Children Dharma Class - The Importance of Gratitude and Understanding Impermanence

On February 26th, 2023, the Children Dharma Class held its third session. In the Beginner Class, the students learned about Buddhist symbols such as The Dharma Wheel, The Lotus Flower, and The Buddhist Flag. Teacher Anthan and Carter explained the meaning of each symbol and guided the children in coloring them, providing a fun way for the children to get early exposure to Humanistic Buddhism and build a strong foundation of faith.

In the Intermediate Class, Teacher Nadine taught the students about the 5 Mealtime Contemplations in Buddhism, which included being grateful for food, not wasting it, and considering the effort required to produce it. The class also participated in a fun flip-chart game and a brainstorming session about all the conditions that are needed to produce a bag of chips, such as the efforts of farmers in planting potatoes, transportation, and processing. Teacher Nadine also emphasized the importance of using the energy from food to practice 3 Goodness and 4 Givings.

In the Advanced Class, Teacher Sin Jun discussed the topic of Impermanence and read a chapter from the book Buddha Dharma: Pure and Simple. Throughout the discussion, the students shared their perspectives on whether Impermanence should be viewed positively or negatively. They also gave examples of how Impermanence has affected their lives. Student Raymond said that he became more diligent in improving himself and broadening his horizons after learning about impermanence. On the other hand, student Zoey shared that impermanence gives her an opportunity for positive change. Learning about impermanence at a young age allowed them to be grateful for everything around them and cherish the companionship of their families and friends.