Karma and rebirth
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain Buddhist beliefs on karma/kamma and rebirth, why the beliefs are important, and how they influence Buddhists today.
Key learning points
- Karma/kamma is the belief in cause and effect.
- Most Theravada Buddhists want to achieve positive karma/kamma to avoid samsara and rebirth.
- Most Mahayana Buddhists want to achieve positive karma/kamma to be reborn as a Bodhisattva.
- Compassion (karuna) and loving-kindness (metta) are ways to achieve positive karma/kamma.
- Many Buddhists adopt the five moral precepts (panchasila).
Keywords
Karma/kamma - the belief in cause and effect
Rebirth - refers to the belief that when a being dies they are reborn
Enlightenment - a state of wisdom that enables total clarity and understanding of the truths of existence
Samsara - the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth
Nirvana/Nibbana - liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth
Common misconception
Karma and rebirth is the belief in a 'self' or 'soul' that is reborn. Many people assume that karma dictates the fate of a permanent, unchanging soul that carries over from one life to the next.
There is no eternal, unchanging self or soul. Instead, Buddhism teaches the concept of anatta, meaning 'no-self'. What is reborn is not a permanent soul, but a continuing process or stream of consciousness influenced by past actions (karma).
Teacher tip
Karuna and metta are two of the four sublime states in Buddhism.
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In Theravada Buddhism, the Five Aggregates help explain the idea of anatta, which means that there is no fixed or permanent .
Q2.In Mahayana Buddhism, all beings are believed to have Buddha- , which means they have the potential to become enlightened.
Q3.What are the Five Aggregates (skandhas) in Theravada Buddhism?
Q4.What does 'sensation' refer to in relation to the Five Aggregates?
Q5.What is 'perception' in the context of the Five Aggregates?
Q6.Which image is used in Mahayana texts to explain Buddha-nature?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Many Buddhists aim to generate positive karma/kamma by showing compassion (karuna) and loving-kindness ( ) towards all living beings.
Q2.What is karma/kamma in Buddhism?
Q3.Why do most Theravada Buddhists want to escape samsara?
Q4.What is the role of the Eightfold Path in relation to karma/kamma?
Q5.What do Mahayana Buddhists aim to do after achieving enlightenment?
Q6.How do the Five Moral Precepts influence Buddhist behaviour?
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: Karma and rebirth, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: Karma and rebirth, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Buddhism: Beliefs and teachings unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.