TEACH ME BUDDHISM
A simple explanation and demonstration
of the Four Noble Truths
and the Noble Eightfold Path
for Children
By Asoka Ganhewa, Souksomboun Sayasithsena
and Margaret Lisa Buschmann
Published by International Buddhist Society of Pennsylvania
www.pabuddhistvihara.net
International Buddhist Society of Pennsylvania
Sadaham Sevana Meditation Center
1999 South Valley Road
Crystal Spring, Pennsylvania USA
First Edition 2013
Copyright © by Asoka Ganhewa, Souksomboun Sayasithsena, and Margaret Lisa Buschmann
This book may be copied for free distribution only.
Cover art by Chalermchai Kositpipat, courtesy of Wat Thai Washington D.C. and Wat
Phramahajanaka, Georgia, USA.
This book is dedicated to Asoka Ganhewa’s parents,
the late Mr. Premachandra Ganhewa
and Mrs. Dulcie Florence Ganhewa
And Souksomboun Sayasithsena’s parents
the late Mr. Ou Sayasithsena and Mrs. Khay Sayasithsena
May they attain Nibbana.
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhasa
Preface
For several years, co-author Mr. Souksomboun Sayasithsena of Annandale, Virginia has
been teaching children and adults to memorize and understand the meanings of the Four
Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path. His teaching has been very successful, as even very
young children have smilingly demonstrated these teachings after only a half hour of
learning. His teaching is extremely valuable to generate children’s interest in the Dhamma,
particularly where Buddhist children, including those attending Dhamma School or Pirivena,
are usually unable to describe even the most basic teachings of their religion. The idea to
put Mr. Sayasithsena’s teaching into a book was inspired by Asoka Ganhewa’s three-yearold grandson, Maximus Ganhewa, who spontaneously requested, “Teach me Buddhism.”
This book is useful not only for very young children, but also for older children as a method
to easily memorize the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. It was purposefully
written in the simplest language for very young children to grasp the meaning of basic
principles of Buddhism in a way that is meaningful in their lives, so they can develop good
habits and mindfulness starting from a very young age. Waiting to introduce these
principles until students can understand the traditional deeper meanings of the Four Noble
Truths and Noble Eightfold Path is not very productive when bad habits have already
started taking root from the corrupting influences in school, media and other environments.
For young children, read the portion about the Four Noble Truths, and for older children,
adapt and add to the words in the book as suitable based on the students’ ages. Then have
a discussion. Discuss specific examples of sufferings in real life, and encourage students to
share experiences on physical and mental suffering. It is important for students to
understand the law of karma, and that results of karma (vipaka) may occur in a future life.
For older students, you may mention that Greed/Desire, Hatred/Aversion, and Ignorance
are the major causes of suffering, the goal of purifying the mind, and the ultimate goal of
Nirvana. You might also discuss whether less or no suffering would be a benefit. After the
discussion, have students take turns demonstrating the gestures of each of the Four Noble
Truths. Then read and discuss the portion about the Noble Eightfold Path, and adapt as
appropriate for older children, to give deeper, more traditional explanations of each of the
eight parts of the Path. However, it is important to use terms that the children understand,
and relate them to actual experience in their day to day lives. Encourage students to share
examples of each part of the Path in addition to those shown in the book. Distinguish Right
Understanding, Right Thought, Right Action and Right Effort, and distinguish Right
Mindfulness from Right Concentration. You might mention that the parts of the Path are
not sequential steps such that one step must be completed before the next step. It may be
useful to elicit ideas from older students as to how the parts of the Path are interrelated,
and how application of the Path will make life less of a burden. After the discussion, have
the students demonstrate the gestures of the Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path
together as a group, and then individually, taking turns.
The authors wish to thank Ven. Sarasiyapaththuwe Mangala Nayaka Thero, Ven.
Chandrawansa and their students at Sri Sudhammananda Bhikkhu Training Center,
Haloluwa, Kandy, Sri Lanka; Ven. Kowinne Amarasiri Nayaka Thero and his students at Sri
Gangarama Purana Viharaya, Kowinna, Andiambalama, Sri Lanka; and Ven. Henepola
Nandasiri Nayaka Thero and his students at Sri Dharmaloka Maha Pirivena, Niyangoda,
Kumburegama, Sri Lanka, for their patience, suggestions, and allowing us to photograph
their students demonstrating gestures of the Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path
and examples of practicing them. The authors wish to thank the Dhamma School teachers
and students at Pradakshinaramaya, Panadura, Sri Lanka for allowing us to take
photographs of their Dhamma School.
The authors also wish to thank Dilmini Dissanayake for her contributions to this book, and
Souksomboun Sayasithsena’s wife, Douangkeo Sayasithsena, for her support in this
endeavor.
Prince Siddhartha
lived around 2,600 years ago.
He meditated
and became Enlightened,
meaning that he became
extremely wise and completely
peaceful and happy.
Since that time he was known as
the Buddha.
He began to teach others what he had
suddenly come to know, that . . .
. . . In this world . . .
. . . everywhere . . .
. . . there is unhappiness.
Everyone cries sometimes.
Everyone feels hurt sometimes.
And everyone every day feels
uncomfortable and suffers at least a
little bit from feeling:
too hot or too cold
hungry, thirsty or tired
worried or scared
bored
annoyed
ignored by someone
someone is upset with them
unable to do something
that they forgot something important
or that they lost something.
Can you think of anything else that
makes you uncomfortable?
Hold your hands on your head.
Show me how it looks when someone
is very unhappy.
This is how we can remember the
First Noble Truth that the Buddha
taught –
Life is Full of Suffering! In the Pali
language, which the Buddha spoke,
suffering is called Dukkha.
In this world, everywhere,
there are many reasons
why we suffer.
We want some things
but we don’t get them.
And we don’t like some things
but we get them anyway.
That is frustrating!
Roll your hands around each other,
show me frustration,
the causes of suffering, with
upset thoughts going round and round.
This is how we can remember
the Second Noble Truth Causes of Suffering! In the Pali
language it is called Samudaya.
But the Buddha taught that it is
possible to stop being unhappy.
There is an end to suffering.
Yes, we can be happier
and HAPPIER!
Put your hands on your heart and smile
with happiness.
This is how we can remember
the Third Noble Truth There is an End of Suffering! In the Pali
language it is called Nirodha.
The Buddha taught 8 ways to end our
suffering, called the Noble Eightfold
Path. Hold up 8 fingers, show me there
are 8 ways to end our suffering.
This is how we can remember the
Fourth Noble Truth The Way to the End of Suffering! In
the Pali language it is called Magga.
Now, let’s remember the Four Noble Truths
that the Buddha taught:
The First Noble Truth, everyone experiences
unhappiness, Life is full of Suffering. Put your
hands on your head and show me Life is full
of Suffering.
The Second Noble Truth, the Causes of
Suffering. We suffer when we don’t get what
we want and when we get things we don’t
like. Roll your hands around each other and
show me upset thoughts going round and
round, the Causes of Suffering.
The Third Noble Truth, there is an End of
Suffering. Put your hands on your heart with
happiness, show me the End of Suffering.
And the Fourth Noble Truth, the Way to End
Suffering - there are 8 ways the Buddha
taught - the Noble Eightfold Path. Hold up 8
fingers, show me the Way to End Suffering.
Let’s talk about the 8 ways.
This is a symbol of Buddhism called the
Dhamma Chakra. It is like a wheel
with 8 spokes, that remind us of the
Noble Eightfold Path, the 8 ways the
Buddha taught us to end suffering.
The first way is Right Understanding.
That means understanding the Four
Noble Truths.
That life is full of suffering,
unhappiness. And that we should look
for good things to do that can make
others feel peaceful and happy.
When we do good things, then good
things will happen to us. That is good
karma that can help end our suffering.
It makes us happy, too.
How are the children on the next page
helping someone feel more peaceful
and happy?
Point to your eye, looking for good
things to do to help end suffering. This
is how we can remember Right
Understanding.
That is the first part of the Eightfold
Path, Right Understanding, or Samma
Ditthi in the Pali language.
The second way is Right Thought.
Remembering to have kind and loving
thoughts wherever we are,
whatever we do.
Wishing that all people be happy and
peaceful.
Wishing that all animals be happy and
peaceful.
And never wishing harm to anyone,
even if someone annoys us.
Being patient, tolerant,
and forgiving.
When someone upsets us, we can
remember that if you do bad things,
then bad things happen to you.
It helps our anger go away.
Put your hand on your heart, this is
how we can remember Right Thought,
having kind and loving thoughts.
That is the second part of the Eightfold
Path, Right Thought, or Samma
Sankappa in the Pali language.
The third way is Right Speech.
That means we try not to speak with
anger.
We don’t tell lies.
And we don’t say things that hurt
others.
Point to your mouth, this is how we
can remember Right Speech.
That is the third part of the Eightfold
Path, Right Speech, or Samma Vacha
in the Pali language.
The fourth way is Right Action. That
means good
actions, like
volunteering
to help.
There are many ways to help!
Right Action also means
not doing things that harm others.
Not hurting someone who got
something you didn’t get.
And not taking things that do not
belong to you.
Look at your hands that do only good
things. This helps us remember Right
Action.
That is the fourth part of the Eightfold
Path, Right Action, or Samma
Kammanta in the Pali language.
The fifth way is Right Livelihood,
which means having a job that does
not harm others.
We should not be dishonest or cheat in
our work. We should do our work well,
and not be lazy or distracted by other
things.
School is your work while you are
young. It prepares you for a job when
you are older.
So pay attention in class, do your work
carefully,
and don’t cheat or misbehave!
Put your hand down as if holding your
lunch bag or a briefcase, this helps us
remember Right Livelihood.
That is the fifth part of the Eightfold
Path, Right Livelihood, or Samma Ajiva
in the Pali language.
The sixth is Right Effort. That means
making efforts to stay away from
people who misbehave, avoid things
that are bad for you, and avoid or stop
bad habits.
It also means making efforts to find
friends who are well behaved, to find
things to do that are good for you, and
to develop good habits.
Make one hand push away bad things,
and put the other hand on your brow,
looking for good things. This helps us
remember Right Effort.
That is the sixth part of the Eightfold
Path, Right Effort, or Samma Vayama in
the Pali language.
The seventh way is Right Mindfulness.
That means being very aware, noticing
every little thing.
Each little thing you see.
Each thing you hear.
Each thing you feel.
Each thing you smell.
Let’s try it. Close your eyes.
Notice how your big toe feels right
now.
Does it feel warm or cold?
Do you feel the floor?
Do you feel your sock, or your shoe?
Now, keeping your eyes closed,
keeping very still, notice the top of
your head.
Without touching your head, what
does the top of your head feel like?
Now, notice your right hand, keeping it
still, and keeping your eyes closed.
Notice the palm of your hand.
Now notice the back of your hand.
Your fingers. Your thumb.
Now point to your head. This helps us
remember Right Mindfulness.
That is the seventh part of the
Eightfold Path, Right Mindfulness, or
Samma Sati in the Pali language.
The eighth way is Right Concentration.
This means keeping your mind focused
on only one thing for awhile. Let’s try.
Notice how it feels to breathe in.
Notice how it feels to breathe out.
Count how many breaths you can take
while you concentrate only on
breathing in and out.
It is not easy. Our mind wants to think
about many other things.
But if you learn to concentrate well,
you will be a very good student.
And you will be able to learn anything
you want to learn very easily.
You will be very intelligent
and able to do many things very well.
With the palms of your hands up, lay
one hand on the palm of your other
hand. This helps us remember Right
Concentration.
That is the last part of the Noble
Eightfold Path, Right Concentration, or
Samma Samadhi in the Pali language.
Now, can you show how to remember the
Noble Eightfold Path?
1. Right Understanding.
Point to your eye.
2. Right Thought.
Put your hand on your heart.
3. Right Speech.
Point to your mouth.
4. Right Action.
Look at your hands.
5. Right Livelihood.
Hold your hand down, pretending to
hold a briefcase or lunch bag.
6. Right Effort.
Put one hand on your brow and keep
bad things away with the other hand.
7. Right Mindfulness.
Point to your head.
8. Right Concentration. Lay one hand on
the palm of your other hand.
Why is it important to understand the Four
Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path?
Because each good action we do will make
something good happen to us in the future.
And each bad action we do will make
something bad happen to us in the future.
It might happen soon, or when we get much
older, or in a future life.
We must understand that bad things will
sometimes happen to all of us because of the
bad things we all have done in past lives.
So we should do many, many good actions, so
that many, many good things will happen to
us in our future.
Kammassa komhi, kamma dayado, kamma yoni, kamma bhandhu, kamma patisarano. Yang
kammang karissami, kalyanang va papakang, va tassa dayado bhavissamiti.
I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my
actions, and live dependent on my actions. Whatever I do, for good or evil, to that I will fall
heir. – Dasadhamma Sutta
Thank you for paying attention!
Rev. Sarasiyapaththuwe Mangala Nayaka Thero and students, Sri
Sudhammananda Bhikkhu Training Center, Haloluwa, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Rev. Kowinne Amarasiri Nayaka Thero and students,
Sri Gangarama Purana Viharaya, Kowinna, Andiambalama, Sri Lanka