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Hello, I'm Ms. Ramalli.
Thank you for joining me for today's RE lesson.
I will be guiding you through your learning today, and my priority is to ensure you successfully meet the learning outcome.
By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to explain how beliefs about the Dhamma impact Buddhist practises.
To help us with our learning today, we have five key words.
They are dependent origination, Brahmavihāras, skillful action, unskillful action, and virtues.
Dependent origination refers to nothing being independent or without cause.
Brahmavihāras are four virtuous qualities that develop a peaceful and compassionate heart towards all beings.
Skillful action is rooted in generosity, compassion, and understanding.
Unskillful actions are actions rooted in craving, hatred, and ignorance.
Virtues refer to positive qualities.
(mouse clicking) In our lesson today on Dhamma and skillful actions, there are three parts.
We're going to begin with skillful and unskillful actions.
We can study religious and non-religious worldviews by looking at how people live and why they live this way.
We can use social science as a tool to understand how the Dhamma, the Buddhist teachings, impacts Buddhist practises.
(mouse clicking) We can ask Buddhists how they live to help us understand how their beliefs are important to them.
The second of the three jewels is the Dhamma.
Here on your screen, you can see that the blue jewel symbolises the Buddha's Dhamma.
The Dhamma is the Buddhist teachings.
The Dhamma is important in Buddhism because it represents the teachings and actions of the Buddha.
The Dhamma includes the Buddhist teachings on what skillful and unskillful actions are.
Roshan, a practising Buddhist, explains skillful and unskillful actions.
(mouse clicking) Roshan says, "kamma is the concept that all actions have consequences.
In Buddhism, it is understood more specifically.
Actions are classified into skillful and unskillful.
Whether an action is skillful or unskillful depends on an individual's intention, motivation, and the impact it has on oneself and others." Okay, let's pause for a moment and check your understanding of what you've just heard.
On your screen there is a statement, "In Buddhism, actions are classified as skillful or unskillful." Is that statement true or false? And consider why it may be true or false.
Pause the video here and press play when you are ready to check your answer.
Okay, well done to everybody that said that statement is true.
Whether an action is skillful or unskillful depends on an individual's intention, motivation, and the impact it has on oneself and others.
Skillful actions are those motivated by positive intentions such as generosity, compassion, and understanding.
Skillful actions are ones that reduce suffering and lead to happiness and well-being for oneself and others.
They create good kamma.
Skillful actions create good well-being and good kamma.
Sophia and Roshan are discussing the meaning of skillful actions.
Roshan says, "As a Buddhist, I show skillful action by offering to help my friend when they need help with their homework." Sophia asks: "Why is this a skillful action?" Roshan responds: "I try and show compassion and generosity.
I like helping others without expecting anything in return." Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding of what you have just heard.
I would like you to select the example of a skillful action.
A, offering to lie for a friend.
B, offering to help a friend with homework.
C, offering to litter.
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 B.
Offering to help a friend with homework is an example of a skillful action.
Now we're going to consider the meaning of unskillful actions.
An unskillful action results in suffering and harm.
Unskillful actions are those driven by negative emotions such as greed, hatred, and ignorance.
They tend to lead to suffering for oneself and others.
It creates negative kamma.
An unskillful action creates suffering and leads to bad kamma.
Sophia and Roshan continue their discussion, this time about the meaning of unskillful actions.
Roshan says, "As a Buddhist, I try to avoid unskillful actions.
I avoid telling lies and spreading rumours that may hurt others." Sophia says, "So an unskillful action can cause suffering?" Roshan responds, "Yes, lying leads to mistrust.
It creates negative consequences both in the present and in the future.
This creates bad kamma." Okay, let's pause for a moment and check your understanding of what you have just heard.
On your screen there is a statement, "Unskillful actions reduce suffering and lead to happiness." 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 said that statement is false.
Why is that statement false? Unskillful actions tend to lead to suffering for oneself and others.
These actions create bad kamma.
Okay, so now we're in a strong position to complete our first practise task on skillful and unskillful actions.
I would like you to apply your understanding of skillful and unskillful actions by completing this table.
The actions are, recycling, stealing, feeling jealous, forgiving someone.
So for each action, decide if it is skillful or unskillful and give an explanation for why you have made that decision.
Once you finish the practise task, you might also like to consider other examples of skillful and unskillful actions.
Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answers.
Okay, welcome back, everybody.
Let's check your answers for the practise task.
Your answers may look like this, "Recycling is a skillful action because it shows respect to others and reduces harm to the environment.
Stealing is an unskillful action, it is dishonest and shows disrespect to others.
It creates negative kamma.
Feeling jealous is an unskillful action because it causes suffering by making someone feel anxious or insecure.
And forgiving someone is an example of a skillful action, because it creates peace and demonstrates compassion.
Fantastic.
Well done on all your hard work on that practise task.
We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson on Dhamma and skillful actions by learning about dependent origination.
Dependent origination is an important teaching in Buddhism.
Dependent origination means that nothing is independent or without cause.
It explains how everything in life is connected and how everything happens because of something else.
It's like a chain where each link depends on the one before it.
It also links to skillful and unskillful actions.
(mouse clicking) Think of dependent origination like a domino effect.
When you knock over the first domino, it causes the second one to fall, and then the third one, and so on.
Each domino depends on the one before it to fall, as demonstrated here on your screen.
(mouse clicking) Dependent origination says that everything in the world happens because of a series of causes and conditions.
Nothing happens on its own, everything is connected and depends on something else.
Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding of what you have just heard.
On your screen there is a statement, "Dependent origination means that nothing is independent or without cause." Is that statement true or false? And consider why that statement is true or false.
Pause the video here and press play when you are ready to check your answer.
Okay, well done to everybody that selected true.
Why is that statement true? Dependent origination explains how everything in life is connected, and how everything happens because of something else.
Let's consider the example of a plant.
I want you to imagine that you are looking at a plant.
The plant didn't just appear out of nowhere.
It grew because of many things that happened before it.
It started as a seed, it grows in the soil, it needs sunlight to grow, it needs water to live.
This is dependent origination.
Sophia and Roshan discuss dependent origination.
Sophia asks, "How does dependent origination link to skillful and unskillful actions?" Roshan responds, "I try to always be kind and considerate to others.
This is a skillful action because it makes me and others feel good.
This increases happiness and reduces suffering." Sophia and Roshan continue their discussion about dependent origination.
Sophia says, "Isn't it hard to always be kind and considerate? What if someone is unkind to you?" Roshan replies, "Yes, it is not always easy.
Being skillful in my actions is something I have to learn and practise every day.
I believe unskillful actions lead to suffering, so I have to work hard to avoid these actions." Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding of what we've just heard.
Select the two points that demonstrate skillful actions.
A, ignorance.
B, greed.
C, compassion.
D, generosity.
Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to see the correct answers.
Okay, welcome back and well done to everybody that selected C and D.
Compassion and generosity are examples of skillful actions.
(mouse clicking) So now we're in a strong position to complete our second practise task.
I would like you to complete the table to demonstrate your understanding of dependent origination.
The first example has been done for you.
So the cause is going to bed late on a school night.
As an effect, this results in sleeping through the alarm.
The further Effect is missing the school bus and feeling stressed.
And an additional Effect is being late for school and getting told off.
I would like you to show the effects of the following causes, helping a friend with their homework and spreading gossip and lies.
Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answers.
Okay, welcome back, everyone.
I asked you to complete the table to demonstrate your understanding of dependent origination.
Let's check your answers.
So helping a friend with their homework.
The effects can be feeling positive about the fact that you're able to help, and as a result your friend is appreciative of your help and support, and your friend feels supported and you feel good for helping them.
Those are all effects of helping a friend with their homework.
Now let's consider spreading gossip and lies.
The effect could be, other people hear the hurtful comments.
This results in people starting to question your integrity and begin to mistrust you.
And this can be an effect of relationships being affected and people getting hurt.
Well done on all your hard work on that practise task.
This leads us onto the third and final part of our lesson on Dhamma skillful actions, by looking at living according to the four Brahmavihāras.
(mouse clicking) Okay, let's begin.
The Buddhist Dhamma demonstrates virtues such as kindness and compassion to Buddhists.
Practising these virtues will ensure that actions are skillful.
The Buddhist Dhamma also includes the following teachings, the four Brahmavihāras.
The first two Brahmavihāras are Loving-kindness, the wish for all beings to be happy and free from suffering.
And compassion, the wish to relieve the suffering of others.
Okay, let's pause for a moment and check your understanding of what you've just heard.
True or false, "Virtues are positive qualities." Pause the video here and press play when you are ready to check your answer.
Okay, welcome back.
Well done to everybody that said that statement is true.
Why? Well, virtues are positive qualities such as kindness and compassion.
The last two Brahmavihāras are sympathetic joy, is the ability to rejoice in the happiness of others.
And equanimity, the ability to remain calm and balanced in the face of life's changes and challenges, avoiding emotions such as hatred and greed.
Developing the four Brahmavihāras is a skillful action.
Roshan explains the importance of the four Brahmavihāras to him.
Roshan says, "I try to develop the four Brahmavihāras because I want to gain good kamma.
Developing these virtues is essential to developing skillful actions, reducing suffering, and increasing my chances of attaining enlightenment." (mouse clicking) Okay, let's pause for a moment and check our understanding of what we've just heard.
Select the option that is not one of the four Brahmavihāras.
A, loving-kindness.
B, compassion.
C, sympathetic joy.
D, equality.
Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.
Okay, well done to everybody that selected D.
Equality is not one of the four Brahmavihāras.
Okay, so now we are in a strong position to complete our third practise task, living according to the four Brahmavihāras.
I would like you to use the following sentence stems to explain why most Buddhists want to develop the qualities of the four Brahmavihāras.
One, the four Brahmavihāras are.
Two, most Buddhists will want to develop these virtues because.
Three, the four Brahmavihāras are skillful actions because.
Four, living according to the Dhamma increases a Buddhist's chances of.
Pause the video here and press play when you are ready to check your answers.
Okay, welcome back, everybody.
Now let's check your answers to the practise task.
I asked you to use the following sentence stems to explain why most Buddhists want to develop the qualities of the four Brahmavihāras.
Your answer may have said, "The four Brahmavihāras are loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.
Most Buddhists will want to develop these virtues because they want to gain good kamma and reduce suffering for themselves and others.
The four Brahmavihāras are skillful actions because they help develop qualities such as kindness and compassion.
They reduce emotions such as hatred and greed.
Living according to the Dhamma increases a Buddhist's chances of attaining enlightenment, which is the goal of most Buddhists." Fantastic work, well done on all your hard work on the practise task.
So that brings us to the end of our lesson.
So what key points have we covered in Dhamma skillful actions? Skillful actions are those motivated by positive intentions.
Unskillful actions result in suffering and harm.
Dependent origination means nothing is independent or without cause.
Most Buddhists will follow the Buddhist Dhamma to ensure their actions are skillful.
The four Brahmavihāras develop skillful actions.
Thank you very much for joining me for today's lesson.
Goodbye.