The role of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in meditation
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the aims, methods and significance of visualising Buddhas and Bodhisattvas through meditation.
Key learning points
- Visualisation is most commonly practiced in Mahayana schools of Buddhism.
- Visualisation in Buddhism involves a Buddhist seeing or imagining an object in their mind.
- Some Buddhists visualise a Buddha or a Bodhisattva to help develop a characteristic or quality such as compassion.
- Visualisation is significant to many Mahayana Buddhists because they believe it awakes the Buddha-nature within them.
- Mandalas made of sand are a reminder of the impermanent nature of all things.
Keywords
Bodhisattva - a being destined for enlightenment, who postpones their final escape from samsara in order to help living beings
Buddha - historically the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama); an awakened or enlightened person
Buddha-nature - refers to the fundamental nature of all beings, which means that all beings can become enlightened/reach Buddhahood
Mandala - an intricate circle-shaped pattern
Visualisation - imagining an image of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, focusing on their qualities
Common misconception
The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas visualised during meditation are merely imaginary or symbolic constructs rather than meaningful presences with deeper significance.
In Mahayana schools of Buddhism, visualising Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is seen as a method for connecting with enlightened qualities, purifying the mind, and realising one's own buddha-nature.
Teacher tip
Teach Pure Land Buddhism and the role of Bodhisattvas to consolidate learning in this lesson.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Vipassana meditation helps Buddhists develop into the true nature of reality.
Q2.Which of the following is one of the three marks of existence?
Q3.How is samatha meditation different from vipassana meditation?
Q4.What did the Buddha achieve while meditating beneath the Bodhi Tree?
Q5.What does vipassana meditation help eliminate, according to Buddhist teaching?
Q6.What does the Yuganaddha Sutta say about the order of meditation practice?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the meaning of Mahayana?
Q2.What is the goal of a Bodhisattva?
Q3.Which Buddha is central to Pure Land Buddhism?
Q4.How do Pure Land Buddhists try to reach Sukhavati?
Q5.What is Sukhavati believed to be like?
Q6.What do Mahayana Buddhists do to show their wish to help others?
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: The role of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in meditation, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: The role of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in meditation, 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.