Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
National Capital Region
DIVISION OF CITY SCHOOLS – MANILA
Manila Education Center Arroceros Forest Park
Antonio J. Villegas St. Ermita, Manila

Introduction to
World Religions &
Belief Systems
Buddhism: The Way to
Enlightenment
Quarter 2
Module 2

Most Essential Learning Competency:

Analyze brief history, core teachings,
fundamental beliefs, practices
and related issues of
Theravada Buddhism.

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 HOW TO USE THIS MODULE

Before starting the module, I want you to set aside other tasks that will disturb
you while enjoying the lessons. Read the simple instructions below to successfully
enjoy the objectives of this kit. Have fun!

1. Follow carefully all the contents and instructions indicated in every page of
this module.
1. Write on your notebook the concepts about the lessons. Writing enhances
learning that is important to develop and keep in mind.
2. Perform all the provided activities in the module.
3. Let your facilitator/guardian assess your answers using the answer key card.
4. Analyze conceptually the posttest and apply what you have learned.
5. Enjoy studying!

PARTS OF THE MODULE

 Expectations - These are what you will be able to know after completing the
lessons in the module.
 Pre-test - This will measure your prior knowledge and the concepts to be
mastered throughout the lesson.
 Looking Back to your Lesson - This section will measure what learnings
and skills did you understand from the previous lesson.
 Brief Introduction - This section will give you an overview of the lesson.
 Discussion - This section provides a short discussion of the lesson. This
aims to help you discover and understand new concepts and skills.
 Activities - This is a set of activities you will perform with a partner.
 Remember - This section summarizes the concepts and applications of the
lessons.
 Check your understanding - It will verify how you learned from the lesson.
 Post-test - This will measure how much you have learned from the entire
module.

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 EXPECTATIONS
This module expects us to draw insight from the act of generosity of Tzu Shi
Foundation that reflects the core teaching of Theravada Buddhism.
Specifically, this module will help you to:
 Understand the elements of Theravada Buddhism – its founder, sacred texts,
and doctrines.
 Valuing self-worth through the act of generosity, morality, patience,
perseverance, and insights in dealing with others.
 Evaluate the Eight-Fold Path in terms of how it achieved the Middle Way
 Reflect on the influence of uniqueness of Theravada Buddhism to modern
society.
Shall we start the journey in learning more about Buddhism:
The Way to Enlightenment? I am sure you are ready and
excited to answer the Pretest. Smile and cheer up!

PRETEST
Directions: Fill in the blank. Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on
the space provided.
1. Siddhartha Gautama was called Buddha, which means _____.
a. Selfless One c. Enlightened One
b. Magnificent One d. Oneness
2. Buddhism is not a “theistic” religion called _____ that does not believe in god
or gods.
a. Nontheistic c. Atheistic
b. Monotheistic d. Polytheistic
3. The _____ are like scriptures, which contain the teachings of Buddha.
a. Bible c. Qu’ran (Koran)
b. Vedas d. Sutras
4. Buddhists believe in the _____, which is the primary essence of Buddha’s
teaching.
a. Four Noble Truth c. Four Noble Men
b. Four Divine Wisdom d. Four Horsemen

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 5. Among the Buddhists, they must attain the _____ paths, which are also
called the “Middle Path” that leads them to achieve spiritual enlightenment.
a. Eight O’clock c. Eight-Fold
b. Eight Minutes d. Eight Wise
Great, you finished answering the questions. You may request your
facilitator to check your work. Congratulations and keep on learning!

LOOKING BACK TO YOUR LESSON

Let’s identify the words described and Play the CROSSWORD PUZZLE

To prove that you have remembered something from the past lesson about
Hinduism, carefully read the statement in each number and write your answer on
the space provided then find and highlight the word described inside the table. Use
the jumbled letters as a clue to answer to each number.

Clue Answer

1. The creator – god of Hinduism RAHBAM

2. A sacred text during the Vedic period SKRITANS

3. Sacred sound of the universe among the Hindus AMU

4. Cycle of cause-and-effect MARKA

5. A place of perfect peace and happiness RIVANAN

6.Refer to the Hindu gods and goddesses TIEDESI

7. The preserver – god of Hinduism SHINUV

8. The destroyer – god of Hinduism HISVA

9. Sanskrit mystical invocation or incantation SAMTRAN

10. Series of birth, death, and rebirth SARASAM

11. Hindu’s ancient form of writing HURTIS

12. Hindu’s social structure SACTE METSYS

13. Sacred texts using stories and parables APSUHADIN

14. Refer to the individual self TAMAN

15. It is the ultimate reality THEAD

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 Y U K A R A S A M A S
Z P S T D W A T M A N
C A S T E S Y S T E M
U N H S I V B H Q R A
A I B X T Y J I L M N
N S R Z I W T V U G T
A H A F E Y L A N Q R
V A H T S U K A R M A
R D M S R P V E D A S
I U A S A N S K R I T
N Z N C A M H A R B X

Buddhism today can be found in greatest numbers in the East and

Southeast Asia and has more than 300 million followers. Together with Hinduism,
it is considered as one of the major religions in the world that does not believe in
the so-called creator god or non-theistic religion.
At present time, there are three main type types of Buddhism in the world
namely: (1.) Theravada Buddhism, which means “Lesser Vehicle” that intensifies
individual strictness and salvation by personal example. This is prevalent in
Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, and Burma; (2.) Mahayana Buddhism
which means “Great Vehicle” has strong emphasis in the doctrines of compassion
(karuna) and insights (prajna) is prevalent in China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore,
and Vietnam; and (3.) Tibetan Buddhism which is predominant in Tibet, Nepal,
Mongolia, Bhutan, and some part of Russia and the Northern India. Though they
all believe and follow their founder, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, each type has
their certain texts and has slightly different interpretations of Buddha’s teachings
on how to escape samsara or the cycle of sufferings, death, and rebirth as well as
with their physical and spiritual beliefs and practices as means of freeing
themselves from the physical world in achieving their ultimate goal, which is to
attain Nirvana.
This module focuses on Theravada Buddhism, whose name means “the
doctrine of the elders,” which remained to be the closest to the original teachings
of the Buddha. But still, as mentioned in bbc.co.uk it does not over-emphasize the
status of these teachings in a more strict and literal interpretation of its scripture
for they are mostly seen as an instrument in helping people to understand the

4
truth through their acts of serving people with generosity and compassion and not
as having merit of their own.

DISCUSSIONS
The Founder: Siddharta Gautama “Buddha”
Siddhartha Gautama “Buddha,” was the founder of Buddhism. He was an
Indian teacher who lived during the 5th century B.C. in Lumbini near Himalayan
foothill presently known as Nepal. He belongs to
the wealthy family, the Shakya clan as son of a
ruler. He named Siddhartha that means “the
one who achieves his aim,” while the name
Buddha means “the one who is awakened” or
“the enlightened one” was given to him upon
becoming aware of human sufferings and was
able to answer questions about sufferings
through moderate path between self-
mortification and self-indulgence, called the http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoos_designs
_symbols_bodhi_tree.htm
Middle Way.

Siddhartha has been distinguished for being curious young prince. He

seldom goes outside the palace; so, when he was carried in an open and saw an old
sick man, he asked one of the charioteers who accompanied him about the realities
of human weaknesses by seeing severe forms of human sufferings in the image of
an old man, illnesses, and death. He then discovered that ascetic had forsaken the
world to seek release from the human fear of sufferings and death.

After that, he became disturbed and spent sleepless night wondering about
what he saw. The next day, he decided to give up his bountiful lifestyle, left his
kingdom, his wife, and his son to undergo poverty and follow more spiritual path.
He was longing to find a way on how to let go the general sufferings until he
realized the idea of going through the “Middle Way,” which means existing in-
between two extremes. Subsequently, he sought a life without social pleasure but
also deprived to understand the important qualities of humanity.

He found enlightenment while meditating under the Bodhi tree, where he

spent the rest of his life teaching on how to attain spiritual condition with words of

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several religious teachers as his guide. He practiced his new way of life with a
group of five ascetics, who later became his followers. They intensified their efforts
in enduring pain, fasting to nearly starvation, and even rejecting to intake water.

Buddha emerges from Siddhartha’s persona after he remained under the

Bodhi tree for several days purifying his mind, seeing his entire life and previous
lives in his thoughts. During this moment, he was able to defeat the evil demon
name Mara, who challenged and tempted him to claim the enlightenment as his
own. When Mara banished, he finally saw the answer to the questions about
sufferings that he had been seeking for so many years and achieved enlightenment
and became Buddha. (https://www.biography.com/religious-figure/buddha)

When Buddha died around 483 B.C., his followers organized religious
society based on his teachings, which became the foundation of what now is known
as Buddhism. Accordingly, in the 3rd century B.C., a Mauryan Indian emperor
named Ashoka the Great, made Buddhism as India’s state religion. It was then
Buddhist monasteries were built and missionary works were encouraged to pattern
with Buddha’s teachings though out the country. Since then, Buddhism began to
spread beyond India from East Asia to Southeast Asia until it reaches some
Western countries.

Theravada Buddhism: The Doctrine of the Elders

This is believed as the oldest Buddhism, whose original texts were set down
in the Pali language by the monks of Sri Lanka. It was referred as the “traditions of
the elders.” As mentioned in britannica.com. Theravadins accept the Pali Canon of
Indian Buddhism as authoritative and trace their lineage back to the Elders
(Sanskrit: Sthaviras and Pali: Theras), who followed in the tradition of the senior
monks of the first Buddhist Sangha or community.

The Theravadins highly recognizes the primacy and humanity of the

historical Buddha as the enlightened one. It emphasizes attaining self-liberation
through one’s own efforts. Meditation are their vital elements just like what
Buddha did on the Bodhi tree. Their central importance of monastic life, such as
that ultimate religious attainment is the often as exclusive domain of the bhikkus,
their religious renunciants or the Buddhist monks. When someone attained the
goal of their religious life and freed themselves from the bonds of desire, they will
be called Arhat or Arahat, which literally means “one who is worthy” who are

6
considered as a person who has gained insights into the true nature of existence
and has achieved Nirvana and will never be reborn. (britannica.com)

History

After the death of Buddha in 483 B.C., Buddhist community in India was
divided into 18 schools and broke up into different sects. As mentioned in
newworldencyclopedia.org., the earliest reliable written history of Theravada
Buddhism is found in Sri Lanka in year 200 B.C.E. Accordingly, it was initially
taught by a missionary monk named Mahinda, the son of Mauryan emperor
Asoka. Mahinda studied under Moggaliputta-Tissa with his daughter Sanghamitta,
who believe to be the “mythical founders of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.”
(Wikipedia.org.)

The name Theravada according to wikipedia.com came from Sthaviriya, one

of the earliest Buddhist school from which the Theravadins trace their school’s
origin. The Sthavira Nikaya emerged from the schism or division in the Buddhist
sangha (community) because its believers want to add new Buddhist canon called
vinaya regarding rules and procedures that govern their monastic community.
This separation occurred in the 4th century B.C.E. during the second council when
Sthavivaradins became known as the Mahasanghika. When Sarvastivadins (the
one who hold that “all is real”) separated from the Vibhajyavadins (adherents of the
Doctrine of Distinctions), the second schism happened. Accordingly, record shows
that Theravada schools derives from the Vibhajyavadins also known as the
“doctrine of analysis” group, which was a division of the Sthaviriya. Those
Vibhajyavadins that were distributed geographically in southern India ang Sri
Lanka became known as the Theravadins or “the Pali from Sthaviravadins.”
(britannica.com)

The Theravada school traveled to Sri Lanka on the 3rd century B.C.E. during
the reign of emperor Ashoka. It was then the Theravada Buddhism gradually
spread eastward and became dominant in Myanmar in the late 11th century as well
as in Cambodia and Laos by the 13th and 14th century.

In addition to the spread of Buddhist doctrine, the establishment of the

Mahavihara Monastery of Anaradhapura, which is a structure that used as the
central to Theravadin spirituality for over a thousand years. This school of teaching
is presently known in India as Tamraparniya which literally means “the Sri
Lankan Lineage.” Later, practical and acquired actions and practice debates

7
triggered this school to subdivided into three subgroups namely: (1.) Mahavihara,
Abhayagirivihara, and Jetavanavihara, which was named after the monastery that
provided its venue. This opposition was widely subdued in 1164 under the
guidance of two monks from a forest branch of Mahavihara school.
(newworldencyclopedia.org)

Sacred Texts: The Sutras

Buddhist’s sutras are their canonical scriptures. The word Sutra or the
words and teachings of Buddha is a Sanskrit term that means “discourse,” which
believed to record important religious practices from the teaching of key religious
figures like Gautama Siddhartha Buddha.

Though there are many sacred texts and scriptures that Buddhism showed
worthy of great honor, the Buddhist are concentrated on three canon which
consists of (1.) Tripitaka also called Pali Canon, which provides supplementary
teachings, rules of conduct, and commentary on transitional states after death”
and (2.) Mahayana Sutras, refers to the three types teachings of Buddha, known
as the “three turnings of the Wheel of Dharma,” also called “the three baskets;” and
the (3.) Tibetan Book of the Dead that describes the stages of death in detail.

The Tripitaka or Pali Canon. This is the oldest Buddhist text, written
originally on three baskets consisting: 1. Vinaya Pitaka or Discipline Basket
consists of the five books detailing 277 monastic rules; 2. Sutta Pitaka or
Discourse Basket contains five collection of Buddha’s teachings and dialogues; and
3. Abhidhamma or Further Basket contains seven books of elaborations on other
teachings which includes the Dhammapada, a list of Buddha’s saying on
significant topics about thought, anger, and evil (Peto).

The Mahayana Sutras. This canon describes Nirvana as “perfect

peacefulness” and follows the principle of understanding three things in life that
must be “given up” to end sufferings and all unhappiness consisting of: (1.)
annica, which means “anything in the world comes and goes, rises and decays;”
(2.) dukkha, which means that whatever happens in the world happening as we
want - that is our desire have conflict with the realities of life, that we want things
to be permanent but everything is impermanent; and (3.) anatta, which means we
cannot possess and own things even our own body so “nothing that we can call
mine” in the world.

8
 Tibetan Book of the Dead. It is also called “Liberation in the Intermediate
State through Hearing.” This is a funerary text that is recited to ease the
consciousness of a recently deceased person through death and assist it into a
favorable rebirth. Buddhism believes that attachment to a craving for worldly
things spurs suffering and unease (dukkha), which influence actions whose
accumulated effects, or karma, bind individuals to the process of death and rebirth
(samsara).

According to this book, the period between death and rebirth lasts 49 days
and involves three bardos (between life and death): first, is the moment of death
itself, second, encounter frightening apparitions where the consciousness spirit
becomes confused and depending upon its karma, may be drawn into a rebirth that
delays its liberation; and third, is the transition into a new body. While in the
bardo, the spirit of the deceased can still capture words and prayers spoken by a
lama a religious teacher on its behalf. These prayers offer a greater chance of
attaining enlightenment, which begins shortly before death and continues
throughout the 49 – day period leading to rebirth.

https://ibreligiousexploration.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/sacred-texts-in-theravada-and-
mahayana-buddhism/
Buddhist’s Doctrines: The Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Paths

Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths are sometimes compared to a

physician diagnosing an illness and prescribing a treatment. The first truth tells us
what the illness is, the second truth tells us what the causes the illness, the third,
holds out hope for a cure, and the last truth is ending the illness through
enlightenment, which they called bodhi or awakened in a state of Nirvana or “true
happiness and peace.”

The Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths is measured as the fundamental doctrines of

Buddhism consisting of: (1.) Dukkha or “The Truth of Sufferings,” which believe is
a characteristic of existence in the realm of rebirth or Samsara (wandering)
identified in the forms of suffering birth, aging, sickness, death, encountering
unpleasant, separation from the pleasant, not gaining what one’s desires, and the
five “aggregates” or skandhas that constitute the mind and body such as
sensations, perceptions, mental formations, and awareness. (2.) Samudaya or
“The Truth of the Cause of Suffering,” which Buddha associated with craving or

9
attachment that brings negative actions to individuals like killing, stealing, lying,
etc. and that negative mental stat motivate negative actions such as desire, hatred,
ignorance, etc. (3.) Nirhodha or “The end of Sufferings” refer to the final
disappearance of all the bad experiences and their causes in such a way that they
can no longer occur again. (4.) Magga or “The Truth of the Path that frees us from
Sufferings,” which Buddha set out the
Eight-fold Paths as a way to release of
an individual from suffering.

The Eight-Fold Paths

The Eight-fold Path is also called

“Middle Way” that leads to liberation
to samsara (painful cycle of rebirth).
These practices avoid both indulgence
and severe asceticism, that can be
achieved through ideals of Sila or
Ethical Conduct, Samadhi or Mental
Discipline, and Pana or Achieving
Wisdom by the following these paths:

A. For Sila or Ethical Conduct

1. Right Speech (Samma Vaca) – One must speak carefully, truthful, and must
use friendly words that is benevolent, pleasant, and gently. Speak only at
the right time and place. If one cannot say something useful, he should keep
“noble silence.”

2. Right Action (Samma Kammanta) – This promotes moral, honorable, and

peaceful conduct. It admonishes people in going without destroying other’s
life, stealing, dishonest dealings, illegitimate sexual intercourse, and that
people should also help others to lead a peaceful and honorable life in the
right way.

3. Right Livelihood (Samma Ajiva) – It abstain people from making one’s living
through a profession that brings harm to others such as trading in arms and
weapons, intoxicating drinks or poisons, killing of animals, cheating, etc.,
and should live by a profession which is honorable, blameless, and innocent
harm to others.

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 B. For Samadhi or Mental Discipline

4. Right Effort (Samma Vayama) – This refers to energetic will (a.) to prevent
evil and unpleasant state of mind from arising, and (b.) to get rid of such evil
and harmfulness conditions that already arisen within a man, and also (c.)
to produce (cause, arise, do) a wholesome state of mind, and (d.) to develop
and bring to perfection the good and wholesome states of mind already
present in a man.

5. Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati)- This refers to being diligently aware,

mindful, and attentive with regard to: (a.) activities of the body
(kaya), (b.) sensations or feelings (vedana), (c.) the activities of the
mind (citta), and (d.) ideas, thoughts, conceptions, and things
(dhamma). There are several ways of developing attentiveness in
relation to the body as means of meditation to practice body for
mental development such as concentration on b reathing
(anapanasati).

6. Right Concentration (Samma Samadhi) – This leads an individual to

the four stages of Dhyana, generally called trance. First, Passionate
desires and certain harmfulness thoughts like lust, ill-will, worry,
restlessness, and skeptical doubt are discarded and feelings of joy
and happiness are maintained; second, all intellectual activities are
blocked, tranquility, and “one-pointedness” of mind developed, and
feelings of joy and happiness are still retained; third, the feeling of
joy, which is an active sensation also disappear, while the
disposition of happiness still remaining addition to mindful
calmness; and fourth, all sensations, even happiness and sorrow,
disappear and only pure calmness and awareness remain.

C. For Pana or Achieving Wisdom

7. Right Thought (Samma Sankappa) – This symbolizes thought of selfless

rejection or fairness through thoughts of love, non-violence extended to all
beings that clearly express that true wisdom is capable with selfless desire.

8. Right Understanding (Samma Ditthi) – This understanding refers to the

highest wisdom which sees the “Ultimate Reality.” According to Buddha, it
has two sorts: one is “knowing accordingly” or Anubodha, which is not very

11
 deep and the other one is through “penetration” or Pativedha, the real deep.
This penetration is seeing things in its “true nature” without name and label
that only happens when the minds is free from all impurities and fully
developed through a medium or meditation.

Buddhist God: Non-theistic

Just like Hinduism, Buddhism is also a Non-theistic, which refers to a

religion that does not believe in one god neither in a creator god. They are
sometimes called “Ethical Religions” because they focus on and share ethical and
moral beliefs taught by Buddha as their great respect for him as the “enlightened
one.” They continue to follow Buddha by living their purpose in life by ending
suffering and develop compassion for all living things without discrimination and
meditate to move beyond selfish concerns and desires. They believe that only
through meditation, the mind can connect with the power of the larger universe
and can be able to reach a state of enlightenment and peace.

https://study.com/academy/lesson/polytheism-hinduism-buddhism-and-
confucianism.html

The Law of Dependent Origination

Dependent Origination in Buddhism is also known as Patticcasamuppada.

It means “arising on the ground of a preceding cause.” It is also considered as one
of the vital concepts among the Buddhist, which is the most subtle teachings of
Buddha. It relates to the doctrine of Anatman, a doctrine which states that there is
no “self” in the sense of permanent, integral, autonomous being within an
individual existence. (ourhappyschool.com)

On the book of “The Dependent Origination in Buddhism” written by Dr.

Bela Bhattacharya, she states that “all existence is impermanent that means
“becoming.” All becoming is subject to the law of causation. That means “the
production of causes and conditions are co-related.” When the causes and
conditions disappear, the effect appears. She added that an effect cannot be
happen without any cause and conditions. She mentioned in her book that Buddha
attained enlightenment at the foot of the Bodhi Tree at Bodh – Gaya over the
Dependent Origination. Buddha vision life as a way that everything is
interconnected. This means that there is nothing separate and so as nothing can
exists alone. Everything effects everything and everyone is considered as part of

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this system that co-exists with one another. These causal relationships can affect
anyone by everything that happens around us. This explains the kind of world that
we all live internally and externally.

https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/242580/bot_1982_04_
02.pdf?sequence=1

Buddha analyzed the root-cause of sufferings and sorrows, he pointed out

that the causes or nidanas entwine man’s consciousness and bind him fast to the
gross world full of pain and sorrow. These nidanas are: 1. Ignorance or Avijja, 2.
Impression or Samkhara, 3. Consciousness or Vinnana, 4. Mind and matter or
Nama-rupa, 5. Six organs of sense or Salayatana, 6. Contact or Phassa, 7. Feeling
or Vedana, 8. Desire or Tanha, 9. Attachment or Upadana, 10. Existence or Bhava,
11. Birth or Jati, and 12. Old age and death or Jaramarana. The traditional
presentations of dependent origination process comprised of these twelve nidanas,
which is not linear and always in motion. A certain link provides the condition in
which the other links manifest and with the use of some analogies, it become
clearer how this co-existence interacts. (Buddhistinquiry.com)

The Impermanence of Things

The doctrine on impermanence is known in Buddhism as ‘anicca.’ According

to which, impermanence is an irrefutable and inevitable fact of human existence
and nothing in this world is ever free from it. (ourhappyschool.org)

Buddha makes us understand that change is not only an existing reality

that we have to accept and work with our life. Traditional Buddhism explain this
impermanence as the one that is inescapable and essentially painful part of life.
This means that everything vanishes. Therefore, there is nothing more important
than continuing the path with conscientiousness.

Issue on Territory Conflict in Mainland Southeast Asia

Theravada Buddhism entered Southeast Asia from India, China, and Sri
Lanka by means of trade, marriage, and missionary works. It was the work and
travel of missionaries sent by the Indian emperor named Ashoka to modern-day
Burma in 250 BCE that made it possible to spread Theravada Buddhism. Mons, an
ethnic group of Burma contributed to the success of Theravada Buddhism within
Indochina and as the region shifted and grew, inhabitants to Burma adopted their
culture, texts, and religion. (Wikipedia.com)

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 When Khmer Empire dominated Southeast Asian peninsula in 11th to 13th
century, Buddhism becomes weak since Hinduism was their primary religion. It
was then that Theravada Buddhism was only exists in parts of Malaysia, northwest
Thailand, and lower Burma under reinforcement of a Pagan ruler, Anawrahta
Minsaw, the founder of modern Burmese nation. He embraced and revived the
Mon’s people and built schools and monasteries that taught and supported
Theravada ideologies that later grew in its nearby Southeast Asian countries like
Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.
Looking back on 11th century, religious conflict has been noted from the
tensions felt between the different Buddhist sects with the Buddhist kings wanted
to maintain their power over the people by trying to eliminate heretical movements
in order to have uniform religion. In Vietnam, the Nguyen Dynasty experienced
tension between Confucian rulers with the Buddhist monks in unifying the empire,
which was brought by their fear of possible rebellions from the monastery. Because
of this incident, Vietnamese declared a war on Buddhism to squash any resistance
to the union of their empire. In Siam, Buddhist resistance lead by Phu Mi Bun or
holy man named Phaya Phap occurs during the late 19th century until early 2oth
century because they resisted to pay an increased tax in the province of Chiang
Mai.
History reveals that Buddhist resistance played a vital role in anti-
colonialism movements. An intense militarization and resistance over colonial
occupiers happened not only in Burma and as well as on other southeast Asian
countries. When communists take over Laos in 1975, the monks fled from Lao to
Thailand and helped fund resistance from across the border while others who
stayed supported resistance fighters with food and medical supplies.
https://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/22/world/asia/buddhism-violence/index.html

14
 ACTIVITIES

Activity 1. Activity Goal Setting

Objective: Apply the idea of the Eight-Fold Paths in daily life as a means
achieving goals in life.

Directions:
1. Reflect and think of appropriate words on each box based on your insights.
2. Write your answers inside the box.
3. Answer the questions written below the box and be ready to share your
answers with your classmates.

The Eight-Fold Things I must Things I must do

Paths Give Up or Improved to Set Goals
(Mannerism, Achieved My Goal
Gestures, etc.)
1. Right Speech

2. Right Action

3. Right Livelihood

4. Right Effort

5. Right
Mindfulness

6. Right
Concentration

7. Right Thoughts

8. Right
Understanding

Critical Thinking Questions:

1. What do you think among the Eight-Fold Paths is the most difficult to

15
achieve to attain your set goal? Why?
2. Do you think these Eight-Fold Paths can really help a person to have
peaceful and healthy-living? Why or Why not?
3. Based on your own understanding, explain the statement below:

“To feel the pain of impermanence and loss can be

profoundly beautiful reminder of what it means to exist.”
Norman Fischer

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Directions: Create a specific form of contemporary arts that you want to use as a
medium of exposing “yourself” or expressing your message to humanity like
painting, poem, song, interpretative dance, collage, poster, etc. Put a caption or a
brief description on your artwork, which represent your advocacy in life.

Critical Thinking questions:

1. How can this medium represent yourself as well as your advocacy in life?
2. What do you think is your purpose in life?
3. In your own way, how do you attain this purpose?

REMEMBER
 Followers of Buddhism do not acknowledge a supreme god or deity. They
instead focus on achieving enlightenment – a state of inner peace or wisdom to
reach Nirvana.
 Buddhist do not consider Buddha as their god but as their founders, who is an
extraordinary man.
 The path to enlightenment is attained by utilizing morality, mediation and
wisdom.
 Buddhist embraces the concepts of Karma (law of cause and effect) and

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 Reincarnation (the continuous cycle of rebirth)
 There is no single Buddhist symbol, but a number of images have evolved that
represent Buddhist beliefs, including lotus flower, the eight-spoke dharma
wheel, the Bodhi tree, and the swastika or an ancient symbol whose name
means “well-being” or “good fortune” in Sanskrit.

- POST TEST
Directions: Modified True or False. Read and analyze the statement carefully. If it
is correct, write the word TRUE on the space provided. If it is false, choose an
appropriate word inside the parenthesis to replace the underline in the sentence
word to make it correct.

1. A Non-Theistic religion focus more on moral (spiritual,

ethical, emotional) aspects than believing in god or gods.

2. If a person attain liberation, that person will reach the

paradise (Nirvana, Oasis, Heaven)

3. The greatest teachings of Buddha are reflected to the

Four Folds Truth (Right, Noble, Mystery)

4. The fourth path, Magga give ways to Boddhisattva.

(Eight-Fold Path, Nirvana, Middle Way)

5. The transformation of Siddhartha Gautama into Buddha

happened under Buddha tree. (Bonzai, Bodhi, Bondat)

6. Buddha travelled the Middle Way to discover the end of

sufferings. (Eight-Fold Path, 4 Noble Truth, Nirvana)

7. Buddha defeated the evil demon named Maria. (Maruja,

Mara, Mara-Clara)

8. The stages of death are found in the book of Mahayana

Book of Death. (Theravada, Tibetan, Nepal)

9. Boddhisattva are the people who seek enlightenment by

Buddha’s way. (Annica, Dukkha, Anatta)

10. Reincarnation can be happened if a person’s soul

rebirth in another any animal form. (human, living,
natural)

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 REFERENCES
Online Sources

https://www.history.com/topics/religion/buddhism#:~:text=Buddhism%20is%20a%20fait
h%20that,of%20the%20major%20world%20religions.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Buddhism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism

https://www.ancient.eu/buddhism/

https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/phil_of_religion_text/chapter_2_religi
ons/Buddhism.htm

https://ourhappyschool.com/religion/theravada-buddhism-basic-terms-and-
concepts#:~:text=The%20doctrine%20on%20impermanence%20is,is%20ever%20free%20fro
m%20it.
Books:

Cornejo, Nigel L., et al. (2019). Fundamentals of World Religions. Diliman Quezon
City: MaxCor Publishing House, Inc.
Serapio, Maria Perpetua Arcilla (2016). Introduction to World Religions for Senior
High School. Intramuros, Manila: Mindshapers Co., Inc.
Vega, Violeta A. et al. (2009). Social Dimensions of Education. Quezon City: Lorimar
Publishing Company, Inc.

Management and Development Team

Schools Division Superintendent: Maria Magdalena M. Lim, CESO V
Chief Education Supervisor: Aida H. Rondilla
CID Education Program Supervisor: Amalia C. Solis
CID LR Supervisor: Lucky S. Carpio
CID-LRMS Librarian II: Lady Hannah C Gillo
CID-LRMS PDO II: Albert James P. Macaraeg

Editor/s: Mr. Paciano B. Ferrer, MT II (content)

Mrs. Maybeth M. Ferrer TII (language)

Writer: Dr. Erlinda Santos, MT I

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 REFLECTIVE LEARNING SHEET

Name ____________________________________________ Grade and Section ___________

School: ______________________ Date: _____________ Subj. Teacher: _______________

Quarter: Module No.: 2 Week No.: 11

MELC: *Analyze brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices

and related issues of Theravada Buddhism.”

Objectives: The students can draw their personal insights about the core
teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices and other related issues of Mahayana
Buddhism.

Directions: Watch the movie entitled “ALONG WITH THE GODS” on Netflix or
YouTube then read and analyze each question. Write your answers on a separate
sheet of paper.

1. What Buddhist practices and beliefs were illustrated in the movie?

2. Do you believe that every living has an individual soul which live after death
in accordance with one’s action while still on earth?
3. What important message did you get from the movie that are related to
“purifying one’s self”?
4. Who among a particular situation in the movie you can relate your life’s
experiences and how you resolve it?

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 ANSWER KEY

Pre – Test Post – Test

2. C 1. Ethical 6. True
3. A 2. Nirvana 7. Mara
4. D 3. Noble 8. Tibetan
5. A 4. Middle Way 9. True
6. C 1. Bodhi 10. Living

Post – Test

1. Brahma 9. Mantras
2. Sanskrit 10. Samsara
3. Aum 11. Shruti
4. Karma 12. Caste System
5. Nirvana 13. Upanishad
6. Deities 14. Atman
7. Vishnu 15. Death
8. Shiva

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