July 2008

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Teaching by Lama Yeshe

Geshe Tashi's Column

This Month at Jamyang

'Why does the Buddha wear lipstick?' by Brian Richardson

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Why does the Buddha wear lipstick? This is the sort of thing you can learn by leading a school visit, writes Brian in his contribution to Gentle Voice. Jamyang has been very lucky to have a team of volunteers who, over the years, have facilitated groups of 20-30 students visiting the centre. Both children and teachers get a tour of the building and an explanation of some of the ways Buddha taught on how to live life with a good heart. This way, Jamyang not only contributes to a school's curriculum, but also offers a positive experience for both kids and teachers, who often speak of the peace and happiness they experience after the meditation session in the gompa.

By teaching children to have a good heart and be kind to others, they grow up to be good human beings, explains Lama Zopa Rinpoche. In this edition of Gentle Voice you will find some articles on this topic: Lama Yeshe's teaching on education, the school visits, the Summer School at Jamyang and the 16 Guidelines training for people working with children.

Geshe Tashi writes in his column about some of the up and coming events and Sally shares the kind response of students to her "Gentle Request for Help" email sent two weeks ago. She also introduces Ven. Rita, an energetic Swiss nun who will be teaching at Jamyang in August.

Lastly, don't miss the opportunity to attend the "Buddhist Way of Living and Dying" weekend, the last set of teachings with Geshe Tashi in London this term!

Much love,
esther g.

On educating children- by Lama Yeshe

On Lama Yeshe's 1975 visit to Australia, one of his students, a trainee teacher, invited Lama to his college to talk to some of the other student teachers.

The purpose of education is to benefit people. We all know this. However, different countries have their own ideas of what constitutes benefit according to their individual inclinations. What some countries consider to be bad education other countries consider good. In other words, what makes education good or bad depends on how one interprets good and bad.

When it comes to teaching others, we have to take into account and foster our students' abilities and interests and try to develop those qualities in the classroom; if we don't, the students just get bored or upset. Especially at this time, it's not wise to teach in an authoritarian, dogmatic way: "Sit there! Learn this!" Children nowadays are very intellectually free and don't respond well to force. So we have to arouse their interest. Skillful teachers know how to make their students interested in the subject being taught, whatever it is; that's a uniquely human ability. Simply pushing students isn't just unwise; it doesn't work.

Being a teacher is a big responsibility. But learning alone doesn't make a teacher; we have to know how to interest our students in what we want them to learn. If we don't, it's impossible to teach. A good teacher should know each student's individual character and temperament and how to work with that. If the teacher's attitude is "My way is the only way" and the student's is different, it becomes a problem.

Another quality that a good teacher should have is equanimity. Good teachers don't favor those students who make them happy and forget about or reject those who are slow, temperamental or difficult to communicate with. That's not right. If the teacher gives off a good vibration, has a good relationship with all of his or her students, makes them interested in the subject and benefits their life, that's wonderful.

Also, we all have different aptitudes. We learn some things quickly and others slowly; we understand some things the instant we hear them but find others incredibly difficult to grasp and to integrate with our own experience. Therefore we have to expect that because everybody's mind is different, some students will find certain subjects difficult and others easy. But, given time, most students can learn most things and we shouldn't give up on or denigrate those who don't get something the first or second time.

So teachers should have the skill to treat students as individuals and not generalise them. No two personalities are identical; each person's ability to learn is different. Also, some people have a tendency to judge others on superficialities without knowing what they're like inside, but others' inner abilities can be very difficult to comprehend; most of the time we don't even know our own abilities.

Check your own educational experiences. You probably found some subjects unbelievably easy to understand while others were still incomprehensible even after repeated study. Why was that? Your own experience should help you have patience when you teach.

It's especially important to explain to children why they should get an education; as I mentioned before, you can't force them to learn. If they understand the reasons they'll take more of an interest in their studies and be much easier to teach. They don't necessarily have to understand all the logic for and benefits of learning, just some. Anyway, if you simply tell them they have to study: "because it's the law" or "because I want you to", they'll just ask "Why?"

That's true. Kids today aren't easy. They always want to know why. It's not like it used to be in the old days. Think of the traditional English methods of education. Children had no choice; they had to do as they were told. Teachers didn't have to explain anything; they had all the power and used it. But that was in the past. These days children are more intelligent and sceptical and teachers seem to have lost the power they used to have - it's moved a little more to the students' side. Perhaps they've unionized! Anyway, the conclusion is to give students logical reasons for why they should get educated.

It's not easy to be a teacher. Good teachers take responsibility for their students' lives. Perhaps this doesn't happen so much in the West but that's how it was in Tibet. Our teachers felt very responsible for they way their students thought and behaved and in general tried to ensure that their lives were constructive and uncomplicated. But even though Western teachers today have less influence over students than they used to, they still have some.

Therefore, as much as you can, give off good vibrations and come from a place of sound philosophy rather than misconception. Many teachers' ideas are total misconceptions and when this is reflected in their unconscious behavior it adversely affects their students: they adopt their teachers' erroneous ideas and copy their bad behaviour. I'm not just being negative; it happens. So be careful how you think and act.

Lama Yeshe gave this talk at Kedron Park Teachers College, Queensland, on April 29, 1975. Edited from the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive by Nicholas Ribush. To read the whole text click on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive E-letter- September 2006

For advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on educating children, visit the School-Age Children section of the online Advice Book.

For more information on Lama Zopa Rinpoche's Schedule and for advice visit his official website.

Geshe Tashi's Column-

I would like to say hello to all the readers and share two things with you connected with Jamyang's upcoming programme.

I am sure you will see more details in the future programme but I would like to share with you why I have put that programme together. For a year, starting in September, I am going to do the Foundation of Buddhist Thought course as a campus course. It will be different from the previous campus courses we have done here at Jamyang: instead of doing it at the weekends the teachings will be on a weekday. Also, instead of running for two years, it will last one year. I will be using the new books published by Wisdom Publications (with the exception of the last module).

One of my aims is to really give a structured course so that people living in London who maybe could not come previously, but are able to commit for one year, can do this course.

Although the course is already available as a correspondence course, I have not taught it as a campus course for several years. So if you want to learn Buddhism in a more structured course, and would like to have an overview of Buddhist theories and practices, this course will give you some helpful understanding and knowledge. If you are interested in this, please think about enrolling (click here for more information about this course).

The second thing I want to say is that once more we are very fortunate to bring Khensur Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche to the UK and to Jamyang to give us important and amazing teachings. This time he will be staying here longer than before, and the schedule will include weekday and weekend teachings.

In terms of subjects he will cover, Khensur Rinpoche will give some Lam Rim teachings and also a Vajrayana initiation and commentary. As I always say, there are very few great teachers like Rinpoche, and it is extremely useful to take the opportunity when they come to our doorstep, and I would like to encourage you to try to come to his teachings if you can.

Overall, what I am saying is to look at the programme and to try to participate in the discussions and the activities as much as you can. This way it will help you to get inspiration and encouragement for your practice and you will be supporting the continuity of the centre.

Thank you very much.

THIS MONTH AT JAMYANG

THIS MONTH AT JAMYANG
REGULAR CLASSES Mondays @ 7.30pm Buddhist Meditation Tuesdays @ 7.30pm Geshe Tashi - Dependent Arising Wednesdays @ 7.30pm Geshe Tashi - Buddhist Way of Living and Dying Thursdays @ 6.00pm Silent Meditation Group Thursdays @ 7.30pm HappinessThrough Mindfulness		WEEKENDS 5-6 July Vajrasattva Practice 13 July Peace in the City 26- 27 July Geshe Tashi- Buddhist way of Living and Dying GROUP PRACTICE 11 July 4 Mandala Offerings to Tara 12 July / 20 July Lama Chopa Practice 22 July Medicine Buddha