Introduction to Buddhist Practice

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Introduction to Buddhist Practice

Adolescent Buddhist monks in Cambodia

Author: Anthony Tourn Guerrero
Grade: 6

Suggested Amoung of Time: 120 minutes
Area of Study: Introduction to Cambodian History

Compelling Question

How does learning about Cambodian history promote a greater understanding of Cambodian American experiences?

Lesson Question
  • What is the significance of Buddhism for the Khmer people in Cambodia?
Lesson Objective

Students will identify the elements of the Buddhist belief system and explain the significance of Buddhism for the Khmer people. 

Lesson Background

Buddhism was founded more than 2500 years ago by Siddhartha Gautama in India. After witnessing The Four Sites, Siddhartha Gautama left the palace. Siddhartha lived several years as an ascetic before obtaining enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree where he became Buddha Gautama. He composed the Four Noble Truths, four primary teachings that reflect the reality of existing in this life. Buddha Gautama established the Noble Eightfold Path as a guide to help people end the cycle of suffering. The Three Jewels of Buddhism are the Buddham, Dharma, and Sangh. Currently Three Traditions of Buddhism survive at the time of this writing: Vajrayana, Mahayana, and Theravada. Each with their own doctrine. Buddhism is the dominant religious belief of the Cambodian (Khmer) people of the World. The majority of Khmer people follow the Theravada tradition of Buddhism. The institutions of Buddhism were systematically oppressed in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge Communist Regime from 1975–1979 resulting in the destruction of pagodas and the death of monks. Buddhism in Cambodia was restored after the Khmer Rouge Communist Regime was removed from power. (History Channel)

Image Citation: Wikipedia contributors. (2013, April 27). File:Preah Pithu T Monks - Siem Reap.jpg - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Preah_Pithu_T_Monks_-_Siem_Reap.jpg 

Handouts
Videos
  • The Role of Buddhism in Khmer Society
  1. Energizer
  • Before the introduction to the lesson, the students will be invited to participate in a meditation activity (optional) where they rest their head on the desk, close their eyes and remain silent. Students who do not wish to meditate may silently read about the practice of meditation instead. The teacher turns off the lights, plays peaceful music, and/or can supplement the meditation time with a meditation guided video. Once the meditation time or video is complete, the teacher will explain the purpose of meditation, and that it has been shown to reduce anxiety and fear. 
  1. Vocabulary Building
  • Distribute copies of the Buddhism Vocabulary handout to students. Consider doing a review of the vocabulary words relating to Buddhism. The definitions are from Buddhistdoor Global. If time permits, provide opportunities to engage with the vocabulary terms by creating Frayer vocabulary boxes or creating visual representations for each term.
  1. (Optional) Pre-Assessment:
  • Teacher will display the following questions on the board. Ask students to discuss with a partner which of these answers they have knowledge about, and which they do not have knowledge about.  This can be turned into a digital game like Kahoot.
    • Who is the founder of Buddhism? (Who was the Buddha?) Answer: Siddhartha Gautama who became to be known as The Buddha Gautama.
    • What is the Triple Gem? Answer: One of the oldest ways of expressing faith in Buddhism is by taking refuge in the three jewels. Also known as the triple gem and the three treasures, the three jewels are the Buddha (the exemplar), the dharma (the teachings), and the sangha (the community of practitioners).
    • What are the Three Baskets in Buddhism? Answer: The Tripitaka are the sacred texts of Buddhism. They comprise of three categories: The Suttas, The Vinaya, and the Abhidhamma.
    • Where was Buddhism founded? Answer: India
    • How many schools/traditions of Buddhism currently exist? Anwer: Theravada (The Way of the Elders), Mahayana ( The Great Vehicle), Vajrayana ( The Diamond Vehicle)
    • What is enlightenment? Answer: In Buddhism, enlightenment (called bodhi in Indian Buddhism, or satori in Zen Buddhism) is when a Buddhist finds the truth about life and stops being reborn because they have reached Nirvana. Once you get to Nirvana you are not born again into samsara (which is suffering).
    • What is Nirvana according to Buddhism? (Nibbana in Khmer) Answer: In Buddhism, Nirvana or nibbana is the final state of liberation achieved by practicing the Dhamma as per Buddha's teachings.
    • What major holiday(s) do Buddhist communities from all over the world celebrate? Answer: Vesak Day, Dharma Day, Kathina Day.
    • What are the five precepts of Buddhism? Answer: The Five Precepts are the First Five Rules of Living established by the Buddha Gautama of what a person should refrain from doing to live a life directed toward enlightenment.
    • What religion do the majority of Cambodian (Khmer) people identify with? Answer: Buddhism
    • How do the four noble truths relate to Buddhism? Answer: It is through these realizations in accepting these truths that will serve to guide an individual toward the Path of Enlightenment.
  • As a class, discuss the questions and introduce the lesson objective and background. 
  1. Shared Learning
  • Explore: The teacher will use a slideshow presentation describing each aspect of the subject of Buddhism see Buddhism Slides Presentation https://ucdavis.box.com/s/fhbynmi9jauk539vedbvr6gy5fjfuh73
    • The slides include the following information: key events in history, the central beliefs of the teachings and the traditions pertaining to the population. Students can take guided notes as teacher lectures.
  • Explain: The teacher will share how Buddhism is a prominent religious belief for the majority of Khmer people in the country of Cambodia. Show the following video to the class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xClxvu3xwKc. Students should add to their notes on how Buddhism is a valuable part of the Cambodian identity.
  • Discussion prompt: What is the significance of Buddhism for the Khmer people in Cambodia?
  1. Cultural Production
  • Students will create a collage (digital or hand-created) to reflect on the elements of the Buddhist belief system. The collage should be inclusive of content in the slides and video, and include at least three of the following categories in their collage:
    • The Four Passing Sights, The Four Noble Truths, The Three Marks of Existence, the Eightfold Path, Schools of Buddhism, Holidays Celebrated by Buddhists All Around the World
  • Alternatively, students can choose three of the categories to construct a written reflection of, and make explicit connections between the categories and its significance in the Cambodian community. 
  1. Reflection
  • Allow students to share their collages through a gallery walk.
  • Evaluate: Students should complete an exit ticket where they are to answer a few basic questions about Buddhism through a short writing prompt. The writing prompt can contain the following questions:
    • Describe in your own words, what is Buddhism?
    • How is Buddhism important to the Khmer people of Cambodia?

Students can choose from one of the following: 

  1. Students will create a collage (digital or hand-created) to reflect on the elements of the Buddhist belief system. The collage should be inclusive of content in the slides and video and include at least 3 of the following categories in their collage: 
    • The Four Passing Sights, The Four Noble Truths, The Three Marks of Existence, the Eightfold Path, Schools of Buddhism, Holidays Celebrated by Buddhists All Around the World 
  2. Alternatively, students can choose three of the categories to construct a written reflection of, and make explicit connections between the categories and its significance in the Cambodian community.

Engagement: Consider the following method to support with lesson engagement:

  • Variation in pace of work, length of work sessions, availability of breaks or time-outs, or timing or sequence of activities

Representation: Consider the following method to support with multiple means of representation:

  • Progressively release information (e.g., sequential highlighting)

Action and Expression: Consider the following method to support in presenting their learning in multiple ways:

  • Embed prompts to show and explain your work (e.g., portfolio review, art critiques)

For additional ideas to support your students, check out the UDL Guidelines at CAST (2018) http://udlguidelines.cast.org.

Emerging: Consider the following method to support with emerging students:

  • Listening: Use visuals to accompany printed text whenever possible
    • Five pictures depicting key important events in the story are used as visual cues to retell a familiar story

Expanding: Consider the following method to support with expanding students:

  • Listening: Check comprehension of all students frequently 
    • Teacher paraphrases student responses as they explain their thinking in effort to validate content learning and encourage the use of precise language.

Bridging: Consider the following method to support with bridging students:

  • Listening: Model academic language and vocabulary
    • Apply domain-specific vocabulary and general academic vocabulary in open sentence frames to perform functions, like describing or explaining, that target specific 

For additional guidance around scaffolding for multilingual learners, please consult the following resources:

  1. Students can compare and contrast Buddhist practices in other countries and with that of other world religions. 
  2. Students can research Buddhist practices in Cambodian communities in California. 
  3. Students can visit a Buddhist temple in their area or do a virtual tour https://youtu.be/s6Y7ldMo3Qw?feature=shared. 

Access to Insight. 2005. Tipitaka: The Pali Canon. Access to Insight. Retrieved August 15, 2022.  https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/  

AsiaMediaLab. 2010, June 25. The monks of battambang [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm15yyDjXz0 

Buntha Prasert TV. 2021, April 5. Procession ceremony of Khmer monks [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e07LUY4OOA0 

Brown, K. S. 2003, October. Life of the Buddha. Metmuseum.org. Retrieved July 27, 2022. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/buda/hd_buda.htm  

Chodron, T. 2014. Buddhism: One teacher, many traditions. Wisdom Publications. 

Edwards, P. 2008. Cambodge: The cultivation of a nation, 1860-1945 (1st ed., Ser. Southeast Asia: Politics, Meaning, and Memory, 45). University of Hawaiʻi Press.

Hansen, A. R. 2008. How to behave: Buddhism and modernity in Colonial Cambodia, 1860-1930 (1st , Ser. Southeast Asia: Politics, Meaning, and Memory, 43). Silkworm Books. 

Buddha Dharma Education Association. (n.d.). Buddhanet's online Buddhist Study Guide. Retrieved July 27, 2022.  https://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/guide.htm  

LibreTexts. 2020, September 26. 5.5: Three schools of buddhism. Chemistry LibreTexts. Retrieved August 15, 2022. https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Lumen_Learning/Book%3A_World_Religions-2_(Lumen)/05%3A_Module_3%3A_Buddhism/05.5%3A_Three_Schools_of_Buddhism

Nan Tien Temple. (n.d.). Four pilgrimage sites of Buddhism. Four Pilgrimage Sites of Buddhism | Nan Tien Temple. Retrieved August 15, 2022. https://www.nantien.org.au/en/buddhism/knowledge-buddhism/four-pilgrimage-sites-buddhism

Rahula, W. S. 2022, May 11. The Noble eightfold path: Meaning and practice. Tricycle. Retrieved August 11, 2022. https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/ 

Religions in Minnesota. (n.d.). Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia. Retrieved July 28, 2022. https://religionsmn.carleton.edu/exhibits/show/wattmunisotaram/theravada-buddhism-in-cambodia

Sro Em [ស្រអែម]. 2015, October 3. Khmer buddhist monks chanting! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m53Pu8njigg 

Sure, H. & Rou, J. 2018. Basic Buddhism: Buddhist Holidays & Festivals. Buddhism for Kids. Retrieved August 15, 2022. https://buddhismforkids.net/holidays.html

The Buddho Foundation. 2022, June 26. Buddhist schools: Theravada, mahayana & vajrayana. The Buddho Foundation. Retrieved August 15, 2022. https://buddho.org/buddhism-history-and-schools/  

The Role of Buddhism in Khmer Society (English Subtitles). (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved April 19, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xClxvu3xwKc 

The Pluralism Project, Harvard University. (n.d.). Becoming a monk. Retrieved July 28, 2022. https://pluralism.org/becoming-a-monk  

VentureFull. 2022, December 20. Hsi Lai Temple Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles, CA - largest Buddhist monastery in North America [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6Y7ldMo3Qw 

Model Curriculum

Cambodian American Studies

Standard(s)

HSS 6.5.5 RI.6.1 W.6.2

Grade(s)

Grade 6