Buddhist Schools

Balancing family life and the Dhamma, in pursuit of a happy lay life.
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Ceisiwr
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Buddhist Schools

Post by Ceisiwr »

Here in the U.K. faith schools can be quite a divisive issue. Some agree with them and like them, others do not. Most of the faith schools here are Christian or Islamic, with a few Jewish schools also. There is also one Hindu school and one Buddhist primary school here (ages 5 - 11). I'm interested to hear if members here send their children to Buddhist schools, or would if they had the chance and why? Or, if you would not and why? Are Buddhist faith schools a good idea or a bad idea?
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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Sam Vara
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by Sam Vara »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:52 pm Here in the U.K. faith schools can be quite a divisive issue. Some agree with them and like them, others do not. Most of the faith schools here are Christian or Islamic, with a few Jewish schools also. There is also one Hindu school and one Buddhist primary school here (ages 5 - 11). I'm interested to hear if members here send their children to Buddhist schools, or would if they had the chance and why? Or, if you would not and why? Are Buddhist faith schools a good idea or a bad idea?
We live very close to that one Buddhist school, and could probably (just about!) have afforded it. But I don't see any advantage above other private schools where costs force out children who are likely to be disruptive or disinclined to learn, or who need remedial attention to get them up to speed. Having looked at the curriculum there, I would rather a primary school provided good examples of character, and a sound training in ethics.

All my 3 children attended Christian schools, and currently two of them are atheist and one is Christian. I don't really care what they believe providing they are good people and can earn a living without harming others.
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by confusedlayman »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:52 pm Here in the U.K. faith schools can be quite a divisive issue. Some agree with them and like them, others do not. Most of the faith schools here are Christian or Islamic, with a few Jewish schools also. There is also one Hindu school and one Buddhist primary school here (ages 5 - 11). I'm interested to hear if members here send their children to Buddhist schools, or would if they had the chance and why? Or, if you would not and why? Are Buddhist faith schools a good idea or a bad idea?
Doesnt matter as long as they read science
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Agnikan
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by Agnikan »

Buddhism is not for kids.
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by SteRo »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:52 pm Here in the U.K. faith schools can be quite a divisive issue.
European tradition arisen from so called 'age of enlightenment' are non-religious schools. Considering some socio-political phenomena in some non-European regions of the world that don't know and/or follow this tradition I think that's a very good tradition and one should not fall back.
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Aloka
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by Aloka »

I don't think any kind of "faith" school is a good idea, nor is brainwashing children with religious fanaticism. Better that they should investigate and choose for themselves when they reach maturity.

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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by mario92 »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:52 pm Here in the U.K. faith schools can be quite a divisive issue. Some agree with them and like them, others do not. Most of the faith schools here are Christian or Islamic, with a few Jewish schools also. There is also one Hindu school and one Buddhist primary school here (ages 5 - 11). I'm interested to hear if members here send their children to Buddhist schools, or would if they had the chance and why? Or, if you would not and why? Are Buddhist faith schools a good idea or a bad idea?
Hello Ceisiwr, in my personal opinion i would had wished to be born as buddhist, i would had wished to know the concept of karma from early age, and other buddhist concepts like the 10 paramis, 10 good actions, 10 bad actions, etc. In doing so i would had prevented from doing many bad deeds done as a child and youth person that affected me even after years of doing them. Also i would had done many good deeds from the beginning.
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Eko Care
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by Eko Care »

A faithful laywoman with a dear and beloved only son would rightly appeal to him, ‘My darling, please be like the householder Citta and Hatthaka of Aḷavī.’

These are a standard and a measure for my male lay disciples, that is, the householder Citta and Hatthaka of Aḷavī.

‘But my darling, if you go forth from the lay life to homelessness, please be like Sāriputta and Moggallāna.’

These are a standard and a measure for my monk disciples, that is, Sāriputta and Moggallāna.

SN 17.23 An Only Son
Lay Buddhist Role Models in Theravada Buddhism
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by GnosticMind »

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TRobinson465
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by TRobinson465 »

In premodern thailand all the schools were Buddhist schools cuz they were run by the temples. I think it depends. In the US i think its very hard to open a Buddhist primary school due to lack of population. And even among the Buddhists here the population is far less zealous than Catholics or Jews who have enough zealous adherants to run their own schools and get people who would actually enroll. Buddhist colleges like University in the West or Soka University are far more practical to build here than primary schools. I think theyre a fine idea since thier current existence proves there is some demand for such universities.
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by Bundokji »

Religion as a cultural phenomena helps kids blend with their peers as well as the rest of society. Unless one lives in a Buddhist country or being born as a Buddhist (therefore being himself culturally Buddhist(, there is little use of having the children admitted to a Buddhist school.
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"

This was the last word of the Tathagata.
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by SteRo »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:52 pm Here in the U.K. faith schools can be quite a divisive issue. Some agree with them and like them, others do not. Most of the faith schools here are Christian or Islamic, with a few Jewish schools also. There is also one Hindu school and one Buddhist primary school here (ages 5 - 11). I'm interested to hear if members here send their children to Buddhist schools, or would if they had the chance and why? Or, if you would not and why? Are Buddhist faith schools a good idea or a bad idea?
The European age of enlightenment should have made clear that faith schools belong to former inferior ages. The state [which necessarily is secular] should not support faith schools but as a matter of liberality inherent in liberal democracy people of course may opt for inferior point of views and organize and support their own faith schools. Examina achieved in these private faith schools have to meet the criteria defined by the [secular] state.
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by DNS »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:52 pm Here in the U.K. faith schools can be quite a divisive issue. Some agree with them and like them, others do not. Most of the faith schools here are Christian or Islamic, with a few Jewish schools also. There is also one Hindu school and one Buddhist primary school here (ages 5 - 11). I'm interested to hear if members here send their children to Buddhist schools, or would if they had the chance and why? Or, if you would not and why? Are Buddhist faith schools a good idea or a bad idea?
Are those government run? Or are they run by the religions / churches? I prefer secular education; as some will choose their own religion anyway or some will even rebel to just to defy their parents or that type of schooling.

I went to high school in Israel, where all the schools are Jewish, bible study (Torah and Jewish old testament) required. It was my favorite subject and I became quite proficient in it. I was the most religious of any of my siblings, following all 613 commandments. I became proficient in not just modern hebrew, but also ancient biblical hebrew, Aramaic, and Samaritan. And yet here I am, the black sheep of the family, in Buddhism. :tongue:
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retrofuturist
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Re: Buddhist Schools

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Sam Vara wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 5:06 pm I don't see any advantage above other private schools where costs force out children who are likely to be disruptive or disinclined to learn, or who need remedial attention to get them up to speed. Having looked at the curriculum there, I would rather a primary school provided good examples of character, and a sound training in ethics.
Similar reasoning here in terms of to what I'm doing with my two youngest sons. There's no Buddhist option available to me but there is a Christian school just down the road. In addition to the reasons mentioned by Sam above, I am thankful they'll be more interested in teaching (something approximating) Right View With Asavas...
MN 117 wrote:"And what is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are contemplatives & brahmans who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions.
... than the perverse nonsense that goes on in public schools like this ...



Unfortunately in the public sector, our schools are 'being overrun' by 'political activism and political ideology'. I find that more at odds with the Dhamma than I do Christianity.

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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