Children’s Experience of Nirvana - A Buddhist Perspective of Educating the Young

Children’s Experience of Nirvana

A Buddhist Perspective of Educating the Young

K V Soon & Chong Wai Leng

Children are very adorable. Those who have children will know what fun it is to have them! However, as they get older, we adults tend to view them differently. In schools for example, most parents pressure their children to perform and achieve. While this may not be true for everyone, many children lose that spark that was once evident in their eyes. That missing spark is buried under tons of homework and related academic activities. Childhood seems to have been lost for the child. If this is not enough, the premature introduction to the rat-race will certainly kill it all together!

In the Buddhist teachings, this "spark" represents our true nature - some schools of Buddhism may call it the Buddha Nature or the Original Mind. How do we keep that spark from dying out? How do we keep that child mind, fresh and always curious about the things we experience? The Zen teachers have made this an important aspect of learning the Dharma, stating that a beginners’ mind of a child is critical for the experience of the Buddha Dharma.

However, this "child mind" is in danger of being wiped out by well-meaning people in Buddhist centers and temples. Recently, someone remarked that kids who come to Buddhist centres just want to play. 

"Kids come here just to play and learn nothing!"

With exasperation in his voice, he was actually referring to his children who were running around the shrine hall, and not able to get them to "behave" and to sit quietly. We guess what this parent meant was that children should play less and learn more Dharma.

Should we “discipline” these children? Let them be? Or try some “middle way” approach (whatever it maybe)?

This article aims to bring a deeper thought process into teaching Sunday school children and understanding children in the perspective of the Buddha Dharma. We often hear that children ought to respect parents and teachers, but less so of adults having to respect children! Children are the future and children, in the Buddhist sense, are “little Buddhas”. It is time we truly embrace children with love and respect which they so deserve so that their Buddha nature can surface with little hindrance . This means we need to think beyond mundane “school”, “classes”, “curriculum”, etc and aim directly at the heart.

Most Sunday Dharma Schools in urban areas are very well received and student enrollment often exceeds the supply of teachers to teach them. With hundreds of children crammed inside a building, there is bound to be lots of noise. But a strict teacher, armed with a whistle, blowing away like referee in a soccer match and screaming at the kids to shut up, is not a good reflection on compassionate teaching! It is indeed distressful to see these things happening at Buddhist centers!

While each center adopts different approaches to the learning and teaching of Buddha Dharma - some are positive while others may be questionable -, it is always a challenge managing kids - ask any parent or sunday school teacher! What more Buddhist temples and centers where teachers are mostly untrained and are volunteers with noble intentions. With these challenges, these temples and Dharma centers often fall back on a structure where most people are familiar with - the structure of a school. Herein lies the problem!

THE PHILOSOPHY OF BUDDHIST EDUCATION

We should first go back to our roots and appreciate the fact that learning the Dharma is a process of education and re-education. We then need to understand the limitations of schools today and what Buddhist temples and centers can do to give spiritual directions to children. More importantly, we as parents or teachers should acknowledge the fact that we ourselves are undergoing spiritual change while sharing the Dharma with children.

Dharma Embodies the Spirit of Change

We begin by looking back at the life of the Buddha from birth to Enlightenment. For us, the most important aspect of the Teachings is reflected in His own life - that is the willingness and the ability to change. When he found that palace life was stifling, Siddhartha decided to move out into a different environment to explore and to seek the truth to the meaning of life – he made the change from a royal lifestyle of a prince, to a simple life of an ascetic.

In His quest for the Truth, He wondered and learned from many teachers. It was reputed that He learned from the best religious teachers at that time. Yet, He could not fulfill his thirst for the ultimate Truth. He made the decision  to leave his teachers in an attempt to go beyond them. He made the change.

Siddhartha tried all sorts of practices, including self-mortification. When he found that they did not work, he again, changed his approach. This change led Him to appreciate the Middle Way. It is due to these changes that led to Siddhartha eventually gaining Enlightenment. If we were to articulate the one thing that drove Him to the attainment of Supreme Enlightenment - it is the courage to change!

Therefore the first principle of Dhamma education is change. Spiritual change to achieve higher mental realm as it were, of human development.

In this respect, the Buddha gave specific instructions and practices. These instructions are what we know as the process of change: sikkha (Pali) or siksha (Sanskrit). Sikkha implies the educational process of learning, training instructions acquisition, development and enlightenment2. Sikkha or training includes the training in sila, samadhi and panna3 (translation and interpretation below) and is always combined with the word -pada in sikkhapada (“steps of training”) which is normally known as sekhapatipada (learners course4). The aim of the process is to lead one to the realization and understanding and the overcoming of dukkha which is embodied in the spirit of the Four Noble Truth. The path to the overcoming of dukkha is expounded by the Buddha in the Noble Eight-Fold Path. This gradual process gives the learner a correct, noble sphere of life and an insight into affairs, teaches him how to act rightly and how to live successfully and happily, and leads him to all-round progress, prosperity and welfare5, to the development of good personality with perfect knowledge and behaviour6, and finally to the end of dukkha7.

In seeking change, we need to have the courage to question. To question is to be able to think deeply, ask the right questions and to offer our own views and ideas. Indeed, most of us are too used to routine and many more crave the security and certainty that provides us with a sense of well-being. Change is usually the most difficult thing to do, but change we all must!  How do we embed this spirit of transformation in the Dharma centers that we serve?

Dhamma-vinaya - the spirit of Buddhist Educational Philisophy

If we truly try to understand the Buddha’s teachings, it is really about education. The etymology of “education” which is derived from the Latin word educatus which is the past participle of educare (to rear or to bring up). The word educare is derived from the prefix e- (in the sense of “out”) and ducare (to lead). This parallels the Buddha’s teaching - often referred to as the “Dharma Vinaya” by the Buddha Himself. The etymology of Vinaya from vi (“away”, “out”) + nayati (to lead) which means to draw out. To practise the Buddha-Dhamma is to bring out the Buddha-nature in us! 

This is perhaps the most important aspect of Buddhist education that sets it apart from conventional schooling. Buddhist education aims to look inwards to what we have and to bring it out while conventional schooling aims to feed us and our children facts and knowledge, and suppress our true potentials. Every Dharma school should place this as the most important motivation of it existence. Hence, Dhamma schools should be where the right conditions can be created to bring the Buddha-nature out from us all. In other words, it is a place where we can try to bring out the best potentials from young children. It is not a a place where information and knowledge are "fed" to the children. This is a fundamental difference we must learn to appreciate.

Appreciating Diversity of Minds

One of the most significant teachings of the Buddha is that all beings are equal, and that they are all endowed with the potential to attain enlightenment. Therefore, He educated beings equally. He never offered his education in distinction of castes or family backgrounds. Examples are Upali who was a barber, Sunita who gleaned and collected scraps, Shati who was a son of a fisherman, Apapari who was a prostitute and Puma who was a slave’s daughter. Such cases are innumerable in Buddhist Suttas. He treated his students equally yet adapted is approaches to each individual. He did not offer a "one size fit all" teaching of the Dhamma. The development of the mind as a central theme to the Buddha's teachings obviously recognizes that people have different levels of mental and spiritual development and time and again in the Suttas we have read of the different teaching approaches He had adapted in order to bring about the realization of Truth in his pupils.  

This approach corresponds with the many researches today that articulate the fact that people think and learn in different ways. Dr. Howard Gardner's theory on Multiple Intelligences is widely known today and is put into practice in many schools and corporations in progressive countries. Another important contributor in the field of learning is Dr Mel Levine who wrote A Mind at a Time and The Myth of Laziness amongst many other titles! His recurring message is that all individuals, especially children, are smart in their own ways, and parents and teachers should celebrate their strengths instead of harping on their weaknesses. Too many kids struggle and fail needlessly simply because the way in which they learn is incompatible with the way they are being taught. Schools are filled with kids who give up on themselves, are convinced they are "losers," and conclude they are dumb. It is painful—for the student, teacher, and parent who may be unaware that the "wiring" of that child’s brain is simply not in synch with the demands and expectations of the situations at hand. Telling a student "you can do better" doesn’t help, particularly when he is doing his best or has done his best to no avail. Punishing him for an inability to complete a particular task in a particular way, similarly, is ineffective. Yet these types of responses to these highly vulnerable kids are common.

The Buddha's Teachings and approach to learning addresses these issues. It is imperative that Dhamma schools (Sundays or otherwise), move into a different mind-set and look at themselves as "refuge" to the children. A Dhamma school has to be a place where children find some form of peace or at least some happiness, a refuge from the madness of the outside world. Hence, Dhamma schools have a great opportunity to offer themselves as a platform for alternative education! 

Dhamma Schools as Refuge

In a recent talk which, we expressed the hope that Dhamma schools be a refuge or an alternative platform for children to explore and grow their potentials in line with the principles and the spirit of the Dhamma-vinaya. It is also a place where children find relief in a different environment to explore the Dhamma and other new knowledge.

This environment starts with positive knowledge and conduct. In the Hemavata Sutta, the term “Vijjacarana sampanno” which means that education is to endow one with right knowledge and conduct. While this term usually refers to a quality of the Buddha, it also represents the qualities of a learning environment where knowledge can arise. Hence, focus on creating the environment physically is appropriate here. Some suggestions will be:

1. Works of children and students displayed. Every effort and opportunity to appreciate their works must be done - not just for the "good ones", but for everyone.  Appreciate the kids!
2. Fill the place with books and reading materials. Not necessary restricted to Buddhist materials, anything including audio and visual materials. Have a proper library budget that keeps books and materials regularly updated. Keep the kids interested and engaged.
3. A place for everything. Have spaces to allow kids to interact and to express themselves- anything from art to music, reading and audio visual. At the same time, have spaces for peace, quiet and reflection. When building up centers, don't just think of classes and how many students they can fill. It is about the quality, not the quantity! Perhaps the most important space that is often not considered is open spaces for nature - a small garden where simple activities can be conducted - can be a great start!
4. Us a lot of the arts. Encourage music, arts and other activities not academically inclined. We need to approach the heart.

The  setting up of a proper environment reflects the vision of a learning environment. We personally think there is far too much emphasis on "buildings" but too little on a good "vision". In many cases the building plans comes up first and the fitting in comes later. We feel that the "building mentality" has to change if we were to have a proper education vision and strategy for Buddhist education. To put it simple, it is not so much about the buildings as it is about the essence and the spirit of education which leads to transformation!

While Vijja is translated as clear knowledge; genuine awareness; science (specifically, the cognitive powers developed through the practice of concentration and discernment), it also represents a conducive environment where it is necessary to have both the clarity and the sciences of education that appreciate the individual according to the principles of the Dhamma-vinaya. 

Carana means conduct or behavior. What kind of knowledge should we have and how should students, teachers and parents be expected to conduct themselves in a Buddhist educational environment? Here are my thoughts.

Translating this into practice in Dhamma schools is to have full and complete respect for every single child that enrols in the Dhamma school. They have to be respected as if they are Buddhas! They have the potential or the Buddha-seed. This means that:

1. Teachers and Elders should respect children in body, speech and mind.
2. Teachers and Elders should lead by example of Buddhist practices.
3. Children should NOT be scolded or punished in any way.  Parents should especially observe this rule!
4. Recognize that every child is SPECIAL
5. Every child is a genius, given the right conditions.

When we treat children well with love and respect, they will reciprocate with good behaviour and attentive minds. Children with behavioural problems often lack the love and respect that they yearn from the adults. These children need our love and patience even more!

Methods of Buddhist Education

In teaching students or choosing lessons, the Buddha used various methods. The following are a few methods which were often adopted by the Buddha.

1. Teaching according to one’s ability 
   
2. Teaching according to one’s profession
   
3. Teaching according to one’s desire or needs
   
4. Teaching according to his own desire or needs
   
5. Teaching based on skillful means 
   

• *Use of similes: snake simile, raft simile, arrow simile, piano simile.
  
• *Use of stories: Jatakas
  
• *By his own examples: taking water, attending sick
  
• *Inspirations and thinking:
  

(source: Buddha’s Philosophy of Education By Ven. Shi Zhi Yi, August 2007)

It is clear from the above that The Buddha attempted many different approaches to engage the people in the Dhamma in order for them to look inwards to seek liberation. Keeping to the spirit of His approach, it is clear that moving away from a highly structured classroom environment similar to schools of today may be a more appropriate approach needed to create a positive experience of the Dhamma for the younger generation. We need to begin from where they are and be skillful to move forward from there.

Once we get our basic understanding of Buddhist education right, the setting of texts, curriculum, etc should be secondary and not a big issue. This is done by providing the right moral and spiritual conditions. In the Tamo Parayana Sutta of Cattuka Nipata of the Anguttara Nikaya, it gives this statement: “Tamo joti parayano” which means education is to lead the mind from darkness to light or to lead one from the veil of ignorance to the light of wisdom.

Rethinking Dharma Schools

We must make every effort to look at this issue seriously and make every effort to let children have a positive experience of the Buddha Dharma through our patient and compassionate guidance. It is imperative that the Buddhist temple or center be a refuge (sarana) for children where they find some space to explore and to engage in activities that allow for their personal and creative expressions. We need to reinforce the fact that every child is special, smart and unique and our role is to help them realize their Boddhi-citta. 

While in school K V, spent a lot of time at the nearby temple before deciding to become a samanera (novice monk). Until today, K V still has have very close affinity to the Thai temple tradition because he grew up in this environment where there was ample space for kids to "just be".  Looking back, the temple was a little "nirvana"- time and place away from dukkha of home, school and other things too complicated for children. A Buddhist center should be that of a little "nirvana" experience for children, young and old!

Never mind if children do not seem "learn" and just want to play games. Let it be! The Buddha did not force his disciples, especially the lay disciples, to learn. There were stories such as the Buddha's encounter with Chatta whom the Buddha knew was going to die that day. The Buddha did not make him listen and learn the Dhamma. He taught him simple chant to think of the peaceful and happy things. When the boy died, he was reborn in the higher realms because of his happy last thought moment. When the time is ripe for learning, they will learn!

Let us strive to create positive experiences of the Dharma and allow children of that "nirvanic" experience - make it a happy place! 

We need to go beyond conventions to make a difference to our children's true happiness so that they may learn and experience Buddhism positively. This will definitely hold them in good stead later in their later lives when they think back and appreciate the happy times they had at their Dharma Sunday schools! 

Let's do it for our children! 

SUKHI HOTU!

1 Buddha’s Philosophy of Education By Ven. Shi Zhi Yi, August 2007

2 Cp PTSD., sv sikkha. See also Vin III, p23

3 AN I, p231ff. Cp Chp III, notes 7,8

4 MN I, p354f

5 KP p134f

6 for instance, see DN I p124

7 Iti, p 40, 53, 104, AN I, p123

Quoted references:

1. Gardner, Howard. (1993) "Multiple Intelligences: The Theory Into Practice." New York: Basic Books.

2. Levin, Melvin D, "A Mind at A  Time", New York, 2003 Simon & Schuster

3. Levin, Melvin D, "The Myth of Laziness: America's Top Learning Expert, Shows How Kids and PArent can Become More Productive", New York, 2003, Simon & Schuster

Both Wai Leng and K V are Ex-Co of the Buddhist Missionary Society (BMSM) Shah Alam Branch and run its Sunday school there. They were founders of Malaysia first parenting, education and family portal, "FamilyPlace" in 1998 which received funding from the National IT Council. FamilyPlace is now it's 10th year of existence.  Wai Leng also recently launched her second book "Learning Beyond Schooling: Helping Children Realize Their True Potential" published by Pelanduk.