Devotional practices
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the role and significance of chanting and mantras in devotional practices for Buddhists today.
Key learning points
- Chanting and mantra recitation are ways of learning and showing devotion to the Buddha's Dhamma.
- Chanting the Three Jewels (Triratna) is common to many schools of Buddhism.
- Many Buddhists use malas to count mantras or breaths in meditation.
- Mantra recitation is believed to evoke enlightenment.
Keywords
Chanting - singing or rhythmic repetition of a word, prayer, or sound
Malas - strings of beads used as a prayer aid
Mantra recitation - a short sequence of words or syllables chanted repetitively as a form of meditation
The Three Jewels (Triratna) - refers to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha
Common misconception
Chanting and mantras in Buddhism bring instant blessings or results just by saying the words.
Chanting and mantras help Buddhists to focus the mind, develop qualities like compassion and evoke enlightenment.
Teacher tip
Listen to audio clips of Buddhists chanting key texts or mantras to consolidate the learning in this lesson.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match each keyword to the correct meaning.
a being who delays enlightenment to help others
an awakened or enlightened being
a sacred, circular pattern used in meditation
Q2.Why do Pure Land Buddhists visualise Amitabha Buddha?
Q3.What quality is Avalokiteshvara most associated with?
Q4.What do Buddhists aim to awaken through visualisation?
Q5.Which Buddhist tradition uses mandalas and visualisation the most?
Q6.What is a common misunderstanding about the practice of visualising Buddhas and Bodhisattvas?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Many Buddhists begin their chanting by taking refuge in the Three .
Q2.Malas are strings of prayer used to help Buddhists during meditation.
Q3.What do Buddhists take refuge in when chanting the Three Jewels?
Q4.Why do Buddhists use malas during meditation?
Q5.What is the purpose of chanting mantras?
Q6.What is a common misconception about chanting and mantras?
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: Devotional practices, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: Devotional practices, 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: Practices unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.