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An investigation into Buddhist values through a study of the Buddha’s enlightenment and one of his previous lives.

KS1 and lower KS2. Originally written by Lorraine Haran, updated in April 2019.

Key Buddhist Teachings (background for teachers)

The Four Noble Truths

• Life involve suffering (dukkha).
• The origins of suffering lie in wanting, which is made more intense by greed, hatred and ignorance (Samudaya)
• The ending of suffering is possible (Nirhodha).

The Noble Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering and become enlightened (Magga).

• Right understanding (seeing the world as it is, in terms of the Four Noble Truths).
• Right Thought (commitment to follow the path).
• Right Speech (truthfulness, gentle and useful speech).
• Right Action (following the Five Precepts with love and compassion).
• Right Livelihood (avoiding work that causes harm or injustice, choosing one which is beneficial to others).
• Right Effort (avoiding bad thoughts, encouraging good).
• Right Mindfulness (attentiveness and awareness).
• Right Meditation (training the mind in meditation).

(When people follow the path, the wheel turns in a positive direction traditionally clockwise symbolising their development).

The Five Moral Precepts: Buddhists should refrain from:

• Harming and killing living beings,
• Sexual misconduct,
• Taking drugs or drinking that impair clarity of the mind,
• Taking what is not freely given,
• Wrong speech.

(There is a positive aspect of each precept, e.g. it is not enough not to harm – one should show compassion for all living things).

Enlightenment and Nirvana: Buddhist believe that there is a cycle of birth, life and death and rebirth. This goes on and on. They believe that unless someone gains Enlightenment, when they die they will be reborn. If a person can gain Enlightenment, they can break out of this Breaking out of the cycle is called Nirvana (sometimes called Nibbana) It is the end of everything that is not perfect. It is perfect peace, free of suffering.

Meditation: Buddhists try to reach Nirvana by following the Buddha’s teaching and by Meditation means training the mind to empty it all of thoughts. When this happens what is important comes clear.

Buddha: the ‘Awakened’ or ‘Enlightened’ One. The Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal around 2,500 years ago. Siddhartha was born into the royal family of a small kingdom on the Indian Nepalese border. He is believed by Buddhists to be a human being who became Enlightened (awakened).

Dharma: universal law; ultimate truth. The teaching of the Buddha.

The Jataka Tales or Birth Stories form one of the sacred books of the Buddhists and relate to the adventures of the Buddha in his former existences, in both human and animal form. The Buddha was a great storyteller and often told stories illustrate his thinking. Stories were also told about the Buddha by his followers both to explain and understand the Dharma. These stories have been passed down to the present day and the most popular ones are the Jataka tales, a collection of hundreds of tales about the Buddha’s past lives. They show the kind of life one should lead to become a Buddha one day. In many of these stories, the Buddha appears as an animal to teach the value of qualities such as kindness, compassion, and giving.

Karuna: compassion. The importance of being compassionate, generous, kind, truthful, helpful and patient: Actions have consequences.

Learning activities

Resources:

This lesson requires several images and a video clip of Siddhartha’s life. You will need to find these online before you start.

Images: lotus flower, Prince Siddhartha, Gautama Buddha

Video clip: the life of Siddhartha Gautama, or the life of the Buddha

Show the class an image of a lotus flower. This is a well-used symbol in both Hinduism and Buddhism and you will find may examples online.

Explain to the children that the flower is a lotus flower and that this is a symbol that is frequently used in Buddhism, because it shows how something beautiful and precious can grow out of the soil of the earth. Explain that they will be thinking about the most valuable things in the world in the next few sessions and that this will include an investigation into what followers of the Buddha – Buddhists – think is most valuable.

Ask the children for their ideas about what is most valuable (a) in their lives and (b) in the world.

Explain that in Buddhist philosophy many people can be seen as too distracted to see what is really valuable in life. The person whose teachings they follow became known as ‘The Buddha’ and they are going to find out about his life and what he taught.

Write the names ‘Prince Siddhartha’ and ‘The Buddha’ on the board. Play the video clip you have found. Explain that at the end you will talk about how the Prince became The Buddha. Play the video.

At the end of the film, show the children a picture or image of the Buddha and ask them to recall the story: what do they think were the most important parts? Record what pupils say on sticky notes and share with class, placing answers around the image.

Ask the children to share experiences and feelings about times when they have done something that was extremely difficult, for example, learning something new or embarking on something that will take a long time. What do they think were the difficult things that Prince Siddhartha did when he went on his search for the truth about life? Ask them to complete the sentence, “I think the hard challenges that Prince Siddhartha had to face were…” and to explain why they think these were hard challenges. Can they think about how he might have been feeling when he saw the old man, the sick man, the dead man and the ‘seeker’? [This activity could be done as a ‘hot seat’ activity for lower KS2].

Ask the children to share experiences of times when members of the class have experienced or done something that put the needs of others before their own. Ask them to respond to such questions as:

• Have you ever given away something you wanted for yourself?
• What did you give away?
• Was it easy to do?
• Why did you do it
• How did you feel?
• What effect did it have on you / the other person?
• Encourage them then to complete a couple of sentences such as:
• I put others first by ………………………………………………………………
• This made me feel ………………………………………………………………

Some children could go on to draw a picture of an experience of a time when they put others first, and write simple sentences about it.

Next, remind the children of the part in the film where the Buddha remembers all his ‘past lives’ and explain that Buddhists believe that when a person dies they will usually be ‘reborn’ in a different form depending on how they have lived their life. There are many stories in Buddhism that describe the Buddha’s previous ‘lives’, sometimes as an animal. These stories show how the Buddha did many helpful things in his previous lives and this helped his progress from one life to the next. One of these stories is about a monkey king who put others before himself.

Download the story: http://www.clear-vision.org/Fileshttps://clearvision.education/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/MonkeyKing.pdf/MonkeyKing.pdf

Read the story from the beginning and stop at the point where a mango falls into the water and drifts downstream. Ask the children to talk with each other about what might happen next.

Read the rest of the story. Stop reading from time to time to check understanding.

Engage the children in a sequencing activity to help them recollect the main aspects of the story. Provide them with a set of the following sentences on separate cards [You could also provide the pupils with a set of six picture cards depicting these scenes: you can find these in the Clear Vision pack if you have it]:

• A little monkey found a mango.
• “Pick those mangoes”, said the Monkey King.
• The King found the mango.
• The King saw the monkey’s tail.
• The Monkey King held on.
• The Monkey King died.

Ask the children to work in small groups to put the cards in sequence, making sure they can justify their choice of order. Most children can then go on to write their own sentence for each picture, using some key words that you can put up on the board: Moon, mountain, river, monkey, mango, tail, King, died, tree, bridge, monument. Some children may be able to independently write up the story, using illustrations and key words as support.

Next, engage the children in a drama re-enactment of the story. [This could also be adapted for a Music activity, with children choosing choose a variety of musical instruments which will they think will express the emotional tempo of key events in the story, e.g., finger cymbals – calmness, drums – the King’s men approaching, bells to build up to tension, or an Art activity with children using different media to make props representing, e.g., masks, river, tree branches, crowns.]

Ask them to imagine that they are one of the band of monkeys living harmoniously in the mango tree. Take them through the following actions:

• Climb the tree.
• Explore.
• Eat and enjoy the mangoes.
• Sleep, play and carefully pick all the fruit that hangs out over the water.
• Tell them that the human King and his soldiers arrive: hide in the bramches.
• You are very frightened. Try not to move or make a sound.
• You see the monkey King leap over the river and make himself into a bridge. [Use long piece of ribbon or string and lay it on the floor to represent the bridge.]
• One at a time, quietly and carefully, cross the bridge to safety.

Then ask the children to respond to such questions as:

• How did it feel living in the tree?
• How did you feel hiding from the King?
• Why did you cross?
• What advice would you give to those who have yet to cross?
• How did you feel when the monkey king made himself into a bridge for you to cross?
• How did you feel when you escaped?
• When did you feel safe?
• What would have been the consequences if you didn’t cross?
• How would the world change if everyone was selfish?
• Who would you look to in your life to guide you in times of fear?
• Why might Buddhists think this story is a good one?

Prepare the outline of a mind-map on what the Monkey King might be thinking and show it to the pupils. Ask them to complete their own version in small groups and to share their ideas with the rest of the class.

Encourage the children to then offer views about what Buddhists might believe this story tells them about what is of great value and to add their ideas on the edge of their mind- map diagrams.

Engage the pupils in a ‘Conscience corridor’ activity around the Monkey King’s sacrifice:

• Select one pupil to be the Monkey King and ask the rest of the class to create two lines approximately a meter apart facing each other.
• Ask pupils on one side of the ‘corridor’ to think or a reason for the Monkey King to act selfishly and just save himself. Ask pupils on the other side to take the opposite view and think of a reason for the Monkey King to sacrifice himself to save the other [Pupils could choose which viewpoint they wish to voice or be told which view point to take.]
• The Monkey King then walks slowly through the corridor and pupils on each side whisper their reasons. [Pupils who lack confidence can ‘pass’ by clapping or repeat a comment that has already been spoken.]
• Once the King has reached the end of the corridor, ask them to recall the main reasons on either side and to say what they would have done in the King’s What were the main reasons for their decision?
• Ask the other children to say what they think they would have done, with reasons that link the situation to their own lives and experiences.

The ‘Conscience corridor’ activity could then be repeated, but with a different pupil playing the part of the human King. This time the dilemma is whether to order his men to shoot the Monkey King:

Again, at the end of the corridor, ask the pupil playing the part of the human King to recall the main reasons given on either side and to say what they would have done in the King’s situation. What were the main reasons for their decision? What do they think a Buddhist would do, and why?

At the end of the activity, engage pupils in a class discussion and write up their ideas on sticky notes to put on a ‘Monkey King’ poster. Ask them for their responses to such questions as:

• What is the opposite of selflessness?
• What does the story tell us about greed?
• What is ‘compassion’?
• How did the Monkey King show compassion for others?
• What is ‘sacrifice’?
• What sacrifice did the Monkey King make?
• Who do you know that is selfless in your life?
• What does it mean ‘to set a good example’?
• In what ways did both kings in the story set a good example?
• Can you think of how people could set a good example, in the school, or locally or globally?
• What is ‘wisdom’?
• What does the story tell us about the qualities of a good leader?
• What do you think happened to the human king after the monkey king died? Did he change his life? Did he grow in wisdom?
• Finally, encourage pupils to add their own sticky note to the poster, completing this sentence:

I think that Buddhists value ………… the most.

An investigation into questions about life, suffering and death, using Buddhist sand mandala, shrines and through contact with a local hospice.

For Upper KS2. Originally written by Sabah Raza, updated in April 2019.

Key words

Mandala: The meaning of mandala comes from Sanskrit meaning ‘circle’. The circle represents a symbolic picture of the universe in Buddhism and Hinduism, often using geometric patterns.

Sand Mandalas: An ancient, sacred form of Tibetan Buddhist art_. According to Buddhist scripture, mandalas made from sand transmit positive energies to the environment and to the people who view them; they are believed to purify and heal. The Buddha himself introduced mandala sand painting; the many different sand designs each have a different lesson to teach.

Sacred Tibetan Mandala: The mandala’s purpose is to help transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones and to assist with healing.

Chak-pur: Cone shaped metal funnels with ridges, used to disperse sand in a controlled way.

Buddha: The Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal around 2,500 years Siddhartha was born into the royal family of a small kingdom on the Indian- Nepalese border. He is believed by Buddhists to be a human being who became Enlightened (awakened).

Buddhism: Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from ‘budhi’, ‘to awaken’. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago. The basic concepts in Buddhism can be summed up by the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

Dalai Lama: The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is believed by his followers to be the spiritual leader of Tibet and the Head Monk of Tibetan Buddhism.

Monk: A member of a religious community of men, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Nirvana: the highest state that someone can attain, a state of enlightenment, meaning a person’s individual desires and suffering go away; the goal of the Buddhist path.

Life: The condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.

Dying: Occurring at or connected with the time that someone dies.

Death: The action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism.

Hospice: a home providing care for people with a life limiting illness.

Note

If possible, this lesson involves some children visiting a local hospice to create a mandala with residents.

An alternative could be a visit to the classroom of staff form the hospice, or pupils interview family members.

Learning activities

You will need to find the following items online:

• Still image of Buddhists constructing a sand mandala
• Video of the construction and destruction of a sand mandala
• Information about a hospice- website or video

Begin by displaying any image of Buddhists constructing a sand mandala, there are many online, including of the Dalai Lama.

On each table, have an A3 copy of the image stuck on a large piece of sugar paper (groups of six work well for this activity)

Ask the pupils to write down one question each about what they would like to find out about the picture and stick it around the picture [small sticky notes work best].

Ask them, in their groups, to select one question, putting the rest of the questions to one side for now. [Help pupils to modify the question if necessary, so that the question is an ‘open’ one with no ‘easy answer’.]

Encourage one pupil from each group to read out their chosen question, then ask the class to select one main question, which will be investigated over the course of the topic.

The rest of the questions can go in to a ‘We Were Wondering…’ box, to be answered by pupils as extension work over the duration of the unit.

Now show the class the video clip of the construction and destruction of a sand mandala, asking them to look out for answers to some of the questions they might have heard earlier and to note down anything they think is important.

Ask the pupils:

• to feedback any key points they picked up and/or to answer any of the questions that were asked on their table
• What did you notice was being made in the video?
• What do you think the meaning of the image is?
• What sounds, sights and actions did you notice?
• What people did you notice?
• What happened to the image?
• What do you think happens to the sand?

Explain that Buddhists (who follow Buddhism) believe in a cycle of life, death and rebirth. Nirvana is believed to be the end of the cycle of death and rebirth and that Buddhism teaches that Nirvana is reached when all want and suffering is gone. Explain that Nirvana Day is an annual Buddhist festival that remembers the death of the Buddha (the founder of Buddhism) when he passed into Nirvana at the age of 80. On Nirvana Day, Buddhists think about their lives and how they can work towards gaining the perfect peace of Nirvana. They remember friends or relations who have recently died and reflect on the fact that death is a part of life for everyone.

Explain that the idea that nothing stays the same is central to Buddhism. Buddhists believe that loss and change are things to be accepted rather than causes of sadness. Mandalas are a key symbol for this idea, a circle that carries on and on. Sand mandalas that are constructed and deconstructed illustrate this especially well. Explain that this idea is key to their learning in this unit.

Ask the question, What happens to us after we die? What do you think? [Have it written on a large piece of sugar paper.] Encourage pupils to write a brief response on a sticky note and stick it around the question on sugar paper. Give them an opportunity to discuss their answer to this, first in pairs, then as a group and then as a class. Over the course of the next few lessons, read out a few ideas about what pupils think happens to us after we die. Some pupils may suggest viewpoints from their faith, which could lead to further discussions. Have a selection of books from all faiths available and if possible, a pupil laptop for further investigation.

Ask the pupils to think about something or someone they have lost. How did it make them feel? Give out thought bubbles. Ask them to write down their thoughts and feelings and give them an opportunity to share their feelings if they wish to do so.

As a whole class, create a Buddhist Shrine with the following artefacts: a statue of Buddha (Buddharupa), incense (symbolising the fragrance of the perfect life), flowers (the impermanence of life) and lights or candles (representing truth). [Over the coming weeks, the pupils should see the flowers withering and die, demonstrating and reinforcing the key message that loss and change are to be accepted and that all living things die. It is best not to use carnations or chrysanthemums because these remain fresh for a long time. Refer back to the shrine weekly, making observations of the flowers. Add the main class enquiry question to this display, referring back to it at the beginning of each lesson. Have the box of remaining class questions nearby on display, with books on Buddhism for reference.]

Encourage pupils to describe the different items in the shrine and how they reflect Buddhist beliefs.

Introduce pupils to the word ‘Hospice’ and ask Does anyone know what a hospice is or who might go visit one? Think about the beginning part of the word ‘hosp’, does it remind you of anything? What kind of a building do you think it is? What would you expect to find inside? Ask the pupils to write their ideas on a large sheet of paper, to compare to attitudes later in the lesson.

Explain what a hospice is and who would use it. [A home/place that provides care for people with a life limiting illness.] Show information you have researched about a hospice.

Ask for pupils’ responses to such questions as: What do you think about hospices now? Has your opinion changed? What kind of place do we now know a hospice is? How helpful is it to the people that visit it/stay there? Tell me about the sort of people that work/volunteer there. What kind of things can people do there? Ask pupils to compare responses to answers written down earlier.

Ask pupils to suggest similarities and differences they can identity between what they notice about the hospice and Buddhist beliefs, attitudes and symbols. [Bring out points about life, suffering and death and the feelings associated, e.g., with items in the Buddhist shrine, like candles, or in the making of sand mandalas, such as peacefulness, emotional needs, acceptance of change and death.] Ask them to suggest reasons for similarities and differences and whether they think having religious beliefs might make a difference to a person’s attitudes to hospices.

If you are making a hospice visit

Explain that some of the class will be visiting a hospice and will be working with a patient (in pairs), to create a beautiful mandala with oil paints.

Use cardboard or canvas to paint on.

Explain that when they visit, they will be able to talk to their patient and ask prepared questions, so they can start to depict that patient’s life story on a mandala. Remind pupils that the patients they will be meeting will have a life limiting illness and that this is their opportunity to leave a legacy at the hospice/school of their life journey in the visual art form of a Buddhist Mandala. To help pupils make the explicit link, remind them at this point of the Buddhist belief that loss and change are things to be accepted rather than causes of sadness and that Mandalas are a key symbol for this idea.

Alternatively, staff from the hospice can be invited in to lead this session to meet the pupils and answer questions.

Or

Children can interview family members.

Most hospices will only be able to accommodate a fixed number of pupils, depending on space and the number of patients using their services at that time. One suggestion is to select pupils on your gifted and talented register for RE and Art. The rest of the pupils complete the same activities, however they prepare a mandala to tell the story of a parent/grandparent/carer and complete this in school.

Note: Pupils interviewing family members will need to be reminded that they should not ask questions about an illness, e.g. What have you been diagnosed with? Their focus should be the life journey of that person, e.g. key events/journeys/moments in their lives. When selected pupils are visiting the hospice over the next three weeks (for one morning or an afternoon, to be agreed with the Hospice), the rest of the class/classes remain in school to prepare their mandalas.

After a tour of the hospice to view their facilities, pupils ask their questions to their patients. It is key that this is in a relaxed environment and is informal, if possible over a glass of squash and biscuits! Pupils in school will have taken their questions home as homework and should have had their discussions already. All pupils should begin to think about symbols, words or pictures to represent key events and the general layout of the mandalas in this session.

Ask all the pupils, over the next two or three sessions, to draw, then paint their mandalas, either in class, or jointly with their patient at the hospice. Encourage them to use different forms of expression, e.g., words as well as symbols, and to describe the meaning(s) of their designs. [As the project progresses, pupils will have begun to develop confidence and important conversations may be taking place between the patient and the pupils. This spiritual, moral and social element of the project is absolutely key here.]

It may be appropriate to also hold a small ‘tea party’ at the hospice, to include any patients that may be too unwell to travel to school for the assembly. The parents of the pupils involved could also be invited to this. One of the aims is to raise awareness of the great work of hospices and to encourage parents to donate and/or support the school in fundraising for your local hospice.

Encourage pupils to think of five questions to ask a partner in class. Encourage them to think carefully about the wording of their questions and explain that they should try to find out as much as possible about that person, including their beliefs about what they think happens after death, whilst being tactful. Give pupils an opportunity to feedback what they have found out about their friend. Highlight good examples of open questions and suggest ways of rewording closed questions.

Ask them then to compile a similar list of questions to ask their patient or family member; all pupils could use this question as a starting point: Buddhists believe that loss and change are things to be accepted rather than causes of sadness. We will be painting mandalas, as they are a symbol of this idea, a circle that carries on and on. What do you believe happens after we die? Encourage them to suggest answers that might be given by the patients. Ask them to say what answers they think might be given by a patient who was a Buddhist.

Refer pupils back to the Buddhist Shrine and the main class question on life, death and dying and ask them what they have learnt. Invite answers to the main question. Observe the flowers (they should be at least wilting by now, if not dead), demonstrating and reinforcing the key message in Buddhism, that loss and change are to be accepted and that all living things die.

In the final week, hold a whole school assembly, to which all of the year group’s parents are invited, along with the patients and staff of the hospice. This should be a celebration of the completed mandalas. Where possible, pupils and patients briefly present their life journeys and talk through the words and symbols on their mandala, highlighting reasons for similarities and differences in the forms of expressing meaning, and the questions and answers about life, suffering and death that they explored. Pupils who represented the lives of family members on their mandalas, should also showcase their work in this assembly with their family member if possible.

Here are some examples of complete mandalas:

We recommend extending the unit with the activities below:

Divide pupils in to groups of six. Each group chooses a religion or philosophy of life represented in the UK and prepares a project to show adherents’ beliefs about life and death. Pupils plan their own enquiry and resources they will need, asking ‘What do they believe about life and death?’

Note: ensure you are using a pupil-friendly search engine, as there are many inappropriate websites and video clips on death. We recommend setting up several ‘fixed’ searches in a folder of safe websites, that pupils can select from.

Use Mackley, J. (2006) Exploring the Journey of Life and Death, Birmingham: RE Today Services. This publication has several challenging activities, encouraging children to think about the journey of life and death. For example, pupils could explore their own ‘journey of life’ by thinking about the high points and low points in their life so far. Pupils could also explore ‘The Journey of Life’ illustration and pick a route they would like to take, thinking about what they would avoid and what they would include and pupils could write the first page of a ‘Guidebook’ for life.

An examination of the life and work of Daisaku Ikeda, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

For 10-14 year olds. Originally written by Mary Myatt. Updated in April 2019.

Key words and concepts

Justice: the moral principle of fairness for all.

Freedom: the rights of individual to be able to take part in civil and political life without discrimination or repression.

Non-violence: the power of refusing to use violence; the restraint required not to descend to the violence used by oppressors. Gandhi and King used non-violent tactics, inspired by Jesus and other political activities for justice.

Learning activities

Ask your learners to think about ‘the price of justice’. To stimulate discussion show the Muppet Christmas Carol – Marley and Marley (find it on You Tube). Ask them why the characters are in chains. What is holding them captive? What could set them free?

Ask what sort of things people are usually sent to prison for. Write them up on a picture with some prison bars. Show pictures of Gandhi and King in prison and ask your students if they know or can guess what they were supposed to have done that is ‘wrong’. Add these comments to the bars.

Find two or three more examples of contemporary political prisoners or prisoners of conscious. Amnesty International’s website is a good place to look, especially their current letter-writing campaigns. Draw out as a class why these people have been imprisoned. Add the reasons and any quotes that sum up the issue to the bars.

King wrote a famous letter while he was in Birmingham jail, which was written on scraps of newspaper and smuggled out. One of the things he said was that ‘we have a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.’ Ask your students to work in pairs to work out what their message from prison would be and what the possible consequences of different messages might be. Encourage them to write it out for display on newspaper inside prison bars.

Ask students to investigate what Paul said about being in chains for the sake of the gospel. Read the whole passage in Philippians 1: 12-26, or cut up key passages and give to groups to explore. Discuss what the chains represent; what freedom has Paul found? What does he feel about the chains? Add these notes to the prison bars.

Search a quote website for Gandhi’s sayings on ‘freedom’, ‘courage’ and ‘strength’. Display 10- 20 or copy and paste onto sheets. Give groups one or two quotes, either of their own choice or randomly distributed, to discuss and explore. Share with the class. Add these thoughts to the prison bars.

Use the Buddhist Wheel of Life below (For an A4 version please see Appendix 1 of the download available at the end of this resource). Around the outer circle are the ’12 chains of causation’; the elements of human life that keep us trapped, such as craving, desire, sensation, and so on. Discuss whether this represents a different type of being ‘trapped’ to Gandhi’s, and Paul’s. What freedoms are being referred to? How do they differ?

Encourage students to make connections between the quotations. They might add some of their own comments about ‘the chains that bind us’ from these sources to the prison display.

“I stood by when           ” Tell your students how, in 1961, seven black and six white young people known as the ‘Freedom Riders’, decided to travel by bus from Washington to New Orleans, crossing six southern states of America, to challenge local practices of racial segregation. In Birmingham, Alabama, police stood by when members of the Ku Klux Klan beat the Freedom Riders with lead pipes, baseball bats and bicycle chains. Ask students if they can think of other examples of people ‘standing by’ when wrong- doing was taking place. Explain that in 1945 Daisaku Ikeda was a teenager in Japan when the US dropped two nuclear bombs and that he decided then that he could not ‘stand by’ while the existence and threat of these weapons has remained. Ikeda is well-known today as a Buddhist philosopher and writer, and founder of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), the world’s largest community of non-ordained Buddhists, or Buddhists who are not monks or nuns. Show students some ideas from the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) website campaigning against nuclear weapons and ask students if they know the reasons people give for keeping nuclear weapons.

Remind your group of the story Jesus told of the ‘Good Samaritan’ (Luke 10.25-37). Explain that Martin Luther King, as a Christian, was influenced by this story, and Gandhi and Ikeda also held Jesus in high regard and followed the teaching of this parable. Ask students to rewrite the story as a poem from the point of view of the priest, the Levite (I stood by when….) and the Samaritan (I didn’t stand by when …..).

Your students could write a similar poem thinking about instances when they might be tempted to just stand by, and instances when they have the courage to not stand by. Alternatively they could write a poem in the style of ‘First they came…’ by Martin Niemoller (find this poem online).

The poems could be written on paper chains. At the end of the poem they could make a record of two or three questions about such dilemmas and suggest how people might go about answering them.

Ask students to consider in pairs whether there are differences in the basic beliefs of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr and Daisaku Ikeda. Ask them to say what experiences each man had that helped form their views. Issue the pairs or small groups of students with pictures of Gandhi, King and Ikeda. They can stick these in the middle of large sheets of poster paper. Around each picture they should write a number of statements about the beliefs and the experiences of each man so far as they have been able to discover so far. Ask them to link up similar statements and encourage them to explain how some people use religious sources such as the parable of the Good Samaritan to help them understand how to act in difficult circumstances.

Find a clip online of blacksmiths making chains. Accompany this with some music such as Alexander Mosolov’s Zavod (The Iron Foundry) 19. Ask students about their reactions to the short film and the music and the idea of people being in chains. Ask them to reflect, on their own, on what they are making of their lives so far. What might they do in their future life to help ‘set people free’? Gather some views and then offer them Ikeda’s saying that, ‘true and lasting peace will be realised only by forging bonds of trust between people at the deepest level in the depths of their lives’. Ask students to talk to a partner about the difference between chains of despair and chains of strength that bind people together. Can they give examples of each? Gather views from the class.

Show images of Martin Luther King’s marches in 1960s America and Gandhi’s march for equal rights for Indians in South Africa. Ask students how different they think these marches were from the riots and protests that sometimes take place in Britain today (e.g., in London in 2011, or more recent example if appropriate). Ask if students can identify current stories in Britain or America that reflect concerns about exclusion, racism and freedom.

Ask students to work in pairs to consider problems in the world today and to draft some ideas on what (a) Martin Luther King; (b) Gandhi and (c) Ikeda might write on a protest placard. What would students write on a placard about injustices in today’s world? Ask them to create placards with a written explanation to display.

Remind students of the posters they produced around the pictures of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr and Daisaku Ikeda and offer them some further quotes, e.g., Gandhi’s, ‘You must be the change you want to see’; King’s ‘Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love’; and Ikeda’s ‘A great revolution of character in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and further will cause a change in the destiny of humankind’. Find and display more quotes along these lines, or ask groups to choose quotes online.

Some students might like to go further and make quotes into poems, raps, and songs. Search online for a rap based on Gandhi’s quote, ‘Be the change that you want to see’ and Martin Luther King’s ‘Free at last’ speech set to rhythm / percussion.

To challenge students to demonstrate their level of progress through this investigation, encourage them to refocus on the key question, ‘What price justice?’ Ask them to work in small groups to research and put together a presentation that could be written or filmed that has the following features:

• a description of the ‘price paid’ by Gandhi, King and Ikeda in their fights for justice;
• an outline of responses to Gandhi, King and Ikeda from different Hindus, Christians and Buddhists;
• use of different sources and arguments to explain the reasons for different responses by Hindus, Christians and Buddhists;
• students’ own views on how the life and teaching of Gandhi, King and Ikeda inspires people to fight for justice in the world today;
• what students find to be the most important features of the life and teaching of Gandhi, King and Ikeda for themselves

An examination of Buddhist beliefs about life and suffering.

For 8-12 year olds. Originally written by Dave Francis, updated in April 2019.

Key words and concepts

Kamma / karma: Action. Intentional actions that affect one’s circumstances in this and future lives.

Bhavachakra: the ‘Wheel of Becoming’ or ‘Wheel of Life’.

Yama: ‘The Lord of Death’ or ‘Demon of Impermanence’. Yama is often pictured as the monster holding the Wheel of Life, symbolising the fact that suffering and death comes to all living beings. He is also known as a protector of Buddhism and Buddhists against evil.

Buddha: the ‘Awakened’ or ‘Enlightened’ One. Many Buddhists believe there have been many Buddhas through history, but that the Buddha of our age is the enlightened person Siddattha Gotama (Pali) / Siddhartha Gautama (Sanskrit), who lived in what is now Nepal around 2,500 years ago.

Dhamma / dharma: Universal law; ultimate truth. The teachings of the Buddha.

Some of these terms are also key concepts. Here is some further background to some of these to help you prepare for the teaching and learning activities:

Kamma / karma: The Buddha taught that effects depends on volition. This marks the Buddhist treatment of kamma as different from the Hindu understanding of karma.

Dhamma / dharma: In this banquet, pupils investigate Buddhist ideas about life, truth and suffering. In particular they focus on the symbolism within the Bhavachakra as a way of finding out what Buddhists believe about the ‘bad attitudes’ that can lead away from true happiness and towards increased suffering.

Wheel of life: Also known as the ‘Wheel of Becoming’. Presented here in diagrammatic form, showing the Buddha preaching / teaching in each of six realms of existence. The Buddha is working to save beings and to help them towards enlightenment whatever state they find themselves in.

Learning activities

This sequence of learning activities is built around the Bhavachakra – the Buddhist ‘Wheel of Life’, below. The image is available as an A4 pdf page in the . downloadable version of this resource. Please go to the end of this resource to download the entire resource, including the Bhavachakra.

Remind them that the Buddha was a great teacher who lived around 2,500 years ago, and that his followers are called Buddhists. They believe that the Buddha, through his own great efforts, found out the best way to live. Explain that Buddhists believe that every action has a consequence for good or ill and that in the diagram you are going to show them this is symbolised in different ways. Every form of being, wherever it is, is subject to this law of cause and effect, known as karma. So – human beings and animals cannot avoid cause and effect, and even if you think there are worlds beyond this one – like heaven and hell – karma still works.

Put the Bhavachakra image up on a whiteboard and take them round the diagram, especially the six worlds of existence, showing how there is suffering everywhere, but that in each world the Buddha is there to help. Explain that it is possible to take this account of six worlds literally, i.e., that beings may be reborn in different worlds, but that it may also apply to our lives here and now in terms of the way people behave. Ask pupils what it might mean to behave ‘like an animal’ or a ‘hungry ghost’, for example.

On the board, put six ‘bad attitudes’ that might be linked to each state of being: Jealousy, Selfishness, Willful ignorance, Pride, Greed and Planning To Do Evil. Can pupils think of examples where each of these might lead to bad consequences? List some of these on the board. Ask pupils to imagine interviewing people who had done these bad actions. What questions would they ask and what answers / excuses do you think they would receive? Compare answers across the class.

Provide pupils with a printed version of the Wheel of Life. Ask pupils to work in pairs to recall aspects of the Wheel, labelling the different sections with key points about what Buddhists believe is being illustrated/symbolized.

Encourage pupils to discuss the details of the picture in their pairs and then to share ideas on the most interesting or puzzling aspects. Prompt their thinking by asking how they can tell that one figure in each of the six ‘worlds of existence’ is the Buddha [He is the largest figure; he has a halo; he carries something to help the beings in that realm]; whether they can think of other religions that picture special people in this way [e.g., Christian Saints, Jesus, Sikh Gurus, etc]; whether they can work out what kind of beings are living in each of the six parts of the main picture, and so on.

Now ask pupils to note what the Buddha is carrying in each world. Ask pupils to imagine that a being in each world has a chance to ask the Buddha ONE question. Pupils can work out their ideas in small groups, write them down, then compare across the class. Keep a note of the questions for the final activity (below).

Point out the monster [Yama] holding the whole wheel in its mouth and ask: Why does a monster hold the wheel of life? [Because, Buddhists believe, all of life is in the grip of suffering and ]

Explain that you would now like them to work out how the Buddha might be helping the creatures in each Divide the class into six groups.

Recap the six realms shown in the Wheel of Life and their meaning:

Realm of the gods or ‘devas’: devas enjoy pleasure and relaxation, however those who live in this realm become used to luxury and cannot achieve Enlightenment.

Realm of the demi-gods: beings in this realm are powerful but angry.

Human Realm: although some human lives are hard, because a human can learn and understand, this realm holds the potential of Enlightenment.

Animal Realm: animals are driven by survival, hunger and competition; their existence is impulsive, they cannot attain wisdom or insight.

Realm of the Hungry Ghosts: these beings are never satisfied and always hungry; they live in a perpetual state of craving that is never sated.

Hell Realm: greed, anger and hatred characterises the hell realm where those inside suffer in various ways

Print out an image of each realm for each group, including information about the realm. Groups think of what it must be lie to live in this state of mind- such as a hungry ghost or an angry demi-god. They crate a modern example to describe this state of mind and explain to the class.

Talk as a class how the buddha might help beings in all the realms, or people in all of these states of mind. Refer to the Buddha’s gifts:

• The lute
• Flaming sword
• Alms bowl
• Book
• Jar of nectar
• Flaming torch

In groups pupils discuss the symbolism of one of these gifts and how it would help people in a specific realm or state of mind. Listen to answers.

Explain that Buddhists believe that the Buddha’s teaching can help everyone to stop suffering, wherever they are [by stopping self-centred desires]. Many Buddhists use paintings of the Wheel of Life to meditate on. They might look at each section and carefully consider what it means for them. Other Buddhists prefer not to use such paintings for meditation, but instead to meditate on a single thought or point. Ask pupils to say which method they think might help a Buddhist to lead a happier life and to give some reasons.

Remind pupils of the questions they wrote for the Buddha and ask them to choose three of the best. Ask them to work out in their groups what answers they think the Buddha might give to these questions, bearing in mind the ‘gifts’ that he is carrying in the Wheel of Life pictures. What answers would pupils give if they were being asked those questions?

Consideration of how important people such as great spiritual teachers can be deified by their followers.

For 10-14 year olds. Originally written by Dick Powell, updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Explain two key beliefs about Jesus and Gautama Buddha
• Explain what beliefs about Jesus and Gautama can be seen in an image of each

Expected

• Offer a view as to how far the ‘original’ message of Jesus and Gautama can be updated for future ages
• Offer a view as to how far humans tend to make their own meaning when it comes to religious teachings

Exceeding

• Give an example of an allegory or myth and explain the purpose of this type of thinking
• Give an example of a historical account and explain the purpose of this type  of thinking

Key words and concepts

General

Deity: an alternative word used to describe (a) God or a goddess, or the Supreme Being.

Deification: the word to describe the process by which godlike or extra-ordinary powers are placed on humans to show their supernatural status.

Christianity

God: the word given to the Supreme Being in the Christian tradition. Usually meaning a personal, creator Being who interacts with his creation in various ways, and is considered the first attribute of the Trinity – i.e. God the Father.

Incarnation: The concept that God is able to take human form, and in Christianity the incarnation is in Jesus of Nazareth.

Christ: a Greek word meaning Messiah, or chosen one (of God).

Messiah: a Hebrew word literally meaning the anointed human (by oil) of God. Became a figure in later Jewish theology of a person who would liberate the Jews from oppression – like King David.

Son of God: a Christian term relating to a title given to Jesus demonstrating Jesus’ relationship with God.

Miracle: a supernatural event usually performed outside the laws of natural occurrences.

Trinity: The belief that God is Three-in-One or the Trinity. The core of the Nicene Creed states the acceptance of God as Creator and Father, belief in Jesus as the Son of God, and faith in the Holy Spirit that permeates and reinforces the work of the Church.

Buddhism

Buddhism: Buddhism can be divided into 3 main groups: Theravada, Eastern Buddhism and Northern Buddhism. While these groups share certain core beliefs, there are some differences in interpretation. The main difference with the Mahayana (a kind of Buddhism adopted in Eastern and Northern Buddhism) is the belief that Nirvana / Nibbana is not the ultimate goal of Buddhism. Instead everyone should aim to become a Bodhisattva and eventually a Buddha and help with the salvation of all beings. Theravadins, on the other hand, believe that, while the Bodhisattva path is the best possible goal, it is not for everyone, only the noble few. The majority of people should aim for Nibbana / Nirvana.

Re-birth: Existence is a cycle of birth and death through samsara going on indefinitely until a person can be liberated (Nibbana / Nirvana). Rebirth is like flame passed from one candle to another – not an immutable soul passed from body to body as in Hinduism.

Bodhisattva: for Mahayana Buddhists a bodhisattva a being who is destined for Enlightenment or Buddhahood but who postpones final attainment of this in order to help all living beings to attain it.

Theravada: literally meaning the Way of the Elders, this is generally considered the principal tradition of Buddhism. It was established in Sri Lanka and South East Asia and is now found in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma as well as Sri Lanka.

Mahayana: Mahayana Buddhism is a later development of Theravadin teachings and generally speaking is to be found in countries to the north of India in Asia such as Tibet, China, South Korea and Japan. Mahayana Buddhists see Buddhas and many Bodhisattvas as transcendent and beings to whom devotions and worship can be offered.

Sakyamuni: Siddhartha Gautama also known as Shakyamuni / Sakyamuni (sage of the Shakyas).

Upaya: skill-in-means – the ability to adapt a message to needs of the audience: a skillful way of teaching a great truth. See the parable of the Burning House in Buddhism.

Some of these terms are also key concepts. Here is some further background to some of these to help you prepare for the teaching and learning activities:

Trinity: The central beliefs of Christianity are summed up in the Nicene Creed which is recited each Sunday by Christians of most denominations in their act of worship, usually the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper. The Nicene Creed was drawn up in 325CE by the Council of Nicaea in order to defend the orthodox faith from various heresies that had arisen. This Creed is the belief that God is Three-in-One or the Trinity. The core of the Nicene Creed states the acceptance of God as Creator and Father, belief in Jesus as the Son of God, and faith in the Holy Spirit that permeates and reinforces the work of the Church. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Messiah: a core concept in Christian and Jewish thought with a rich and ancient history stretching back to the time of King David. In Hebrew, originally meaning ‘the anointed’ one (as King David was with holy oil) it came to refer in New Testament times to a human character with king-like qualities who would free the Jewish people from all oppressors. It is likely that Jesus refused to accept this title, even though the word Christ is the Greek form of Messiah, preferring the title prophet. However, the title stuck and the early followers of Jesus probably called ‘Nazarenes’ by outsiders came to be known as Christians – or followers of the Christ – the anointed one sent by God to save his people from the realm of evil.

Trikaya: this is a word describing the three dimensions or bodies of the Bodhisattva concept and is an excellent, if complex, example of the way in which deification occurs from the human Theravadin Buddha character through to a vast cosmic Mahayana pantheon. The three dimensions of the Bodhisattva being the human nature of Gotama, the supernatural entities through which the dharma is transmitted, and the cosmic dimension of the dharma.

Bodhisattva: Mahayana Buddhists see Buddhas and many Bodhisattvas as being transcendent. This leads to devotional activities and worship. In Pure Land Buddhism, for example, faith in the Buddha Amitabha (or Amida) is emphasised. Adherents believe that faith and devotion will mean Amitabha will help them be reborn in the Pure Land he created in which Enlightenment is guaranteed.

Learning activities

Explain that the students are going to explore the lives and characters of two great religious founders in an attempt to discover what they thought about themselves, what their followers thought about them, and what people think about them today.

The intention of these learning activities is for students to gain an appreciation of the idea that ordinary people impose their own interpretations on events, people and experiences and that over the course of time people develop ideas which might differ from the intention of the original author but which might become mainstream ideas.

The focus of this lesson is Jesus of Nazareth and Siddhartha Gautama. Explain that both figures probably existed historically but that questions will be asked of the students about how this can be established. Suggest that the activities here will show how followers within the belief traditions of both figures, Christianity and Buddhism, have interpreted over time, sometimes gradually, sometimes quickly, the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and Siddhartha Gautama so that the outcome we have in the 21^st century might be different from the original intention of that founder. Suggest to the students that the learning activities hope to show that we need to appreciate that religious ideas develop over time, and are influenced by communities and cultures, and other historical events.

Remind the students that although some people today think of Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God, and Siddhartha Gautama as man who attained Enlightenment, and then escaped from being reborn through Nirvana. The learning activities might demonstrate that we need to be critical about what these words mean.

Show different images of Jesus and Gautama Buddha. Can students identify them? How are they able to do this? Discuss if Jesus and Gautama Buddha would have really looked like this.

Create a set of images of Jesus in different cultural forms, some with a message intended by the artist, some telling a story of Jesus; life. For example; show a black, Chinese and Indian Jesus; search ‘Church Ads.net’ for Christian messages cleverly communicated with advertising campaigns; stories form Jesus; life such as miracles or the events of Holy Week. In pairs, students try to identify the meaning of the image for Christians, a message the artist or creator is trying to portray, and whether it would have made sense to 1st Century Jews, Jesus’ followers and companions.

Remind students of the trials of Jesus and if necessary provide the students with the Bible reference to the trial of Jesus by Herod (Luke 23: 6-12) to read in pairs.

As an individual exercise, suggest that they write a short report as a journalist for a newspaper as if they were at the trial and if they had the chance to ask Jesus some questions about his motives and actions, how he felt about his treatment, and how he sees the outcome. Encourage students to share their reports.

Return to the images of Siddhartha Gautama. Ask if students are less familiar with the stories of Siddhartha Gautama than Jesus of Nazareth. If so, ask them if this will affect their judgements, ideas, understanding of Gautama better or worse than Jesus?

Find a similar set of images of Gautama Buddha, such as in different cultural forms (Thai, India, Chinese, etc); at different points in his life (as a prince, starving, as a teacher, reclining prior to attaining Nirvana); and ways the Buddha image is used today, such as an ornament, in a Buddhist shrine, in association with mindfulness as therapy etc. ask pairs to conduct a similar discussion as for Christianity: what is the meaning of the image for Buddhists, what message is the artist trying to communicate, would the message make sense to North Indian people 2.5 thousand years ago?

Remind students of the story of the Buddha –find a clip online or retell the story of his early life, the 4 sights, and his renunciation of his life as a prince. Working in groups of three or four, ask students to present up to five similarities and differences between Jesus and Siddhartha, stressing not only physical ways but also ways they tried to find meaning in life.

Introduce a Stilling exercise of the type below:

A stilling exercise

Teachers of RE are usually familiar with stilling exercises. Follow your own procedures or use all or some of the following. After the exercise the students will be required to write a question on a sticky note and share this with their partner.

Allow the students to find a comfortable and secure place to sit or lie..

Once settled, lead the students in a breathing exercise so that they can become more focussed – this one is often used – instruct the students in an even and quiet voice to place their hand on their heart and listen for a heartbeat, ask them to feel the rhythm, and to see if it is slowing down or even, rapid or calm. Ask them keep their attention on their heartbeat and breathe regularly and calmly; and once they feel their breathing is in tune with their feelings of calm, to place their hand beside their sides and to listen carefully to the exercise. Hold the silence…

In a calm but quiet voice, taking pauses when necessary ask the students to see a path in front of them leading from the classroom to a delightful place in nature… it could be wide…. Or narrow…. winding…. Or straight… following a stream, or a coastal path ….to a forest or in the mountains… wherever the student feels most comfortable.

As you walk down the path you come to a small tree which has lots of branches. This is called the Tree of Troubles, and as you come to it, you pause …. and take any trouble you might have off your shoulders and hang it on the tree before you move off again..

You come to a small gate, it is bright green and as you pass through the gate you notice how all the flowers and trees, bushes and grass have become incredibly colourful and bright. The sun is shining, warm and it is exactly how you want it to be…

You notice a small tree to one side and underneath sits a man meditating cross legged. He is still and calm. His eyes are focused on a point a few inches from his nose. His hands are cupped in front of him on his lap. His name is Siddhartha.

As you approach him he opens his eyes and smiles in welcome. He looks kind… contented… happy and you have so many questions you want to ask him. He says “ask one question about me, but remember that words are valuable and you need to make them count”….

You ask the question. You wait and listen carefully for his answer…

You bow and say thank you – and you turn away back to gate… you go through it…. smiling as you pass the tree of troubles as you know those problems aren’t quite so bad now, and back to the classroom… and when you’re ready…

You open your eyes.

Follow up to the stilling exercise

Ask students to write down their question on the sticky note but not to show it to anyone at this point. Encourage students who couldn’t think of a question to think of one now.

Ask students to share their experiences as precisely as they can with a partner, discussing such questions as: What was the path like? What was the gate like? What did the man look like? Did the image of the man you saw have any features you could recognise? How did he act? How did he respond to your question? What question did you ask – if you think you can share it? Did you think of an answer that you might be given? What answer might we expect from a Buddhist? What answer might be given by a non-Buddhist?

Now consider these extremely challenging questions:

• Does it sometimes happen that what we imagine becomes our reality?
• Do we possibly impose on our reality what we would like rather than what is there?
• How do we go about answering these questions?
• Where should we look to find the answers to life’s deepest questions?
• What impact might answers to life’s deepest questions have on individuals?

Explain that the next learning activity moves on to an examination of story and texts, in order to show that many religious stories are not meant to be factual, nor written as factual by the authors, but interpretations by humans of human experiences. So some idea of what constitutes a story might be useful and the means by which students understand the tools that define these stories is helpful so this can be applied to religious stories – because the problem is that the words look similar, but have very different meanings, are easily confused and often Students might require access to computers in order to investigate the stories with which they are unfamiliar.

Explain that there are different ways of understanding stories from religious traditions. Ask them to work in groups of four to agree definitions and examples of five main types of religious story – firstly discussing and writing on sticky notes their own definitions; then looking at and discussing the definitions provided below and placing on the sheets with the examples.

Types of Story:

• Allegory
• Historical Account
• Legend
• Myth
• Parable

Suggested Definitions:

Allegory: A story using examples from nature to explain a moral or spiritual truth.

Historical Account: Description of what is actually believed to have happened, based on eye-witness testimonies.

Legend: A story using supernatural language to explain something about the relationship between humans and God.

Myth: An old or ancient story with some basis in historical fact.

Parable: A short story told to illustrate a moral point.

Examples:

• David and Goliath
• The Creation story in Genesis 1
• Robin Hood
• Coyote trickster
• The Good Samaritan
• The birth stories of Jesus
• The enlightenment of Gautama
• John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress
• Aesop’s story of the Fox and the Grapes
• Aesop’s story of the Tortoise and the Hare
• Icarus and Daedalus
• Dickens’ Christmas Carol
• Krishna’s birth
• Jesus’ parable of The Sower
• The Buddhist story of Kisa Gotami and the Mustard seed
• Atlantis
• Animal Farm by George Orwell
• Plato’s story of the cave
• King Arthur and the Round Table
• William Tell
• One Thousand and One Nights

Explain to the students that both Buddhism and Christianity have their own sacred texts and these are not only over 1500 years old or older but have also developed, been edited and have many assumptions in them about the faith. Such texts contain a mix of different types of story. Provide students with background information about Christian and Buddhist texts with the quotations on the Crucifixion of Jesus and Buddha’s Parable of the Burning House.

Ask students to focus on the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, e.g., how crucifixion was a Roman form of execution, not Jewish; how a purple cloak is meant to symbolise the kingship of Jesus, as purple was a colour reserved for royalty; how the charges against Jesus suggested he was being executed for treason and maybe rebellion against the Romans; how Jesus’ death is confirmed by the words “breathed his last”; how a leading Roman soldier made a statement about Jesus.

Ask students to read the five quotations from the story of the crucifixion of Jesus aloud to a partner.

Ask students to discuss the following questions in pairs or small groups:

1. consider how this story would fit into the whole Christian story.
2. If Jesus is referred to as the Son of God, what do you think the centurion meant by this, as he has just seen Jesus stripped, beaten and nailed to a cross?
3. What do you think the term ‘Son of God’ means?
4. Do you think the term ‘Son of God’ means that Jesus has the same characteristics and qualities as God? If so how does this work?
5. If this is an eye-witness account of the event, what would your thoughts be seeing someone spoken of in this way in his death?
6. Is it possible that the death of Jesus is interpreted by his followers to fit what they think rather than what Jesus thought of himself?

Now ask students to focus on the Buddhist Parable of the Burning House, noting that the story comes form the Lotus Sutra, and that there is no evidence to suggest that the Buddha actually spoke this text. It probably reflects the development of Buddhist thought and the manner in which his teachings are intended to help people understand his teachings. For Mahayana Buddhists, the Buddha has become a cosmic figure. He is eternal and has appeared in many forms in history to guide and comfort humans. The noblest form of the Buddha is as a Bodhisattva, who devotes himself to attaining Nirvana or ‘awakening’ for all beings. The parable may be seen as an example of upaya, (skilful means), in this case: a story about how something that is not actually ‘true’ in a literal way, being used as a skilful way of helping people to understand a larger ‘truth’.

Ask students to read the Parable aloud, in pairs, one paragraph at a time.

Ask students to discuss the following questions in pairs or small groups:

1. consider how this story would fit into the overall Buddhist story
2. Why do you think the children did not heed their father’s warning about the fire?
3. In what ways are people today like the children in the story?
4. What might wake people up to the way people waste their lives today?
5. Do you think it matters whether this story was told by the Buddha or not? Why / Why not?

As a summary activity, ask students to work in small groups on a poster or digital presentation that compares the Christian and Buddhist stories. They should use pictures and text and ensure that they have included:

1. similarities in the way Christians and the Buddhists may think about Jesus and the Buddha;
2. different beliefs people hold about Jesus and the Buddha;
3. answers to big questions that Christians and Buddhists can understand when they reflect on (a) the crucifixion and (b) the parable of the burning house;
4. some of their own questions about the meaning and purpose of life that are raised in the two stories, e.g., suffering of innocent individuals, the role of God in the world, the impact of the Buddha’s teaching on individuals and the world;
5. suggested answers to those questions that might be given by (a) Christians and (b) Buddhists;
6. their own reflections on questions of ‘truth’.

Culham St Gabriel’s has teamed up with award-winning film-makers, TrueTube, to produce seven exciting new films to support Key Stage 1 RE. These excellent five minute films are already rating as the most popular on TrueTube. Together with the well-worked out lesson plans that accompany each film they make a substantial resource for introducing key ideas in six major religions.

Each film revolves around a little girl called Charlie and her loveably inquisitive soft toy, Blue. Together, Charlie and Blue investigate an RE-inspired question and they meet people from different religions and beliefs who can help them find the answers they are looking for, enabling Key Stage 1 children to learn alongside them.

Script-writer: Kath Yelland

Lesson Plans: Emma McVittie, Linda Whitworth, Dave Francis and Bob Ayres

Zippity-zip, let’s go on a trip! Charlie takes her favourite soft toy (and best friend) Blue back to school to see the display her class has made to show different beliefs about the soul. Does believing in a soul make someone behave differently?

Download the teacher notes

Charlie and Blue in the Classroom (About the Films)

Find out more about how the Charlie and Blue films and teacher notes can be used in primary classrooms.

Culham St Gabriel’s has teamed up with award-winning film-makers, TrueTube, to produce seven exciting new films to support Key Stage 1 RE. These excellent five minute films are already rating as the most popular on TrueTube. Together with the well-worked out lesson plans that accompany each film they make a substantial resource for introducing key ideas in six major religions.

Each film revolves around a little girl called Charlie and her loveably inquisitive soft toy, Blue. Together, Charlie and Blue investigate an RE-inspired question and they meet people from different religions and beliefs who can help them find the answers they are looking for, enabling Key Stage 1 children to learn alongside them.

Script-writer: Kath Yelland

Lesson Plans: Emma McVittie, Linda Whitworth, Dave Francis and Bob Ayres

Zippity-zip, let’s go on a trip! Charlie and her favourite soft toy (and best friend) Blue visit a Buddhist Centre to find out what it means to be enlightened, and how Buddhists try to live more peaceful lives.

Download the teacher notes

Charlie and Blue in the Classroom (About the Films)

Find out more about how the Charlie and Blue films and teacher notes can be used in primary classrooms.

Face to Faith brings students of different religions and cultures together using digital technology to connect schools in 19 countries.

Many users of RE:ONLINE may be interested in using Face to Faith, a fantastic resource provided by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. Find out more about it here and visit: http://tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/projects/facetofaith

What is Face to Faith

Face to Faith is the Tony Blair Faith Foundation’s Global Schools programme, active in a wide range of schools in countries across the world.

Face to Faith:

– gives students the opportunity to interact directly with their peers from around the world to dialogue about the range of faiths and beliefs, values and attitudes that they hold. This occurs safely through facilitated videoconferences and a moderated online community.

– supports teachers by providing a rich range of high quality, engaging and appropriate materials to help them prepare their students for dialogue.

– talks about culture and identity, but always emphasises Faith and Belief, because those two things can play a very positive role in our world, yet are almost always referred to in a negative way.

– emphasises Similarity and Difference – finding the ways in which we are similar to other people is often easy, but discovering the ways in which we are different gives us much more opportunity to learn.

– supports the development of key skills for global citizenship, including respectful dialogue, information technology, cooperation, conflict mediation, reflection, global awareness and faith literacy.

– is a set of flexible materials; designed to fit alongside, and enhance existing curriculum requirements.

Read the following for more information on video conferencing:

Face to Faith and an Introduction to Video Conferencing

Curriculum Materials

Examples of Modules

Face to Faith have kindly provided the following example materials to illustrate the modules available to subscribers:

Seven videos of good learning in RE, produced by NATRE. Taken from the DVD Good Learning in Religious Education: Seven Short Films to Make Teachers Think.

The following videos are provided by NATRE, and come from their DVD Good Learning in Religious Education: Seven short films to makes teachers think.  The DVD is sponsored by Culham St Gabriel’s and the Diocese of St Albans and is available to purchase on NATRE’s website.