The Fourth Form had a wonderful opportunity to enhance their understanding of Buddhism with a trip to the Cambridge Buddhist Centre on the first day of the Lent Term. The was following the introduction to the key Buddhist concepts and practices in the Michaelmas Term when they discovered more about the Buddhists’ way of life. The learned that Buddhists observe the steps of the Noble Eightfold Path, the meaning of the Four Noble Truths, the story of Siddhartha Gautama and the meaning behind the symbol of the Eight Spoked Wheel.
The Buddhist hosts at the Centre answered the children’s questions and put across the ‘flavour’ of a modern Buddhist life. The children were fascinated to see the beautiful shrine and to feel the sense of calm in the shrine rooms. The children examined different Buddhist artefacts and learnt about the significance of each element of the shrine; the flowers are a reminder of the important concept of impermanence, and the candles are a reminder of how following Buddhist principles can be a light to follow one’s path through life. The hosts explained their own journeys towards becoming Buddhist, and what living as a Buddhist means to them. The children had many curious and imaginative questions and discovered many new things about Buddhism through their questioning. The children took part in walking and breathing meditations and many of them commented on the depth of meditation they could achieve in such a serene atmosphere.
