[Buddha-l] Buddhist pedagogy

[jkirk]

Hi Stefan
Who is being addressed by L.S.?(if it's obvious to everyone but me, sorry for being dense.)

I wonder about doxological intentions in the western Buddhist situation. 
In places where Buddhism is the local age-old moral/philosophical tradition, children learn what to do and why because their parents are "doing and saying" at home, and also take the kids along--to the pagoda, or whatever. They usually keep a small shrine in the house, a small elevated platform with icons etc, on a wall in the correct location inside a house (or in the case of Thai, also one outside the house). In Bangladesh, Buddhists might just have a poster of the Buddha on their wall. Children learn by observation and being included, from early childhood on up. 
If that's not possible, you could start when your child learns to read, or even before by reading to her yourself,  books with jatakas, or other Buddhist literature created for children. Many of the large Buddhist publishing firms, like Shambhala or Wisdom, carry such books. But your own practice around her will make more difference than any formal instruction is my guess.

Cheers,
Joanna
============


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  lFrom: Stefan Detrez 
  To: Buddhist discussion forum 
  Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 2:35 AM
  Subject: [Buddha-l] Buddhist pedagogy


  L.S.,

  I'm raising my daughter (2,5 years) and was wondering - if I were Buddhist - what the pedagogical benefit would be to teach it the trilakkhana. As for now, to the extent she is capable of moral and psychological reflection, she's getting a secular humanist education. The same question could be asked for young Tibetan and Thai monks and nuns. 

  Additionally, I like to know what age Buddhisms consider as the proper age for Buddhist doxological initiation. Is there a stream of conviction saying 10 or 12 years is a good age because kids at that age - following a Christian approach - 'are most impressionable'? 

  Thank you,

  Stefan


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  _______________________________________________
  buddha-l mailing list
  buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
  http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/listinfo/buddha-l



------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  No virus found in this incoming message.
  Checked by AVG Free Edition.
  Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.7/619 - Release Date: 1/7/2007 6:29 PM
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/private/buddha-l/attachments/20070112/e962ec0b/attachment-0001.htm