Dear Parents,
The greatest gift you can give to your children is the gift of Dhamma. As we prepare our children for life in an ever-more connected global world, it is important that we connect them with their greatest inheritance as Sri Lankans: the liberating teachings of Gautama Buddha.
How parents can help their children succeed
- Always review with children what was discussed in class and any handouts they might have been given. This is especially important to make sure that they didn’t misunderstand anything that was taught.
- Train your children to do evening vandana in Pali, Sinhala, and English (book provided at no charge). This is a really go habit for them to be in and it’s a good way to practice your Buddhist faith as a family.
- Help your children to apply the teachings they learn in their daily life. You are the ones who are with them all the time. This means that you have the most opportunities to point out how the Supreme Buddha’s teachings relate to their lives.
- Meditate with them at least 5 minutes a day
Tools to Succeed
We ask that you purchase the following to support your children
- Mahamevnawa English-Pali Paritta Book (Required)
- Mahamevnawa Dhammapada Translation (Required)
- file folder to hold handouts (Required)
- Dhamma story books for your children
Features of Mahamevnawa Dhamma School
- All teaching is done by Venerable Buddhist monks
- Children learn to chant traditional parittas in both Pali and English so they understand the meaning as they recite
- There is time for children to make friends with each other
- Lively discussions of topics that impact your children’s lives
- Authentic Buddhist scriptures are taught in a way children can understand
Syllabus
- Gratitude to parents
- Important English Dhamma vocabulary such as contentment, renunciation, rebirth, detachment, gratitude, etc
- Meaning of vandana, pirit, and puja chanting
- Sīla, Buddhist Ethics and precepts
- Meditation, including breathing, metta Bhavana, and Buddhanussati among others
- Life of the Buddha
- Specific understanding of how suffering arises in life and solutions to overcome
- Real meaning of Buddhist holidays
- Lives of the great disciples
- Advanced topics such as pancupadanakhanda, ayatana, paticcassamupada, dhatu, etc. in age appropriate fashion
- Books of Sutta Pitaka and organization
- History of Buddhism in Sri Lanka