Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Charalambous.

Welcome to the lesson today.

Today's lesson is "The Blind Men and the Elephant" :deeper meanings from the unit, Hindus: What Do Hindu Stories Teach About Life and the World? I hope you are ready because today's learning is going to get very interesting.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to explain how the deeper meaning of "The Blind Men and the Elephant," can help Hindus understand truth.

Let's look at our key words with my turn, your turn.

Truth.

Truth, what is real or right.

Worldview.

Worldview, a way of seeing and understanding the world.

Hindu Dharma.

Hindu Dharma, the ideas and stories that form Hindu practise and beliefs.

Let's get started with our learning.

Our lesson outline for "The Blind Men and The Elephant:" deeper meanings looks like this.

And we're going to start with cycle one, What deeper meanings can we find out in this story? Dhanu is a Hindu.

She follows a Hindu Dharmic worldview.

And here is Dhanu.

Dhanu would like to share this with you, "In Hindu Dharma, we have lots of stories that help us to learn important lessons on how we should live our lives.

One of the stories that I like to learn from is called 'The Blind Men and the Elephant.

'" The story of "The Blind Men and the Elephant," is about a group of blind men who had never seen an elephant before.

And in this story, there are six blind men.

One day, they touched different parts of the elephant to learn what it was like.

Hmm, do you know different parts of the elephant? Can you tell me? That's right, I think I heard someone say trunk, ears, tail, legs, lots of different parts to an elephant.

One felt the trunk and thought it was a snake.

Another felt its ear and thought it was a fan.

Wow, I can see why they think the trunk is a snake.

It's long like a snake.

And I can see why the ears remind them of a fan.

They argued because each thought they were right.

They learned that the elephant was all of these things.

What did the blind men learn at the end of the story? Hmm.

A, The elephant was all the things they felt, b, only one of them was right about the elephant, c, they could not understand the elephant at all.

Hmm, take a moment to think before you tell me the answer.

That's right, it's a, the elephant was all the things they felt.

Good job so far.

Let's carry on.

This is Dhanu again.

Let's see what she has to say.

"For many Hindus, this story helps us understand the answer to a big question in life.

What is truth? The story helps me understand that Hindus will answer that question in different ways." What else do you think this story could teach us? Would you like to share some ideas with me? Let's see together.

This is Kavita.

Here's what she has to say about the story.

"The blind men didn't listen to each other, so they argued.

If they had listened, they would've understood the elephant better.

This story teaches me that sometimes I need to listen to others and work together to see the bigger picture." True or false, Kavita learn it's important to work alone and not listen to others.

Is it true or is it false? You can do thumbs up for truth and thumbs down for false if you like or you can just call out the answer to me.

That's right.

It is false.

Why? Does anyone want to share why? Kavita learned that it's important to listen to others and work together to build a bigger picture? Well done if you answered that correct.

Let's move on.

This is Het.

Let's see what he says about the story.

"In the story, each blind man saw a different part of the elephant, but they were all seeing the truth from their own point of view.

It's like looking at the same thing from different places.

It teaches me that everyone's point of view is important." Let's check our understanding whether another true or false.

Het learned that it's important to hear other people's point of view, true or false? That's right, it's true.

Why? Het understands that people might have different views to him and that's okay, isn't it? It's okay to have different views to your friends and to other people that you know.

Here is Dhanu again.

She says, "In Hindu Dharma, people can find the truth in different ways.

It's like how the blind men touch different parts of the elephant, but they will all learning about the same elephant." Good point, Dhanu, same elephant.

"This teaches me that we can all understand things in our own way, but the truth is the same for everyone." Take a moment to think about what Dhanu means here.

Task A.

Match the statements to the correct person.

So we have Kavita, Het, and Dhanu, and here are the three statements.

One is, "It teaches me that everyone's point of view is important." Hmm, I wonder who said that.

"It teaches me that we all understand things in our own way, but the truth is the same for everyone." Ooh, I wonder who said that one.

"It teaches me that sometimes I need to listen to others and work together." Pause the video here, and when you are ready to reveal the answer, press play.

Task A feedback time.

Match the statements to the correct person.

You should have Kavita match to, "It teaches me that sometimes I need to listen to others and work together." Het should be joined to, "It teaches me that everyone's point of view is important." And Dhanu said, "It teaches me that we all understand things in our own way, but the truth is the same for everyone." Well done everyone so far.

You're doing such a great job.

I am so happy.

Let's move on.

Cycle two, Why do Hindus have many paths to the truth? How do you know what is true? Where do you get that information from? Hmm.

A worldview is how we see and understand the world.

Many people see the world differently.

Hindus try to understand what is true.

Many Hindus will read books and stories to help understand what is true.

Hindu Dharma has lots of different books and stories.

This is "Bhagavad Gita," a sacred book.

And this is a "Ramayana," another sacred book and here is a kid's version.

Rather than one book, Hindus may choose to read different books.

These books all show different ways Hindus can understand truth.

Let's check our understanding with true or false.

Hindus only have one holy book, true or false.

That's right, it's false.

Why? If you want to share why, please share it with me now.

Of course, Hindu Dharma has lots of different books and stories, like the "Bhagavad Gita," and the "Ramayana." Let's move on.

This is Priya.

She's Het's older sister.

Hi, Priya.

Priya would like to share something with you.

"Many Hindus believe in one God, but God is seen in many different ways.

Each way helps me understand the truth about the world and life.

This is part of my worldview.

In the story, the blind men each feel part of the elephant.

One thinks it's a fan and one thinks it's a snake, but it's still an elephant.

I believe even though we see God in different ways, we all see parts of the truth.

All of them are true and they show us different parts of God." Let's check our understanding with multiple choice question.

What do Hindus believe about God? A, Hindus believe in many gods who are seen in lots of ways, b, Hindus believe in one God, but God can be seen in many different ways, c, Hindus believe that God is only seen in one way.

Hmm, I wonder what the answer could be here.

That's right, it's b, Hindus believe in one God, but God can be seen in many different ways.

Well done for getting that tricky question right.

Let's carry on.

Hindu Dharma teaches the truth can be seen in many different ways.

This idea is found in the "Rigveda," one of the oldest sacred books of Hindu Dharma, "Truth is one, the wise speak of it in many ways." What do you think this sentence might mean? Hmm.

Take a moment to share some of your thoughts with me.

Can you make a link between "The Blind Men and the Elephant"? Let's break it down.

"Truth is one." These words link to the story of "The Blind Men and the Elephant," as there is one elephant in the story, just as in Hindu Dharma, there is one truth.

"The wise speak of it in many ways." These words link to the story of, "The Blind Men and the Elephant," as each man understands the elephant in his own way from his experience, so truth can be understood in different ways.

Dhanu says, "When I hear this verse, it reminds me that there is one truth, but people can understand and explain it in many different ways.

This is shown when I visit my auntie's mandir," a place of worship for Hindus." "They pray in a different way from how we pray at my mandir.

But we are all praying.

The truth is the same." True or false, Hindu Dharma teaches that truth can be seen in many different ways.

True or false? That's right, it's true.

Why? Would anyone like to share? This is because Hindus believe that there is one truth, but people can understand it in different ways.

Well done if you've got that tricky question correct.

Let's move on.

Kavita says, "I learned truth through the good things my parents do.

They show me how to be kind and help others." Het says, "I find true through learning and asking questions.

When I read stories or talk to my teachers, it helps me understand the truth in new ways." Priya says, "I find truth through worship.

When I pray and give thanks, it helps me understand the world better." Dhanu says, "I find truth through reflection and prayer.

Taking time to think deeply and connect with God helps me understand the world and my place in it." Task B.

Jun and Laura are wondering if all Hindus believe the same about truth.

Jun says, "I think they only see truth in one way." Laura says, "I think they see truth in different ways." Who is correct? Can you give a reason for the person you picked? Take your time.

Pause a video here, and when you are ready for some feedback, press play.

Task B.

Who is correct? Can you give a reason for the person you picked? Your answer may have included, "Laura is correct.

In Hindu Dharma, they believe that there is one truth that they can see and understand it in different ways.

This is because everyone can have their own way of understanding the world.

This is their worldview.

Well done if you answered that tricky task correct.

Of course, Laura has learned a lot about Hindu Dharma and I think she'll be able to help clear up Jun's misconception.

Let's look at the summary for today's learning.

For "The Blind Men and the Elephant:" deeper meanings.

We can learn about Hindu Dharma worldviews by understanding deeper meanings of stories.

For many Hindus, the story of "The Blind Men and the Elephant," has a deeper meaning.

A deeper meaning is that there are many different paths to the truth.

There are many ways of being Hindu.

Hindus may read different stories or say different prayers.

Well done.

You should be very impressed with yourself for taking on this challenging lesson today.

I hope that you've learned a lot about Hindu Dharma worldviews and the paths to the truth.

Bye for now.