Theravada+Buddhism

=**Title: Theravadan Buddhism**=

**Status: NOT YET MODERATED**

Objective:

 * The students will be able to recall two of the practices
 * The students will be able to recall one of the central tenets of Theravada Buddhism
 * The students will be able to recall on the countries in which Theravada Buddhism is prevalent

Materials:

 * Presentation (If desired use a powerpoint presentation)
 * Tripitaka Sheet - Bramajaia Sutta [[file:SuttaPitaka-BrahmajalaSutta.odt]]
 * Writing Sheet
 * Background to Theravada Buddhism [[file:Background.txt]]

Preparation:

 * Powerpoint presentation is best when presented using a projector

Method:

 * 1) Opening Gassho
 * 2) Presentation
 * 3) What did Shakamuni Buddha teach and do?
 * 4) 3 Treasures
 * 5) 4 Noble Truths
 * 6) 8-fold Noble Path
 * 7) 6 Paramitas
 * 8) Establishment of Sanghas
 * 9) What happened after Shakamuni Buddha's death?
 * 10) Practices (Do each)
 * 11) Sitting Meditation
 * 12) Explain meditation :
 * 13) Slow the mind so that you can rest and concentrate on a selected though
 * 14) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sit straight
 * 15) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Breath easily, from the diaphragm.
 * 16) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Explain "monkey mind" (how a 'quiet' mind goes from one thought to the next)
 * 17) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Help start by using cleansing breaths (Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Exhale, 2, 3,...)
 * 18) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Set a time limit. Maybe use a timer
 * 19) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Periodically, remind about the monkey mind. Acknowledge and just let go.
 * 20) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chanting (Chanting the Tripitaka)
 * 21) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Copying scripts (Copying the Tripitaka)
 * 22) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cleaning (working meditation; in silence)
 * 23) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Wipe tables and chairs
 * 24) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sweep floor
 * 25) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Take out garbage
 * 26) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Evaluation
 * 27) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Questions
 * 28) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How did it feel? Chanting? Copying hard?
 * 29) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Could you do this all day? For many days?
 * 30)  Squishy Ball Question Game (below)
 * 31) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Summary
 * 32) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Closing Gassho

Evaluation:

 * Squishy Ball Question game
 * Get a "Squishy Ball" (or anything that can be safely be thrown; even a paper ball works).
 * You toss the ball to a student. You ask a question about today's lesson. They try to answer. If they answer correctly, they get to toss the ball to whomever they wish and ask a question about today's lesson. If they answer incorrectly, it goes back to the teacher.

Note:

 * Be careful to explain the boundaries of questions for the Squish Ball Question game.

Author:
Mas Nishimura nish221.at.gmail.com, San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, 2013 ||