4HEIDEAISTHAT WHENWEDIE WEFALLINTOINÝNITY  but when the reincarnation will be better if a reincarnation good karma in this life. What do you in this life. good karma person does good things and gathers that ‘all life is one’. that ‘all life well. Hindu teaching says well. this life don’t just apply to don’t this life humans, but to animals as the meanings might be? Hindu beliefs about life after Hindu beliefs about life your partner suggest what in the picture. Can you and Can in the picture. Count the people and animals Count worn-out new one. Gita, 2.22 Bhagavad Bhagavad gets rid of wears new wears at the time As a person and enters a of death, the ones, just so, ones, just so, garments and soul leaves its soul leaves worn-out body worn-out

25 Activity 5 The Hindu beliefs quiz eResources Select the answer you think is correct. The questions get harder!

1. Name two religions that teach 5. What difference does karma make that we have many lives. to a person’s reincarnation? a. Hindus and Muslims a. No major difference b. Muslims and Christians b. Nobody knows c. Christians and Buddhists c. Good karma means you can choose what animal you come back as d. Buddhists and Hindus d. Bad karma can make your next life worse; good karma makes it better

2. What is reincarnation? a. The belief that once you are 6. If a person believes ‘all life is one’, DEAD THENYOUAREÝNISHED what difference might this belief make? b. The belief that the soul lives on a. It makes many Hindus choose after this life in another body a vegetarian diet c. The belief that God came to b. It makes Hindus more likely to use cremation Earth as Jesus c. It encourages Hindus to their parents d. The belief that all life is one and families d. It brings all Hindus together to care for cows

3. What is the correct Hindu word for the soul that lives in all creatures? 7. Many Hindus believe that escaping from a. Moksha reincarnation can lead to moksha, which is: b. Atman a. The Hindu heaven c. Dharma b. Your last reincarnation d. Superhuman c. Your destiny d. A state of bliss after you escape the cycle of birth and death 4. What metaphor does the use to describe reincarnation? a. It is like a car going over a cliff 8. So what does happen after we die? a. We meet God  B )TISLIKEABIRDÞYINGAWAYFROM a nest b. We lie in the grave, and sadly that is the end c. It is like new clothes when your OFxUS old clothes are worn out c. We are reincarnated as another living being d. It is like a nice pudding after a d. Nobody can be totally sure, but different nice dinner religions and beliefs have different ideas

26 eResource and photocopiable by purchasing institutions © Copyright RE Today Services 2020