Lesson video

Hello, my name is Ms. Ramalli, and welcome to today's RE lesson which forms part of our unit on Buddhism: Practises.

In today's lesson, we are going to be exploring Buddhist Festivals and Retreats.

Let's start today's lesson.

Today's lesson outcome is I can explain the origins of celebrations such as Wesak, Kathina and Parinirvana, and the significance of these for Buddhist today.

To help guide us through today's lesson, there are five keywords: festival, Kathina, Parinirvana Day, retreat and Wesak.

Festival is a day or period of celebration.

Kathina is a festival which occurs at the end of the Vassa, or rainy season.

Parinirvana Day is a festival which marks the Buddhist's death and when he achieved Nirvana.

And retreat is a period of time spent away from everyday life to focus on meditation and practise.

And Wesak is a Buddhist festival celebrating the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.

Today's lesson on Festival and Retreats takes two parts.

So we're going to begin by exploring the Buddhist festivals of Wesak and Kathina, moving on to Parinirvana and retreats.

We're going to begin by considering religious festivals that people might celebrate.

Can you identify the festivals from these photographs? Perhaps with your partner or in a small group, look at the photographs and consider what religious festivals they might be celebrating.

Pause a video and press Play when you're ready to check your answers.

Welcome back, so how did you get on? So let's look at the answers.

So the first photograph shows the Muslim Festival of Eid.

The second photograph is a picture taken from the Harvest festival, which may be celebrated by many Christians.

The third photograph is of the Hindu Festival of Holi.

The fourth photograph is taken from the Jewish Festival of Purim.

Well done if you are able to identify those religious festivals from the photograph.

Now I'd like you to discuss these two questions, do you celebrate any festivals? And why might festivals be important to people? So again, with your partner or in a small group, discuss those questions, pause the video and press Play when you're ready to reflect on your answers.

Welcome back, everyone.

Great discussions.

So I hope you enjoyed discussing any festivals that you celebrate.

So why might festivals be important to people? Well, festivals might be important because they provide a sense of connection as a community.

If it's a religious festival being celebrated, they might commemorate a particular religious event, teachings or key figures within the religion.

Fantastic, well done on your discussions for this activity.

In Buddhism, there are many different festivals.

Buddhist festivals are usually full of joy and celebration, although some can be more solemn.

They are a chance to meet and practise together with other Buddhists from the Sangha.

Some Buddhist festivals are specific to a certain school of Buddhism or country, and practises may vary between Buddhists.

However, all Buddhist festivals focus on the Buddha, his life and his teachings.

Two important festivals in the Buddhist calendar are Wesak and Parinirvana.

Some Buddhists may also take part in retreats.

Jacob wants to learn about Wesak so he interviews Niti, a Theravada Buddhist monk.

"What is the festival of Wesak, Niti?" Niti replies, "Wesak, also known as Buddha Day, is celebrated on the full first moon during the month of Wesak.

In the UK, this typically falls in the month of May.

Wesak honours the Buddhist birth, his enlightenment, and his death or final Nirvana, his escape from suffering." Let's pause and check your understanding of what you've just heard.

What does the festival of Wesak celebrate? A, the Buddha's death and when he achieved Nirvana, B, the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, or C, the Buddha witnessing the four sights? Pause the video and press Play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you selected B as the correct answer, the festival of Wesak celebrates a Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.

Alex asks, "How do you celebrate Wesak, Niti?" Niti tells us, "The monastery is the focal point for the Sangha during the festival of Wesak.

My day is filled with devotional practises.

This can include me leading or participating in chanting, meditation and focusing on the Buddha's Dhamma, such as the Three Jewels.

I also attend the ceremony of Bathing the Buddha." The Bathing the Buddha ceremony is often included during Wesak.

This ceremony involves water being poured over the shoulders of the Buddha.

It is significant because it reminds Buddhists to purify their own minds of the three poisons, which greed, hatred and ignorance.

Jacob wants to learn how lay Buddhists might celebrate Wesak.

He interviews Linn, a Theravada Buddhist.

Alex asks, "How do you celebrate the festival Wesak, Linn?" Linn responds, "Wesak is a special time for my family.

In preparation, we clean our home and decorate it with candles.

We visit our nearest temple and make offerings of gifts of food to the monks and nuns." Roshan is a Theravada Buddhist and he explains his experience of celebrating Wesak, "Last year I went to Sri Lanka to visit my grandparents.

Our trip fell during the festival of Wesak.

Sri Lanka has a large Buddhist population, so the festival celebrations were amazing.

There were huge light installations depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha.

I could hear devotional songs to the Buddha being sung.

There were also stalls given away free food.

Giving, generosity and compassion are key Buddhist virtues." During Wesak, Buddhists might also participate in or attend processions, which lead towards the temple, and the creation of paper lanterns, which symbolise the light of enlightenment.

Niti and Linn discuss the significance of Wesak.

Niti says, "Wesak is significant to me because it reminds me of the importance of the life of the Buddha.

Listening to the Dhamma is a skillful action and gives insight." Linn says, "Wesak gives me and my family the opportunity to think about what we can learn from the Buddha's life and his teachings.

It is significant because we spend time celebrating with other Buddhists." Okay, let's pause and complete a check for understanding.

Select three ways that Buddhists might celebrate Wesak.

A, by attending the ceremony of Bathing the Buddha, B, by visiting the temple, C, by praying to God, or D, by making offerings to the monks and nuns? Remember, for this check for understanding, you're selecting three ways.

Pause the video and press Play when you're ready to see the correct answers.

Okay, welcome back and well done if you selected A, B and D as the correct answers.

Three ways that Buddhists might celebrate Wesak, by attending the ceremony of Bathing the Buddha, visiting the temple, and making offerings to the monks and nuns.

Alex has another question for Niti, "Is Wesak the only Buddhist festival that you celebrate, Niti?" Niti replies, "No, in the Theravada tradition, there is another important festival called Kathina.

It mostly takes place all over the countries that follow Theravada Buddhism.

For example, Thailand, where my family are from.

The festival occurs at the end of Vassa, which is the rainy season and lasts for around three months in most South Asian countries." Niti explains the origins of the festival of Kathina.

"The Buddha taught bhikkhus, who are the Buddhist monks, not to travel in the rainy season.

The Buddha was concerned that they could damage crops and insects.

In the Vinaya Pitaka, the monastic code, it says, 'I allow a retreat during the rains, monks.

Whoever wishes may take up residence for the rains.

' The Festival of Kathina celebrates the end of Vassa, the rainy season." The Kathina festival is an important opportunity for lay Buddhists to give thanks to the bhikkhus.

Lay Buddhists donate cloth or new robes to the bhikkhus.

They may also donate money to help with the upkeep of the temple or the monastery.

This practise is significant because it is an opportunity to earn positive karma.

True or false, the Buddhist festival of Kathina celebrates the end of Vassa, the rainy season? Pause the video and press Play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you said that statement is true.

The festival of Kathina occurs at the end of Vassa, which is the rainy season, lasting for around three months in most South Asian countries.

So now we're going to complete our first practise task.

Alex has explained the origins and significance of the Buddhist Festival of Wesak.

He has made some mistakes.

I need you to rewrite his explanation so that it is correct.

Alex has said, "Wesak is a Buddhist festival celebrated within the Mahayana traditions.

It occurs at the first full moon in August and marks the end of Vassa, the rainy season.

Wesak celebrates the birth and death of the Buddha.

On the festival of Wesak, Buddhists will traditionally visit the local temple, spend time meditating and listening to talks on the Dhamma.

This is significant because it develops unskillful actions and bad karma." Good luck completing the practise task.

Pause the video and press Play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, welcome back.

So you needed to rewrite Alex's explanation so that it is correct.

So you could have said the following, "Wesak is a Buddhist festival celebrated within the Theravada tradition.

It occurs at the first full moon in May.

Wesak celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha.

On the festival of Wesak, Buddhists will traditionally visit the local temple, spend time meditating and listening to talks on the Dhamma.

This is significant because it develops skillful actions and good karma." Well done on completing the first practise task.

That moves us on to the second part of today's lesson on Festival and Retreats to explore Parinirvana and retreats.

Parinirvana Day is an annual festival celebrated in February.

It's observed by many Mahayana Buddhists.

Parinirvana Day is significant because it remembers a death of the Buddha and him achieving his final Nirvana.

The term Parinirvana has its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language.

Pari meaning beyond or final, and Nirvana meaning blow out or extinguish.

Parinirvana can translate to mean final Nirvana.

Alex wants to learn about Parinirvana so he interviews Ting, a Mahayana Buddhist monk.

"Do you celebrate the festival of Parinirvana, Ting?" Ting says, "Yes, I do celebrate Parinirvana Day.

However, it is more of a reflective festival than Wesak.

Parinirvana marks a Buddha achieving Nirvana.

When a Buddhist achieves Nirvana, he or she will not be reborn again.

No more suffering can be experienced." "Ting, how do you celebrate Parinirvana Day and why is it significant?" Ting says, "I spend much of the day meditating at the monastery.

Parinirvana Day is an opportunity for me to think about my immortality and death.

It is significant because I remember friends or relations who have recently died and reflect that death is a part of life.

I believe that Nirvana can be achieved by anyone, when all desire and suffering is gone." True or false, Parinirvana is celebrated by all Buddhists and marks the Buddha's birth? You've got five seconds to choose your answer.

Well done if you said that statement is false.

Parinirvana is a Mahayana festival which marks the Buddha's death and when he achieved Nirvana.

Alex wants to know how a lay Buddhist might celebrate Parinirvana.

He interviews Katrina, a Mahayana Buddhist.

"How do you celebrate Parinirvana Day, Katrina?" Katrina replies, "I mark Parinirvana Day by going to the temple.

It is a social occasion so I prepare food to take with me.

At the temple, I listen to readings, chant, meditate, and offer devotions to the Buddha, together with other members of the Sangha." "What readings do you listen to and why are they significant, Katrina?" Katrina replies, "On Parinirvana Day, I listen to readings from the Mahaparinirvana Sutta.

This is an important scripture that marks the Buddha's last days.

Passages from the Sutta are read by monks and nuns at the temple or Buddhists might read this text and meditate at home.

This is a reminder of the Buddha's teachings on anicca and anatta, meaning no fixed-self." Katrina further explains how she has celebrated Parinirvana Day, "Last year to mark Parinirvana Day, I went on a pilgrimage to Kushinagar in India.

This is believed to be the site of the Buddha's death.

I visited the temple and gave thanks to the Buddha.

Some years I go on a Parinirvana retreat, where I spend time practising samatha and vipassana meditation, deepening my understanding of the Dhamma and reflecting on its significance to my life." Retreats play a vital role in Buddhism.

They can be practised individually or with others.

It is setting aside time to reflect and deepen understanding of the Dhamma.

It is important for a Buddhist's spiritual development.

Retreats are held throughout the year.

They can be both solitary and in communal environments.

The tradition of retreating during Vassa, the rainy season, began when the Buddha instructed wandering monks to remain in one place during this period.

As a result, it has become customary to observe retreats during Vassa.

So retreats offer a period of time spent away from everyday life, an opportunity for extended meditation, time to study and learn rituals, time to deepen understanding of the Dhamma, a chance to come together as a community, and an opportunity for spiritual development.

Let's pause and complete a check for understanding.

Select two reasons retreats are important in Buddhism.

A, they help Buddhists to deepen their understanding of the Dhamma, B, they help Buddhist to avoid meditation, or C, they help Buddhists to come together as a community? Pause the video and press Play when you're ready to see the correct answers.

Well done if you selected A and C as the correct answers.

Two reasons retreats are important in Buddhism is because they help Buddhists to deepen their understanding of the Dhamma and they help Buddhists to come together as a community.

So now we're gonna complete our second and final practise task.

Here we have the statement, Parinirvana should be the main festival for all Buddhists.

Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view.

You must refer to religion and belief in your answer.

Alex has written the first part of this answer.

You need to provide an alternative view.

Alex has said, "Some Buddhists might disagree because Buddhism is diverse and it is impossible that one festival should be for all Buddhists.

Also, Buddhists shouldn't be concerned with festivals as following the Dhamma should be the main focus." Good luck completing the practise task.

Pause the video and press Play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, time to check your answers.

So here we have the statement, Parinirvana Day should be the main festival for all Buddhists.

So your answer may include these points, "Some Buddhists would agree with this statement because Parinirvana Day is the main festival for Mahayana Buddhists.

It celebrates the Buddha's passing into the final Nirvana.

Achieving Nirvana is the ultimate aim for most Buddhists, therefore, Parinirvana Day should be the main festival.

Parinirvana Day is also a time to reflect on one's own immortality and the Buddha's teachings on anicca, impermanence, and anatta, no fixed-self, which are core beliefs in Buddhism." Fantastic, well done on completing the second and final practise task.

So that brings us to the end of today's lesson on Festivals and Retreats.

Here is a summary of our key learning points.

Wesak is a Buddhist festival celebrating the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.

Buddhists might celebrate the festival by decorating their homes with lights, visit the temple and make offerings to the monks and nuns.

The Festival of Kathina occurs at the end of Vassa, the rainy season.

Parinirvana Day is celebrated by Mahayana Buddhists and marks the Buddha's death and attaining Nirvana.

Parinirvana is significant for Buddhists to reflect on their own immortality and the Buddha's teachings on impermanence.

Some Buddhists may attend retreats for spiritual development.

Fantastic, well done on all of your hard work in today's lesson, and thank you for joining me.

Goodbye.