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HaslingdenHighSchool

REHOMEWORKBOOKLET

Year8

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Year8BlockAHomework

ReligiousEducation–Buddhism

Buddhismisoneofthemostfascinatingreligionsintheworld.Inthisbookletyouwillbestudying

thekeyteachingsofBuddhismastaughtbytheBuddha,thefounderofBuddhism.

The booklet begins by looking at the life of the Buddha before concentrating on the Four Noble

TruthsandtheEightfoldPath,someofthemostimportantaspectsofBuddhistteaching.

Youwillbeaskedtothinkcarefullyabouttheseteachingsandconsiderwhatdifferencetheymight

maketopeople’slives.

The final task is an essay that asks you to think about different points of view. This is themost

importantpartofyourhomeworkandyourteacher’scommentswillmostlybebasedonthisessay.

Eachtaskhasasuggestedtimewithit–thisisthetimeyour

teachersuggestsyouspendoneachtask.

1

Read the following storyandanswerthequestions

attheend.

BuddhawasborninIndiaaboutthemiddleof

the6thcenturyBCE. HewasaHinduandthe

sonofaKing. HisnamethenwasSiddhartha

Gautama. When he was born, a holy man

saidtotheKingthatthechildwouldbeeither

agreatruleroragreatspiritualleader.

Siddhartha’s father, King Shuddhodana,

wantedhis son tobe kingoneday. He kept

his child in thepalaceandwouldnot lethim

see the real world outside. Siddhartha was

very clever and enjoyed the best that life

could offer. He was well known for his

kindnesstoothers.

WhenSiddharthabecameaman,hemarried

abeautifulprincess,Yasodhara,andtheyhad

a beautiful son, Rahula. In spite of having

everything that he could wish for – a loving

wife and a wonderful son – Siddhartha was

not totally happy. He felt that there was

something missing. Against his father’s

wishes,heleftthepalaceonedaytoseewhat

wasoutsidethewalls.

Even though the King had given strict orders

thatthePrinceshouldneverseeanyonepoor,

sickorunhappy,Siddharthacameacrossfour

things he had never seen before. He came

across amanwhowas veryold. His servant

explainedthatthemanwassufferingfromold

age.Siddharthawashorrifiedtodiscoverthat

oldagecouldaffectanyone.

Thentheycameacrossaladywhowasveryill.

Siddhartha was told that she was suffering

fromadisease.Later,theysawafuneraland

Siddhartha learned that everyone dies one

day.

Finally,Siddharthaandhisservantcameupon

amanbytheroadside.Hewassittingupright,

eyes closed. The servant explained that this

was a holy man who had given up all his

possessionsandhisplaceinthecommunityto

tryanddiscoverthemeaningoflife.

Siddhartha could not rest. He spent some

timetryingtomakesenseofthesufferinghe

hadseenanddecidedtoleavethepalaceand

his family. He promised that he would not

returnuntilhehad foundaway todealwith

theproblemofsuffering.

When Siddhartha left home, he went deep

into the forest. He took off his rich clothes

and put on a simple yellow robe and cut his

hair. Hestayedwithholymenandlearneda

great deal from them aboutmeditation. He

learned to go deep inside himself to find

peace,calmandwisdom.Evenaftersixyears

ofthis,hedidnotfeelasthoughhehadfound

awaytodealwithsuffering.

He setoutaloneanddecided to fast. Eating

only one grain of rice each day, he starved

himself. He thought that thiswould sharpen

thepowerofhismindand thathewouldbe

abletomeditatemoredeeply.Itdidnothelp.

In the end, Siddhartha decided that the only

TheLifeoftheBuddha

1

waytofindananswerwastofollowaMiddle

Way.

He found a quiet, beautiful place, sat down

andsaidthathewouldnotgetupagainuntil

hehad foundaway togobeyondthepower

ofdeathandsuffering.

Siddhartha was tempted to give up many

times. The demonMara sent pretty girls to

tempt him to give up. He was tempted by

fameandwealth. Hebegan to thinkhewas

tooweak,buthedidnotgivein.

At last, he discovered the deepest sense of

calm,peaceandhappiness.Hebegantothink

thathewasdeepwithinhimself.

At thatmoment, SiddharthabecameBuddha–theonewhoisawake.

Buddhawasachangedmanandeveryonehe

met was astonished because it seemed he

glowed with love, happiness and peace. He

realisedatlastthattheanswertosufferinglay

withinhim.

1. WhywasSiddharthanottotallyhappy?

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2. WhatwerethethreethingsthatupsetSiddhartha?

i) ii) iii)

3. TheholymanmadeabigimpressiononSiddhartha.Whydoyouthinkthiswasthecase?

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4. WhydidSiddharthagiveupeverythinghehad?

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5. WhatdidSiddharthadonext?_______________________________________________________

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6. WhathappenedtoSiddhartha?_____________________________________________________

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7. WhatdoesitmeantosaySiddharthawas“awake”?_____________________________________

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2

ThisnextsectionconcentratesontheFourNobleTruths,theBuddha’steachingsaboutsuffering.

Buddhataughtaboutthecausesofsuffering.MostBuddhists

wouldagreethattheFourNobleTruthsarethemost

importantpartoftheBuddha’steaching.

FirstNobleTruth

Buddha taught that all life is suffering.

Collectimagesthatshowarangeofsuffering.Lookatmagazines,newspapersandtheinternet.

Createacollagebystickingyourpicturesinthespacebelow.Youcandrawpicturesifyouprefer.

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Asillustratedbyyourcollage,allhumanssuffer.Buddhathenmoved

ontotheSecondNobleTruth.

SecondNobleTruth

Suffering is caused by greed and selfishness

Stickdownapicturehereofsomethingthatyouwant(e.g.phone,game,ipad,money)

Nowanswerthequestionsonthenextpage.

4

Answerthesequestionsaboutthethingthatyouwant.

1)Howdoyoufeelatthemomentwithoutthisitem?_______________________________________

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2)Howwouldyoufeelifyouweregiventhisitem?_________________________________________

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3)Howlongwouldthisfeelinglast?_____________________________________________________

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(Thinkabouthowyoumayfeelwhentheybringoutthenextmodel,nextnewgadget)

4)Willthisitemmakeyoutrulyhappy?__________________________________________________

Buddha taught thatallhumanshaveselfishdesires.Humansaregreedyandwillalwayswant.We

areall concernedwithwhatwewant rather than theneedsofotherpeople. This selfishness isa

causeofsufferingintheworld.

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ThirdNobleTruth

Greed and selfishness can be stopped.

BuddhataughtathirdNobleTruth,thatthatsufferingwillstopifwe

crushourdesires.Whenyouno longerwant,whenwhatwewant isno longer importantBuddha

taughtthatthisiswhensufferingwillcease.TheBuddhataughtthatitisourattitudetodesiresthat

causeoursuffering.

Doyouagreethatdesirecausessuffering?______________________________

Canyougiveareasonforyouranswer?_________________________________________________

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FourthNobleTruthSelfishness and greed can be stopped by following the Eightfold Path.

Buddha taught that there isapath to stopselfishnessandgreed.Thispath is calledTheEightfold

Path.ThisshowsBuddhiststhewaytolive-eight“right”wayshumansshouldlivetheirlife.

Doyouthinkhumanscanstopbeingselfish?_____________________________________________

Givereasonsforyouranswer._________________________________________________________

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6

Fillinthechartbelowusingtheinformationyouhaveworkedthroughsofar.Writeanexplanation

ofeachoftheNobleTruths.

Truths Definition.

FirstNobleTruth

SecondNobleTruth

ThirdNobleTruth

FourthNobleTruth

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Buddha taught that we can overcome suffering by accepting that it

happens, seeing the cause as our own desires and then crushing those

desires. Buthowdowe crushourwants anddesires? Howdowe stop

wanting things somuch? This iswhere the4thNobleTruthcomes in. It

givesusawayofovercomingourdesires.

Buddhasaid that thewayto freeyourself fromsuffering is to followtheEightfoldPath.Buddhists

thinkoftheEightfoldPathasspokesonawheel.Thisisbecauseawheelisusedonajourneyand

theeightspokesrepresentthestagesofthejourneyapersonmustgothrough.Thewheelisalways

turningbecausesufferingneverends–wecontinuetowantthings,wegrowoldanddie.

BuddhistsbelieveyouhavetodealwiththeproblemofsufferingbyfollowingtheEightfoldPath.A

simpleway forward is to take one task at a time, but eventually each of the spokes has towork

togetherforthewheeltomove.

RightUnderstanding

RightThoughts

Right

Speech

RightActions

RightLiving

RightEffort

Right

Mindfulness

RightConcentration

Thewayto crushdesire is to fol lowtheE ightfold

Path.

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Whatdoeseachofthespokesmean?

Spokeofthewheel MeaningRightThoughts Makeyourthoughtsasunselfishaspossible.Donotthinkasifyouwere

themostimportantpersonintheworld.Thinkaboutotherpeopletoo.

RightSpeech Donottellliesorspreadgossip.Don’tberudeorharshwhenyouspeak.

RightActions Behaveinawaythatwillnotbringsufferingtoothers.

RightLiving Havealifestylethatavoidsharminganythingasmuchaspossible.

RightEffort Putallyoureffortintolivingtherightway.

RightMindfulness Learntomeditate.Beawareofwhatyouarethinkingandfeelingatall

times.Stayincontrolandbecalm.

RightConcentration Remainfreefromallmentaldisturbancessuchasenvy,worryandanxiety

andconcentrateonwhatisimportant.

RightUnderstanding Learntoseethingsastheyreallyare,justliketheBuddha.

Inyourownwords,explainwhateachofthespokesmean.Yourteacherwilltellyouwhattodoon

thistask.

Spokeofthewheel MeaningRightThoughts

RightSpeech

RightActions

RightLiving

RightEffort

RightMindfulness

RightConcentration

RightUnderstanding

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TheBuddhataughtthatfollowingtheEightfoldPathwillhelpendsufferingandmakelifehappier.ForthesepartsoftheEightfoldPath,describehowfollowingthismightmakeyourlifehappier.Thefirstexamplehasbeendoneforyoutohelpyouthinkaboutyourownanswers.

SpokeoftheWheel. Meaning Differencetomylife.

RightEffort

Putallyoureffortintolivingtherightway.

If I put all my effort into my school work, then I know that I have done my best. I shouldn’t worry about my level or grade if I have done my best. Knowing that I have done my best is all that matters and this will make me happy. I know that my teachers and those that care for me will be proud of me if I try my best.

RightSpeech Donottellliesorspreadgossip.Don’tberudeorharshwhenyouspeak.

RightActions Behaveinawaythatwillnotbringsufferingtoothers.

RightLiving Havealifestylethatavoidsharminganythingasmuchaspossible.

10

LookbackattheEightfoldPathagain.

YouhavejustthoughtabouthowfollowingtheEightfoldPathcouldmakea

differencetoyourlifeandnowyouwillthinkabouthowitmightmakea

differencetolifeinschool.

Whichofthe“spokes”wouldmakeadifferencetoschoollifeifeveryonefollowedthem?How

wouldtheymakeadifference?

Writeabouttwoorthree“spokes”.

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11

BuddhistStories

Readthefollowingstoryandanswerthequestionsontheback.

KisaGotamiandtheMustardSeed

OnoneoccasionawomancalledKisaGotamicametotheBuddhaintears,holdingthebody

ofherdeadbaby.Shewassoupsetthatshehadgoneeverywheretotryandbringhimback

to life. Her friends felt sorry for her and told her to go and see the Buddha. She came

beforetheBuddhastillholdingthechildinherarms.“Pleasebringhimbacktolifeforme,”

shecried. Verygently theBuddhaanswered, “I canhelpyou,Gotami,but first youmust

bringmesomething.Ineedonesmallmustardseed.However,itmustcomefromahouse

whereno-onehaseverdied.”

Gotamiquicklywentinsearchof

a mustard seed. She asked at

onehomeandthewomanthere

answered, “Of course you can

have a mustard seed. You can

have whatever you want, but

you should know that last year

myhusbanddied.”“Oh,”Gotami

replied“thenImustcontinuemy

searchelsewhere,”andranoffto

the next house. But wherever

she went the same thing

happened.

Everyonewantedtohelpherbutineveryfamilyshevisitedsomeonehaddied.Oneperson

told her “Three years ago my daughter died.” Another said, “My brother died here

yesterday.”Itwasalwaysthesame.

At the endof the day she returned to theBuddha. “What have you foundGotami?” he

asked.“Whereisyourmustardseed?Andwhereisyourson?Youarenotcarryinghimany

longer.”Sheanswered“OhBuddha,todayIhavediscoveredthatIamnottheonlyonewho

lostalovedone.Everywherepeoplehavedied.IseehowfoolishIwastothinkIcouldhave

my sonback. I haveacceptedhisdeathand this afternoon I crematedhim. Now Ihave

returnedtoyoutohearyourteachings,Iamreadytolisten.”

TheBuddhasaid,“Gotami,youhavelearnedagreatdealtoday.Sufferinganddeathmust

come toeveryone sooneror later. But if you can learn the truth you can live anddie in

happiness.ComeIshallteachyou.”Andsohetaughther,andsoonshefoundmorepeace

thanshehadeverknownbefore.

NowcompletethepassageonKisaGotamiandthemustardseedonthenextpage.

12

Awomancalled_________cametotheBuddhaintears,holdingthebodyofherdeadbaby______.

Shewassoupsetthatshehadbeeneverywheretotrytobringhimbackto_____.Herfriendsfelt

sorryforherandtoldhertogoandseetheBuddha.

WhenGotamifoundtheBuddha,shesaidtohim,“Pleasebringbackmysontolife.”

Verygently,theBuddhaanswered,“IcanhelpyouGotami,butfirstyoumustbringmesomething.I

needonesmall____________seed.However,thisseedmustcomefroma_______whereno-one

haseverdied.”

Gotamiquicklywentinsearchofamustardseed.Shewenttothefirsthouse.Awomananswered

the________andGotamiaskedher“Ineedamustardseed,butitmustcomefromahousewhere

no-onehaseverdied.Doyouhaveamustardseed?”Thewomanatthedoorreplied,“Iwouldbe

happytogiveyouamustardseed,butmy___________diedlastyear.”Gotamithankedthewoman

andsaid,“Imustcontinuemysearchsomewhereelse.”

Gotami went to another house. But the same thing happened again. This time a young girl

answeredthedoorandGotamiaskedherforamustardseed. Thegirlsaidshewassorry,buther

motherhad________afewweeksago,soshecouldnothelpGotamiinhersearch.

Gotamikeptsearchingalldayforahousewhereno-onehadeverdied,butshecouldnotfindone.

Everyonewantedtohelpher,butateveryhousesomeonehaddiedbefore.

Attheendoftheday,Gotamireturnedtoseethe___________.TheBuddhaaskedher,“Whereis

yourmustardseed?Whereisyourson?Youarenotcarryinghimanymore.”

Gotamireplied,“Ohsir,todayIhavefoundthatIamnottheonlyonewhohaslosta______one.

EverywhereIhavebeenpeoplehavedied.NowIseehowfoolishIwastothinkIcouldhavemyson

back. Ihaveaccepted thathe isdeadand thisafternoon I______________myson. Now Ihave

comebacktolistentoyouteachme.Iamreadytolisten.”

The Buddha then said, “Gotami, you have learned a great deal today. ____________ and death

mustcometoeveryonesoonerorlater.Ifyoulearnthetruth,youcanliveanddiein____________.

Comeandsithereand Iwill____________you.” SotheBuddhataughtKisaGotamiandshewas

veryhappy.

WordbankhusbandBuddhahappinessmustardhouseteachdied

Gotamiloveddoorsufferingcrematedsonlife

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WhichoftheFourNobleTruthsdoesthisstorytellusabout?Explainyouranswer.

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ExplainthedifferenceintheattitudeofKisaGotamiwhensherealisedwhattheBuddhawas

teachingher.

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ExplainhowmightitbedifficultorchallengingforaBuddhisttoliveintheUKtodayandfollow

theteachingsoftheBuddha?Giveexamples.

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FinalTask

Thisisthefinalandmostimportanttask.Yourgradeforthishomework

willbejudgedbythisessay.

HavingstudiedtheBuddha’steachingandreflectedonthesufferingintheworld,youwill

nowanswerthefollowingquestion:

“Will following the Buddha teachings reduce suffering?”

Inyouranswerthinkabout…

• examplesofsuffering(lookbackatyourcollage)

• WhatwouldaBuddhistsayaboutsuffering?

• DoyouthinkfollowingtheBuddha’steachingwillreducesuffering?

• Whatmightsomeonewhodisagreeswiththisteachingsay?Howwouldtheyexplain

theirreasons?

Belowisspacetomakesomenotesbeforewritingyouransweronthenextpage.

15

WillfollowingtheBuddha’steachingreducesuffering?

ABuddhistwouldagreethatfollowingtheBuddha’steachingwillreducesufferingbecause

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SomeoneelsemaydisagreethatfollowingtheBuddha’steachingsmaynotreducesufferingbecause

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ToconcludeIthink

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