On Monday, Year 3 took part in a special Buddhism workshop to help us learn more about this peaceful religion. We discovered that Buddhists follow five important rules, called precepts. These are: to be kind and not hurt others, to only take what belongs to you, to always tell the truth, to behave sensibly, and to avoid things that can harm the body or mind. We asked thoughtful questions and enjoyed looking at real Buddhist artefacts, such as colourful prayer flags and smooth prayer beads. We learnt that Buddhists like lotus flowers because they grow in muddy water but still bloom beautifully, just like people can grow into kind and wise individuals even when life is hard. We also found out that prayer flags are used to spread good wishes and kind thoughts. When the wind blows, it carries the messages on the flags to everyone, bringing peace and happiness. In the afternoon, we created our own lotus flowers and decorated prayer flags to display in the classroom. It was a calm and thoughtful day, and we learned how Buddhists try to live in a kind and respectful way.
