Lesson video

Hello, I'm Miss Ramalli, and thank you for joining me for today's RE lesson.

I'll be guiding you through our learning today and my priority is to ensure you successfully meet our learning outcome.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to tell how Buddhists practise in different ways today.

To help with our learning in today's lesson, there are four key words.

They are monk, nun, shrine and vihara.

Monk is a man who dedicates himself to a simple life and devotion to Buddhism or another religion.

A nun is a woman who dedicates herself to a simple life and devotion to Buddhism or another religion.

A shrine is a focal point in a temple, often with statues or other gifts and decoration, and a vihara is a Buddhist temple or monastery.

So let's begin our lesson on Buddha for Buddhists today with considering, how do monks and lay people practise? The Buddhist worldview is like a big tree with many branches.

Even though they all share some common ideas, each branch has its own traditions, teachings and practises.

The branches represent different ways that Buddhists practise the religion.

Theravada is one of the oldest forms of Buddhism.

It spread from India after the death of the Buddha.

Theravada is practised by the majority of people in Thailand, Laos, and Sri Lanka.

Mahayana is another important Buddhist tradition.

It spread from China after Buddhism arrived there.

Mahayana is practised by a significant number of people in Japan, South Korea, and China.

Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding of what we have just heard.

On your screen is a true or false statement.

All Buddhists practise their religion in the same way.

Is that statement true or false? Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Okay, welcome back, and well done to everybody that selected false.

Why is that statement false? How a Buddhist practises their religion will depend on what form of Buddhism they follow and which country they live in.

Most Buddhists choose to practise their religion in everyday life.

These people are called lay people.

They will work and have a family whilst continuing to follow the example of the Buddha and his teachings.

Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding on what we have just heard.

On your screen is a true or false statement.

Most Buddhists choose to practise their religion in everyday life.

Is that statement true or false? Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done to those people that said the statement is true.

Why is that statement true? Most Buddhists are lay people.

Tashi is a lay Buddhist.

She explains how her Buddhist worldview affects how she lives her life.

Tashi says, "As a lay Buddhist, I follow the Buddha's teachings in my everyday life.

I go to school and my parents go to work.

We practise Buddhism by meditating and treating others with compassion.

We aim to gain good karma and achieve enlightenment." What does Tashi do to practise her religion? Pause the video here and with your partner, discuss that question.

Press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay.

Welcome back everyone.

Great discussions.

I asked you to consider, what does Tashi do to practise her religion? Tashi refers to meditation.

She says meditation is an important part of how Tashi and her family practise their religion.

She says, "We practise Buddhism by meditating." She also says that she treats others with compassion.

So acting with compassion is another important way to practise.

Let's pause for a moment and reflect on what we have just heard.

I would like you to identify two ways that a lay Buddhist like Tashi might practise their Buddhist worldview.

A, living in a monastery.

B, practising meditation.

C, treating others with compassion.

D, going to a Buddhist school.

Pause the video here and press play when you are ready to check your answer.

Okay.

Welcome back everybody.

I asked you to identify two ways that a lay Buddhist like Tashi might practise their Buddhist worldview.

Well done to everybody that's selected B and C.

By practising meditation and treating others with compassion.

Some Buddhists choose to become monks and nuns and dedicate some or all of their life to following the Buddha's teachings.

Here are some different Buddhist monks and nuns from around the world.

Look at those three images on your screen.

What do you notice is similar and different about them? Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Welcome back everyone.

Great discussions.

So what did you notice is similar and different? So did you notice a similarity of the orange robes or perhaps the way they were seated, or perhaps you noticed a similarity that the monks and nuns in the images had no hair.

Did you notice a difference that on the right hand image, the Buddhist monk is on his own and he's reading from sacred text and in the other images there are groups of monks and nuns? Great observations.

Well done.

Linn has a Buddhist worldview.

She reflects on how some Buddhists live as monks and nuns in Thailand.

Linn says, "When I travel to Thailand to visit my mum's family, I often see Buddhist monks, nuns.

Some Buddhists devote their lives fully to follow the Buddha, living as a monk or none.

These Buddhists will do positive actions and help others.

This is with the aim to gain good karma and eventually achieve enlightenment." Okay, let's pause for a moment and reflect on what we've just heard.

True or false? A monk is a man who dedicates himself to serving Buddhism through a busy life.

Pause the video here and press play when you are ready to see the correct answer.

Okay, well done to everybody that said that statement is false.

Why is that statement false? A monk is a man who devotes himself to Buddhism by living a simple life, not a busy life.

Well done if you said that statement is false.

So what is daily life like for a Buddhist monk or nun? They're likely to wake early to meditate.

They may go out for alms or food where the community give them offerings.

Later they may chant prayers and study the Buddha's teachings and meditate.

Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding on what we have just heard.

Which of the following is not an activity that a Buddhist monk or nun might do as part of their day? A, practise meditation.

B, chant prayers.

C, spend time with their own family.

D, go out for alms or food.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, welcome back and well done to everybody that selected answer C.

Fantastic.

Well done.

Okay, so now we are in a strong position to complete our first practise task, on how do monks and lay people practise.

I would like you to read the statement and decide if it is true for a lay Buddhist, monk, or both.

A, work and have a family.

B, follow the Buddha's teachings.

C, meditate.

D, receive alms. E, try and attain enlightenment.

So for each of those statements, decide if it is true for a lay Buddhist, a monk, or for both.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back.

Now let's move on and check your answers for the practise task.

I asked you to read the statement and decide if it is true for a lay Buddhist, a monk, or both.

A, work and have a family would be true for a lay Buddhist.

Follow the Buddha's teachings would be for both.

Meditate would be for both.

Receive alms would be for a monk, and try and attain enlightenment would be for both.

Well done on all your hard work on that first practise task.

So that moves us on to the second part of our lesson on Buddha for Buddhists today.

How do Buddhists practise in the UK? Buddhism was founded in what is now Nepal around the sixth century, BCE.

It continued to spread throughout Asia.

Buddhists now live across the United Kingdom.

According to the Census 2021, there are approximately 273,000 Buddhists living in England and Wales.

This equates to 0.

5% of the population.

Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding of what we've just heard.

On your screen, there is a true or false statement.

According to the Census 2021, there are 27,000 Buddhists living in England and Wales.

Is that statement true or false? Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, well done to everybody that said that statement is false.

So why is that statement false? Well, according to the Census 2021, there are approximately 273,000 Buddhists living in England and Wales.

Some Buddhists have come to live in the UK from Buddhist countries and had families.

Linn says, "My mum is from Thailand.

I was born here and brought up to have a Buddhist worldview.

My family practises Buddhism from the Theravada tradition." Some Buddhists have become Buddhist by living in the UK.

Tashi says "My mom and dad became Buddhists when they were adults.

They have brought me up to have a Buddhist worldview.

My family practises through the Mahayana tradition." Linn reflects on how she lives as a Buddhist in the UK.

Linn says "Most weekends and on Buddhist holidays, I go to the temple with my mum.

I go to meditate, learn and meet with other Buddhists.

In the UK there are Buddhists viharas and Buddhist centres where people gather as a community.

It's a place to feel connected with other Buddhists and to learn more about the Buddha's teachings." Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding on what we've just heard.

On your screen, there is a statement.

Some Buddhists have become Buddhists by living in the UK.

Is that statement true or false? Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, well done to everybody that said that statement is false.

Why is that statement false? Well, many people have adopted a Buddhist worldview by living in the UK.

Linn shows us an example of a Buddhist place of worship in the UK.

Linn says "Some Buddhists meet in viharas.

This is the vihara I attend with my mum.

It is situated in southwest London." Tashi reflects on other important places for the Buddhist community.

Tashi says "Some Buddhists meet in Buddhist centres.

My family and I visit a Buddhist centre.

We practise meditation here alongside other lay Buddhists." Wherever Buddhists meet to worship, there will be a shrine containing a statue of the Buddha.

This will be a focal point during worship.

Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding what we have just heard.

I would like you to fill in the missing words in this sentence.

"When Buddhists meet to worship, there will be a containing a statue of the." Pause the video here and press play when you are ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back.

Let's check your answers.

When Buddhists meet to worship, there will be a shrine containing a statue of the Buddha.

Well done if you correctly guessed those missing words.

Throughout the world, people choose to live as monks and nuns.

You may have heard of Christian monks and nuns before.

There are Buddhist and Christian monks and nuns living in the UK, and on your screen you can see two photographs, one of Buddhist monks and one of Christian monks.

What do you notice about the way the monks are dressed? Pause the video here and with your partner, have a discussion on what you notice about how the monks are dressed.

Press play when you're ready to reflect on your answers.

Okay, welcome back, fantastic discussions.

I asked you to discuss with your partner, what do you notice about the way the monks are dressed? Did you notice that they both dress in simple robes? Well done if you were able to identify.

Buddhist monks and Christian monks both live in monasteries and give up worldly pleasures.

Chithurst is a Buddhist monastery in Sussex, and Belmont Abbey is a Christian monastery in Hereford.

Roshan, a Buddhist, and David, a Christian, discuss the differences between monks and nuns in their religions.

Roshan says, "Buddhist monks and nuns follow the teachings of the Buddha and focus on meditation.

Their goal is to understand how to end suffering.

They don't believe in a God, but focus on reaching enlightenment." David says, "Christian monks and nuns follow the teachings of Jesus and focus on prayer, worship, and serving others.

Their goal is to live according to God's will, grow in love and faith, and eventually go to heaven to be with God forever." Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding of what we have just heard.

Identify two similarities between Buddhist and Christian monks.

A, try to follow the teachings of Jesus.

B, wear simple robes.

C, live in a monastery.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back and well done to everybody that selected B and C.

Two similarities between Buddhist and Christian monks is that they wear simple robes and live in a monastery.

So now we're in a really good position to complete our next practise task on how do Buddhists practise in the UK.

There are two parts to this practise task.

This is number one.

I would like you to identify three similarities and three differences between Buddhist and Christian monks and nuns living in the UK.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back.

Let's check your answers for the first part of this practise task.

Your answers may look like this.

Similarities, they wear simple clothes, live in monasteries, and give up worldly pleasure.

Differences you may have identified, Buddhist monks follow the teachings of the Buddha, Christian monks follow the teachings of Jesus.

Buddhist monks do not believe in God, but Christian monks do.

Buddhist monks focus on achieving enlightenment.

Christian monks focus on following God's will and reaching heaven.

Well done on all your hard work on the first part of that practise task.

Moving on to the second part of our practise tasks, how do Buddhists practise in the UK? I would like you to write four sentences explaining how Buddhists practise their religion in the UK.

You could include these key words in your answer, temple, worship, community, meditate, and Buddha's teachings.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back everybody.

Now let's check your answers for the second part of this practise task.

Your answer could include these points.

Buddhists in the UK may practise their religion by meeting together at the temple.

At the temple, Buddhists will gather to worship and meet as a community.

Buddhists will practise their religion by connecting with other Buddhists, learn the Buddha's teachings, and spend time meditating.

Well done on all your hard work on that practise task.

So that brings us to the end of today's lesson on Buddha for Buddhists today.

So what key points have we learned? There are different forms of Buddhism in the world today.

Most Buddhists are lay people.

Some Buddhists become monks or nuns.

Buddhists are present throughout the UK and meet together in temples and Buddhist centres.

There are monks and nuns in Buddhism and Christianity, but they hold different beliefs.

Thank you very much for joining me for your lesson today.

Goodbye.