BUDDHISM REACH OUT

YEAR 5

name: class: Knowledge Organiser • • Year 5

Vocabulary The Three Jewels

Nirvana The final ‘goal’ of Buddhism. The end of 1. Buddha The first person to reach enlightenment desire and suffering, as the state of self 2. The Teachings of the Buddha is released from the cycle of death and 3. The community of practising Buddhists. . Literally ‘blowing out’. Tipitaka The sacred text of Buddhism. Dharma The teachings of Buddhism, about the true nature of reality. Vipassanna A type of meditation within 1. Right 5. Right livelihood Buddhism which involves focussing on 2. Right intention 6. Right effort the body and its sensations. 3. Right speech 7. Right concentration Karma The total actions of a person, good and bad, which are said to decide a 4. Right action 8. Right person’s state in future lives. Wesak Also known as ‘Buddha Day”, this is a day of festival during which the Three The Jewels of Buddhism are celebrated. 1. The truth of suffering Dukkha Sangha The community of Buddhism, including 2. The truth of the origin of suffering Samudãya monks, nuns and ‘laypeople’. Saṃsãra An endless cycle of rebirths 3. The truth of the cessation of suffering) Duḥkha Pain or suffering, inevitable within all life. 4. The truth of the path to the cessation Magga Reincarnation The belief that people are born again of suffering into a new being after death. Ascetism Extreme self-discipline, in which all Threefold Path to Enlightenment luxuries and sources of physical pleasure are denied. 1. Shila Ethics 2. Meditation Important People 3. Prajna Wisdom

Siddhartha Also known as the Buddha. First person Gautama to reach enlightenment. Major Branches of Buddhism Dalai The leader of the Geluk tradition, his followers believe that whenever the dies, his soul is reincarnated into a new body Southern Buddhism Theravada Matthieu A Tibetan Monk who is regarded by Ricard some as ‘the world’s happiest man’. Neo (new) Buddhism Navayãna BR Ambedkar The founder of Navayãna Buddhism.

2 Lesson Question You will learn Learning Review

Who was Siddhattha • The story of his life Gotoma? • When he lived • How he became the Buddha

What is the sacred • What Dharma is text of Buddhism? • The different sections of the Tipitaka • How Buddhists understand

Why do Buddhists • What meditation is meditate? • Why meditation is important to Buddhists

Which festivals • The Festival of Wesak do Buddhists • How Buddhist Festivals differ from those of celebrate? other religions

What is life like • The different branches of Buddhism in a Buddhist • The experience being a novice in a monastery? monastery

Who is the Dalai • What reincarnation is Lama? • What the Dalai Lama’s teachings say

3 Lesson 01 Who was Siddhattha Gotama?

Buddhism is over 2,500 years old, and began The Story of the Buddha in India. Unlike many other religions, Buddhism We aren’t sure exactly when Siddhattha does not worship a God; instead Buddhists Gotoma was born or died, because we attempt to achieve a special state known as haven’t found any written records about him ‘enlightenment’. The first person to become until a few hundred years after his death. In ‘enlightened’, according to Buddhists, was an 500 BCE, India was made up of many great Indian prince called Siddhattha Gotama. He kingdoms and cities. In one of these kingdoms, later became known as simply the Buddha, on the border of Nepal, there was a prince which means ‘the enlightened one’. called Siddhattha Gotoma. Life would have been very easy for Gotoma, who would have had everything that he needed. One day, 1. Copy the name Siddhattha when he was 29, Gotoma left his palace went Gotama for a walk around. ______4. When did Siddhattha Gotoma live?

a. About 5000 BCE 2. What does Buddha mean? b. About 500 BCE c. About 50 CE ______d. About 500 CE ______

3. Look carefully at this statue of 5. Was The Buddha alive before or the Buddha, which is in the after Jesus? Phra Si Rattana Mahathat is a in . What do you notice about it? For the first time, Gotoma saw real suffering. First, he encountered a man in the village who was desperately sick. Nothing could be done to heal him. Later, he saw a man who was disabled. Finally, he saw a person who had just died. Gotoma realised that suffering was an inevitable part of life – it couldn’t be stopped. He realised that the mind was the important place to focus.

6. Siddhattha Gotoma thought that suffering was inevitable – there is no way to prevent it. Do you agree?

4 • Lesson 1 Later that night, Gotoma snuck out of the palace and left his life of princely luxury. He 7. How long did the Gotoma encountered many spiritual leaders who taught meditate for before he became him all about meditation. Gotoma spent six enlightened? years learning from these spiritual leaders, but ______found that none of them could help him really understand the true nature ofhis own mind. ______Just before his 35th birthday, Gotoma sat under a and began his own meditation. After he had achieved enlightenment, The He meditated for six days and six nights, and at Buddha stayed to teach others about what the end of it achieved enlightenment. He had he had learnt so that they could try and reach become Buddha, or the Awakened one. enlightenment too.

8. Complete these sentences.

Siddhattha Gotoma was a prince in India/Nepal, so ______Siddhattha Gotoma was a prince in India/Nepal, but ______

9. Watch the video about the Buddha’s life, and draw pictures to tell the story of the life of Siddhattha Gotoma:

Now use your story map to retell the story to your partner. Challenge: Can you retell the story of the Buddha from memory?

Lesson 1 • 5 Lesson 02 What is the sacred text of Buddhism?

Retrieval Practice

1. What is the name of the person who became the Buddha?

2. Buddhists attempt to reach a state of ______

3. When did the Buddha live? a. Around 5000BCE b. Around 50 BCE c. Around 500 BCE d. Around 500 CE

4. Where did Buddhism first originate? a. India/Nepal b. Nepal/China c. China/Tibet d. India/Russia

5. How long did the Buddha meditate for before he became enlightened? a. 6 weeks b. 6 years c. 6 hours d. 6 days

6 • Lesson 2 The Buddha was the first person to become enlightened. This means that he reached 1. Draw the Dharma wheel here: the highest spiritual achievement, free from suffering. The Buddha chose to stay and teach others how to reach this state. He didn’t write anything down (or if he did, the writings have been lost) but other people passed through word of mouth what the Buddha taught. These teachings, for Buddhists, reveal the true laws and order of the universe, and the duties that people have. This is known as Dharma. After the Buddha died, his Dharma were written down in a book that became known as the Tipitaka. The Tipitaka is the sacred text of Buddhism. It is written in , which is an ancient Indian language similar to what the Buddha would have spoken. The Tipitaka is a huge book. If you want to read it in English, it is split into 40 volumes or (books). In the original Pali, the Tipitaka is split into three sections, which are sometimes called three baskets of wisdom. The first section is the discipline basket, which sets out the rules of Buddhism. The second basket is called the Teaching Basket, which tells of the life and experiences of Buddha. The Higher Doctrine Basket: which explains the teaching of the Buddha.

2. What are the three sections of the Tipitaka?

1. The ______Basket 2. The ______Basket 3. The ______Basket

The Dharma Wheel is sometimes used as The first section of the Tipitaka is sometimes the symbol of Buddhism. It has eight spokes, known as Pitaka, and it is the rulebook which represent the Noble Eightfold path of for Buddhist monks and nuns. There are 227 Buddhism. We will learn more about these in rules for Buddhists setting out how they should the next lesson. live. There are five main rules which are followed by all Buddhists. These include not harming any living thing, not stealing, and not lying or saying nasty things.

Lesson 2 • 7 The second part of the Tipitaka is known as the Sutta Pitaka and contains the teachings of a. If he is to realize Nirvana, he must pass beyond Buddha. Often, the Buddha would teach using consciousness. In highest Samadhi having stories or parables. Many of these parables transcended consciousness, he has passed are similar to the stories that Jesus would tell beyond discrimination and knowledge, beyond 400 years later. The final section of the Tipitaka the reach of change or fear; he is already is known as the , which explain the enjoying Nirvana. teaching. b. When the mind becomes tranquilized and One of the major ideas in Buddhism is a concentrated into perfect unity, then all state called Nirvana. Achieving Nirvana is things will be seen, not in their separateness, the ultimate goal of all Buddhists. It roughly but in their unity wherein there is no place means nothingness, or being extinguished. For for evil passions to enter, and which is in Buddhists, Nirvana is the end to suffering, and full conformity with the mysterious and the end of endless rebirths. indescribable purity of Nirvana. c. Our Lord Buddha accumulates all his store of and wisdom by delivering all sentient 3. Read about Nirvana in the following beings into Nirvana, while evil influences are three passages, and discuss with always destroying the good qualities of sentient your partner what you think Nirvana beings and keeping them in the dreary round means. of life and death.

8 • Lesson 2 4. Complete these sentences:

Buddhists are trying to achieve Nirvana, but ______Buddhists are trying to achieve Nirvana, because ______Buddhists are trying to achieve Nirvana, so ______

The power and importance of the mind over the body is another important theme in 5. Is this true? Why, why not? Buddhism. Jot your ideas before holding a class debate. The following passage says that all that we are is a result of what we think. True Not True

All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts.

Lesson 2 • 9 Lesson 03 Why do Buddhists meditate?

Retrieval Practice

1. When did the Buddha live?

2. Buddhists attempt to reach a state of ______

3. What were the teachings of the Buddha called?

4. How many sections or ‘baskets’ are there in the Tipitaka? a. 1 b. 3 c. 40 d. 200

5. Complete the sentence: For Buddhists, ______is the end to suffering, and the end of endless rebirths.

10 • Lesson 3 Buddhists follow the three-fold path to enlightenment. The three paths are: 2. Try mindfulness for yourself.

1. Sit in a relaxed position, and close your Path English Pila eyes. 2. Focus only on your breath. 1 Ethics shila 3. As you breathe in, count 1. 2 Meditation samadhi 4. When you breathe out, count 2. 3 Wisdom prajna 5. Keep breathing in and out, counting your breaths. So, meditation is a very important part of 6. If you have any other thoughts, notice Buddhism. Siddhattha Gotoma is said to have them but return your focus to your meditated for six days under the Bodhi tree breath. before reaching enlightenment and becoming 7. When you get to 10, start again from the Buddha, or ‘awakened one’. Buddhists the beginning. today follow the Buddha and meditate, trying to reach enlightenment and become ‘awakened’ themselves. In our day to day life, we have lots of different 3. What did it feel like to meditate? thoughts. We are often focussed on the Was it easy? Was it difficult? Did past, on the future, on what we are trying to you have many other thoughts achieve, on emotions and worries. Meditation rushing in your mind? is about trying to focus the mind so that it is not distracted by all of these thoughts and feelings. There are different kinds of meditation, but Mindfulness is only one type of meditation, they all involve controlling the body and the there are lots of others. There are different mind to reach a calm and peaceful state. goals for different types of meditation, but Buddhists are ultimately trying to achieve Followers of lots of different religions meditate, ‘nirvana’, or enlightenment. This state is difficult and it is also possible to meditate without to understand, but it means transforming the having any religion. Recently, the practice of mind so that the sense of self disappears mindfulness has become popular. This is a type completely. of meditation. Meditation is not the same as praying, like in other religions. Prayer is always to a God, but 1. Tick whether these statements are Buddhism has no God. When people pray, true or false: they are attempting to have a union with God, or to worship God, or to open a personal Only Buddhists meditate. True / False connection with God. Meditation is an important True / False Meditation is reflecting inwards and part of Buddhism. understanding the self. Gotoma meditated for True / False 6 to achieve enlightenment.

Lesson 3 • 11 This type of meditation is sometimes called 4. This picture shows a Buddhist monk ‘Vipassana’ which means ‘special seeing’ meditating. What do you notice or insight. It helps Buddhists to understand about him? the world as it really is, instead of what we see at any one moment. Vipassana teaches Buddhists that the mind and the body are completely linked, but that everything in the universe is also linked together.

6. Explain what Vipassana means to your partner, and how it helps Buddhists to reach enlightenment.

______

The Buddhist monk is ______For some people, meditation is about becoming more happy, or less anxious. ______

7. What does happiness mean to you? Often, Buddhists will focus on a flower or a candle whilst meditating. This is to help them ______remember what the Buddha taught, that everything is always changing. That suffering is ______inevitable. The flower will start out as a seed, ______grow into a flower, look beautiful, but then dry out and die. Watch this video of , a Tibetan 5. How does focussing on a candle Buddhist monk who is said to be the happiest or a flower help Buddhists to think person in the world. about their own existence? 8. What does Ricard think is important ______for happiness? ______

12 • Lesson 3 Lesson 04 Which festivals do Buddhists celebrate?

Retrieval Practice

1. What are the three paths to enlightenment a. ______b. ______c. ______

2. Is this sentence true or false: ‘Only Buddhists meditate’ True / False

3. What does Vipassana mean?

4. When did the Buddha live?

5. What were the teachings of the Buddha called?

Lesson 4 • 13 Around the world, Buddhists celebrate important events in the Buddha’s life. The most important of these is Wesak, which is also knowns Buddha Day. It takes place in April, May or June, when there is a full moon. Many Buddhists believe that it was on this day the Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment, and died.

1. What is another name for Buddha Day?

______

Wesak falls on different days each year, since the Buddhist is based on the cycles of the moon. During Wesak, Buddhists may gather together in a temple and chant together. They celebrate the most important things in Buddhism: in particular the three jewels. These jewels are: 1 The Buddha 2 The Dharma Buddhists may also light candles and lay 3 Sangha (community) flowers during Wesak.

2. Think back to last lesson. Why are candles and flowers important symbols within Buddhism?

Candles and flowers are important symbols in Buddhism because ______

In other religions, festivals are often aimed at worshipping or celebrating a God. However, Buddhism has no God. This means that Wesak is not a celebration of Buddha, but rather what he taught and what he achieved. A statue of Buddha may be used as a focus point, but this does not mean that it is Buddha himself who is being worshipped.

14 • Lesson 4 Different Buddhists traditions celebrate Wesak Noble Deeds in different ways. Often, they will wear plain To follow the Buddha’s teaching of right white clothes and visit the temple. Here are action, Buddhists may perform charitable acts some of the other things that you might see during Wesak. This could be making donations during a Wesak celebration: to charity, helping the needy in a community, or looking after the sick. Bathing the Buddha Buddhists will pour water over a statue of the Buddha to ‘clean’ him of greed and desire 4. What other noble deeds might and ignorance. These are ‘wrong thinking’, Buddhists do? and so need to be washed away. ______3. How is bathing the Buddha similar to baptism? How is it different? Releasing Birds ______Buddhists may also release caged birds during ______Wesak. This symbolises freeing the mind, and also shows how all creatures should be free and happy.

5. Watch this video of Wesak celebrations in . How are the Buddhists celebrating?

During Wesak, Buddhists focus on the Noble Eightfold path. They are:

1. Right View 2. Right Intention 3. Right Speech 4. Right Action 5. Right Livelihood 6. Right Effort 7. Right Concentration 8. Right Mindfulness

6. Give examples of what each of the eightfold path might mean for Buddhists, and what they might do during Wesak to reflect on them.

______

Lesson 4 • 15 Lesson 05 Why do Buddhists meditate?

Retrieval Practice

1. When did the Buddha live?

2. Buddhists attempt to reach a state of ______

3. What were the teachings of the Buddha called?

4. How many sections or ‘baskets’ are there in the Tipitaka? a. 1 b. 3 c. 40 d. 200

5. Complete the sentence: For Buddhists, ______is the end to suffering, and the end of endless rebirths.

16 • Lesson 5 Buddhism is a very old religion, and over time Theravãda is the oldest of the Buddhist different Buddhist groups have emerged. traditions, going back to just after the Buddha’s These are sometimes called schools, branches passing. Navayãna is the newest branch of or traditions of Buddhism. Each tradition has Buddhism, created by an Indian politician much in common – for example core beliefs called BR Ambedkar in 1956. of the eightfold path – but they differ in how In each of these traditions Buddhists can they interpret the Buddhist teachings. This become monks or nuns. This means that they means that followers of the different branches have made the choice to commit their entire behave in different ways. life to being a Buddhist. Children can enter as monks too. To begin with, people enter as a 1. All Buddhists understand the novice, but as they learn more they can move Buddha’s treachings in exactly the up different ‘ranks’. same way. When novices first enter a monastery, they give up all of their possessions, and cut off their True / False hair. This is to show that they are leaving their old world behind and focussing on becoming a good Buddhist. This is sometimes ascetism, The main Buddhist schools are: which means showing extreme self-discipline 1. Theravãda and denying yourself any luxuries. Both monks and nuns will cut off their hair. 2. Mahãyãna 3. Vajrayãna 2. Why do monks and nuns 4. Navayãna shave their head after entering a monastery?

Word Bank: symbolises, ascetism, self-indulgence, luxury, monks, nuns, monastery, novice, self-discipline, possessions, focus,

______BR Ambedkar

Lesson 5 • 17 Once novices have entered the monastery, they follow a fairly strict routine. It will change 3. Write your own daily routine In this depending on which branch of Buddhism the table. monastery follows, but daily life might look something like this: Time Activity

Time Activity

04.00 Wake up 04.30 Meditation and morning chanting

06.00 Breakfast 07.00 Meditation 09.00 Chores 10.00 Study Tipitaka 11.30 Lunch (last solid meal) 12.00 Do good deeds for people in the community

15.00 Tea 16.00 Meditation 17.30 Chores 19.00 Bedtime

4. How does your day compare to a day in a Buddhist monastery?

One similarity between my day and a day in the Buddhist monastery is______

One difference between my day and a day in the Buddhist monastery is______

5. Watch this video of life in a Buddhist monastery. What would you find most challenging about living in a Buddhist monastery?

18 • Lesson 5 Lesson 06 Who is the Dalai Lama?

Retrieval Practice

1. Which of these Buddhist schools is the oldest? a. Theravãda b. Mahãyãna c. Vajrayãna d. Navayãna

2. Why do Buddhists shave their heads when they become a monk or a nun.

3. Siddhartha Gautama was a Prince. True / False

4. Name one activity that a Buddhist monk or nun might do in a monastery:

5. Which ancient language is the Tipitaka written in? a. Latin b. Aramaic c. Pali d. Hebrew

Lesson 6 • 19 Buddhists believe in reincarnation. This means that they believe that people are born again 1. Match these Buddhist ideas with after they die. The ‘soul’ may go into another their meanings: person (a new baby), or could become the spirit saṃsãra the extinguishing of the of a different kind of animal. This endless cycle self of rebirths is called saṃsãra, and is a belief held duḥkha an endless cycle of by many other ancient Indian religions, such as nirvana and Jainism. The Buddha taught that rebirths this reincarnation is duḥkha, which means that pain or suffering. it is painful and causes suffering.

2. What sort of animal might indicate that someone had previously led a bad life and had bad karma?

3.The idea of karma affecting people’s physical condition or status in new lives is controversial. Why do you think this is?

For Buddhists, the final goal is to be released from this endless cycle of rebirths. This happens after someone completely understands their “Achieving nirvana is the only way own mind and body and the whole world. This of ending suffering.” sense of full self-realization and liberation is sometimes known as moksha. After a Buddhist has achieved enlightenment they are no longer born again. They have been extinguished – reaching nirvana.

4. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Jot arguments for both sides before choosing a side, and take part in the class debate with your ideas.

Agree Disagree

20 • Lesson 6 In the last lesson we learnt that there are One famous school of Buddhism is the Geluk different ‘schools’ or ‘traditions’ Buddhism, who tradition, which was founded in Tibet around believe slightly different things and interpret 1400 CE. The leader of this Buddhist tradition is the teachings of the Buddha in different ways. called the Dalai Lama, and his followers believe that whenever the Dalai Lama dies, his soul is reincarnated into a new body. This is because the Dalai Lama uses his enlightenment to help 5. Name one tradition in Buddhism others, instead of achieving nirvana.

______Whenever a Dalai Lama dies, a search begins for the new Dalai Lama. This will be a baby born ______at the exact time that the Dalai Lama died. It can take years to find the new Dalai Lama, but they are usually found in Tibet.

6. Draw a circle around Tibet on the map.

The current Dalai Lama called Tenzin Gyatso. He is the 14th Dalai Lama. For over 50 years, the Dalai Lama is living in India, in exile. He was born in Tibet, which used to be an independent country. However, the led a Tibetan army against China and was defeated. Since then, Tibet has been controlled by China. In 1959 the current Dalai Lama led an uprising against China to try and win independence. It failed and the Dalai Lama fled. He has not been allowed back to Tibet since.

Lesson 6 • 21 The Dalai Lama is famous for his peaceful 7. Should the Dalai Lama be allowed teaching, and wise words. In the following back to China? table you will read some quotes from the Dalai Lama. For each quote, write how you think that people should behave to follow his teaching.

8. The Dalai Lama is famous for his peaceful teaching, and wise words. In the following table you will read some quotes from the Dalai Lama. For each quote, write how you think that people should behave to follow his teaching.

Dalai Lama quote: How people should behave:

“Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back and reasons to stay.”

“Whenever possible, choose kindness. It is always possible.”

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”

“Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival.”

“It is our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the environment in which we all live.”

“If a problem can be solved it will be. If it can not be solved there is no use worrying about it.”

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.”

22 • Lesson 6 9. If you could ask the Dalai Lama a question, what would it be?

Lesson 6 • 23 REACH OUT

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