Buddha was born as a son of a wealthy king
some 2,500 ago in Himalayan Mountains of Nepal.
After 29 years of living in luxury,
he left the palace for the first time.
Outside he saw ordinary people and immense suffering.
He decided to live a simple life,
spending most of the time among holy men or meditating.
His goal was to solve the mystery of suffering.
Over the years Buddha came to the realization
that we suffer because we desire things to
be more than what they are.
He spoke of 4 Noble Truths:
1. There is suffering
2. Suffering is caused by our desires
We can manage our desires by changing our perspective
instead of trying to change our circumstances.
4. We can free ourselves from suffering
by following The Noble Eight fold Path,
also know as The Middle Way.
The Middle Way teaches us to consume in moderation,
cultivate self-discipline and strengthen
our mind through meditation and mindfulness.
So we become aware of our thoughts and actions
and realize that nothing is permanent.
We then can understand that everyone is exposed to suffering
and as a result become more compassionate.
With enough practice we can let go of all negative desires
and free ourselves from suffering altogether.
We reach full liberation of the mind.
Buddhist schools in Thailand, India and around the world
bring introspection into the lessons
and activities of their national curriculum.
Since Buddha believed that wisdom is rather a habit,
and not an intellectual state of mind.
learning by doing is key.
But students also practice concentration
and learn life skills like farming and skillful communication.
To build intrinsic motivation,
children get individual feedback
instead of reward and punishment.
Students learn to understand and manage their emotions.
An angry girl identifies the causes,
warning signs and transient nature of her feelings.
She might realize that we are not being punished for our anger, but by our anger.
A boy that aced a math test reflects on his success.
He understands that hard work pays off,
but also realizes that he should not be too proud,
because it separates us from others and creates loneliness.
He learns to be modest.
Daily rituals help the students to practice mindfulness.
In the morning, students meditate in front of a shrine,
chant Buddhist virtues
and send out feelings of goodwill to all living beings.
Sometimes students visit the community
to experience the pleasure of giving
and to see that some are suffering.
They understand that nothing is permanent,
not even life itself.
The goal of a Buddhist Education
is to spark our curiosity for lifelong learning
through reflection.
So that once we grow up,
we understand the consequences of skillful speech,
we learn to enjoy the simple things in life
and we find inspiration and wisdom
in our own thoughts.
Just as Buddha said
“conquer anger with non-anger.
Conquer badness with goodness.
Conquer meanness with generosity.
Conquer dishonesty with truth.”
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