Grade 7 hindu religious education RELIGIOUS PRACTICES – Buddhist Practices Notes
Buddhist Practices
Topic: RELIGIOUS PRACTICES — Subject: Hindu Religious Education (subtopic focus: Buddhist daily practices)
Specific learning outcomes (what learners will be able to do)
- a) Examine Buddhist daily scheduled practices and make generalisations.
- b) Illustrate how scheduled religious practices are observed in daily life.
- c) Practise selected Buddhist scheduled religious practices in daily life.
- d) Appreciate the benefits of daily Buddhist practices for harmonious living.
- e) Demonstrate knowledge and simple performance of: Buddha Vandana, taking Refuge (Tisarana), Five Precepts (Pañca-sīla), Offering (Puja), Tranquillity meditation (Samatha), Insight meditation (Vipassana), Metta meditation, and sharing merits.
Short example daily schedule (age 12, Kenyan context)
Morning (before school)
🕯️ Take refuge (Tisarana) + Buddha Vandana (short bow and greeting)
🌼 Small offering at home shrine (flower or water)
🙏 Short Metta (1–3 minutes): "May I be well..."
🕯️ Take refuge (Tisarana) + Buddha Vandana (short bow and greeting)
🌼 Small offering at home shrine (flower or water)
🙏 Short Metta (1–3 minutes): "May I be well..."
During day
🧭 Follow the Five Precepts at school (kind actions, truthful speech)
🤝 Help classmates, practise patience
🧭 Follow the Five Precepts at school (kind actions, truthful speech)
🤝 Help classmates, practise patience
Evening (after homework)
🧘 Samatha (5–10 min) or Vipassana (5–10 min)
🙏 Dedicate merits to family and community
🧘 Samatha (5–10 min) or Vipassana (5–10 min)
🙏 Dedicate merits to family and community
How to observe these practices in daily life (simple steps)
- Create a small, clean place at home for a shrine: a small table or shelf with a picture/statue of the Buddha, lamp or candle, water, and a clean cloth. (Use local flowers, a cup of clean water, or cooked food for offerings.)
- Begin the day with a short ritual: stand or sit quietly, light a lamp or candle, make a simple offering, say the Tisarana and a short Buddha Vandana, then a brief Metta phrase for yourself and family.
- At school and at home, practise the Five Precepts — these guide behaviour all day (e.g., do not hurt others, do not steal).
- In the evening, spend a few minutes on meditation (Samatha or Vipassana) to calm the mind and reflect on the day.
- After practices, share merits by wishing well for others and, when possible, doing kind actions for family, neighbours, and community.
Step-by-step: Key practices (for a 12-year-old)
1. Taking Refuge (Tisarana)
- Words (simple English): "I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Dhamma (teachings). I take refuge in the Sangha (community)."
- Repeat calmly 1–3 times, bow slightly or place palms together (Anjali/namaste gesture).
- Words (simple English): "I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Dhamma (teachings). I take refuge in the Sangha (community)."
- Repeat calmly 1–3 times, bow slightly or place palms together (Anjali/namaste gesture).
2. Buddha Vandana (paying homage)
- Stand or sit before the shrine, place palms together, bow once or three times and say a respectful greeting or short verse. This is a sign of respect and remembrance of the awakened mind.
- Stand or sit before the shrine, place palms together, bow once or three times and say a respectful greeting or short verse. This is a sign of respect and remembrance of the awakened mind.
3. The Five Precepts (Pañca-sīla) — short meaning
- 1. Do not kill or harm living beings.
- 2. Do not take what is not given (do not steal).
- 3. Use sexual behaviour responsibly and kindly.
- 4. Do not speak falsely or use harsh speech.
- 5. Do not take intoxicants that cloud the mind.
4. Offering (Puja)
- Simple offering: fresh flower, bowl of clean water, fruit, or a candle. Place it respectfully on the shrine. Offer silently or say, "I offer this with respect." Bow or fold hands.
- Simple offering: fresh flower, bowl of clean water, fruit, or a candle. Place it respectfully on the shrine. Offer silently or say, "I offer this with respect." Bow or fold hands.
5. Samatha (Tranquillity/Breath meditation) — 5 steps
- Sit comfortably (on a chair or cushion). Keep the back straight but relaxed.
- Close eyes lightly or lower gaze. Take 3 slow deep breaths.
- Focus on breathing at the nose or belly. Count each breath quietly up to 10, then start again.
- If the mind wanders, gently return to the breath without judging.
- Finish with 1–2 deep breaths and a small bow or silent dedication of calm to others.
6. Vipassana (Insight meditation) — simple version
- After calming the mind (2–5 minutes of Samatha), notice bodily sensations, thoughts, and feelings as they come and go. Say quietly, "thinking," "feeling," or "sensation" and let them pass. The aim is to see change and not react.
- After calming the mind (2–5 minutes of Samatha), notice bodily sensations, thoughts, and feelings as they come and go. Say quietly, "thinking," "feeling," or "sensation" and let them pass. The aim is to see change and not react.
7. Metta (Loving-kindness) — short practice
- Sit quietly. Start with yourself: silently repeat phrases like, "May I be safe. May I be happy. May I be healthy."
- Then think of a friend: "May you be safe, may you be happy..."
- Extend to someone neutral, then a difficult person, and finally to all beings: "May all beings be happy."
- Keep each phrase simple and kind; 1–3 minutes is fine for children.
Sharing merits (simple explanation)
After a good action, prayer, or meditation, dedicate the positive intention to others: "May the good I have done benefit my family, teachers, and community." This encourages kindness outwardly (e.g., helping a neighbour, giving food, or volunteering).
Benefits for harmonious living (how these practices help)
- Better self-control and fewer conflicts at home and school.
- Calmer mind — improved focus for study (useful during lessons and exams).
- Greater kindness and respect, strengthening family and community relationships.
- Respect for all living beings supports peaceful coexistence (important in multi-faith Kenya).
- Healthy daily routine: good for mental and emotional wellbeing.
Suggested learning activities (classroom and home)
- Teacher demonstration: show Tisarana, Buddha Vandana, simple Puja with safe items (flower, water, candle). Invite learners to try with respect.
- Daily practice slot: 5–10 minutes of breathing meditation or Metta in class for a week; learners keep a short reflection diary (what they noticed).
- Role play: students act out offering and respectful behaviour at a shrine; discuss similarities with offerings in Hindu practice (respect, devotion).
- Art & craft: make a simple home shrine board with paper, draw a Buddha image, and list one daily kind action each child will do for a week.
- Community connection: visit a local Buddhist temple/vihara or invite a community elder to talk about daily practices (observe respectfully).
- Group project: record and share three ways practice helped someone (e.g., calmer before exams, helped a friend), then dedicate merits to local community service (clean school compound, plant a tree).
Assessment ideas (simple, age-appropriate)
- Observe: Can the learner demonstrate Tisarana and a short Metta practice?
- Practical task: Set up a small respectful offering at home and describe what was offered and why.
- Reflection: Short diary entry on one week of practising breath meditation — what changed?
- Group discussion: Explain one benefit of following the Five Precepts in school.
Note for teachers: Keep practice voluntary and respectful of all beliefs. Emphasise values (kindness, truthfulness, self-control) that are shared across faiths in Kenya. Encourage learners to practise safely (no open flame without supervision) and to use modest, local items for offerings.