When completing or guiding this lesson, it is highly recommended to read the chapter in it’s entirety before doing this lesson. The entire book is available at no cost at from David Roylance.

Vocabulary

  • The state or fact of lasting for a limited period of time.

  • A particular system of faith and worship.

  • The unknowing of true reality.

  • Gotama Buddha’s full collection of Teachings in the Pāli language, no longer a spoken language today.

  • Refers to your individual awareness of your unique thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations, and environment; the mind.

Gotama Buddha

Also called: Siddhartha Gautama, Tathāgata, Shakyamuni, Siddhartha Gautama, Siddhattha

Born in: Lumbini (Southern Nepal)

Birth & Death: 6th to 4th centuries B.C.E.

Cause of Death: Illness

Lifespan: 80 years.

Notable family: Maha Maya, mother. Yaśodharā, wife. Rāhula, son. Ānanda, first cousin.

Gotama Buddha was born into a royal family, who later left the luxuries of palace life to explore the challenges of suffering and death. At the age of 35, he reached Enlightenment, and spent his remaining years teaching others the Path to Enlightenment.

Jesus Christ

Also called: Jesus son of Joseph, Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus of Galilee.

Born in: Nazareth

Born: 6 to 4 B.C.E.

Died: 30 or 33 C.E.

Cause of Death: Crucifixion

Lifespan: 33-38 years.

Notable family: Mary, mother.

Jesus was a Galilean from Nazareth who became a preacher. He is regarded by many Christians as the Reincarnation of God himself, and is a central figure in Christianity.

Muhammad

Also called: Rasul Allah, Aḥmad, أسماء النبي, Asmā’u n-Nabiyy

Born in: Mecca (Saudi Arabia)

Born: 570 C.E.

Death: 632 C.E.

Cause of Death: Illness

Lifespan: 62 years.

Muhammad was the founder of Islam, and proclaimer of Islam’s sacred book, the Qurʾan. The Qurʾan is understood to be a literal transcription of the speech of Allah (God), was revealed to Muhammad in stages by the archangel Gabriel. In Islamic tradition, it’s frowned upon to create or display images of Muhammad, to prevent undue worship and admiration.

A Common Theme

  1. Universal Love for All Beings

  2. Do No Harm

  3. Be a Good Moral Person

“If we removed the labels of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and all other “religious” labels assigned, we can easily see that these primary “Teachings” as taught by the original “Teachers” could all be summarized into these three core and fundamental Teachings.”

— David Roylance, “The Words of The Buddha - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment - (Volume 1)“

How Teachings Change Over Time - The Game of Telephone!

  • The game, Telephone, is a wonderful example of impermanence and can represent one of the ways teachings from various Teachers changed with time.

    Have participates sit or stand in a circle.

  • Choose a phrase and whisper it to one person. Phrases can be silly, or practical. (See the last drop down for ideas!)

  • Have the first person whisper the phrase into the ear of the child next to them.

  • Have each person whisper the phrase into the ear of the person next to them until the last person whispers it back to the first person.

  • Compare the messages! Reveal the original phrase and the one that was heard from the last person, which will likely be different.

  • Bacon and eggs.

    Happy hornets hop on hippos.

    Pass me the pink potatoes.

    A guppy in a shark tank.

    Blue bubbles in the bath tub.

    Elephants have 6 toes.

Reflection Questions

These can be read allowed and discussed in a group setting. If working on your own, or in a more silent setting, pull out a notebook and write down your answers. Consider sharing them with someone and asking what they think!

What does, “do no harm?” mean to you?

With love being defined as having an interest in seeing all beings be well, can you find love for all beings?

“Treat others as you would like to be treated,” is a saying that is expressed in many different religions across the world. Is this a good saying to live by? Why, or why not?

Printables

📎

Printables 📎

Click the link below to download a set of worksheets that go along with this lesson. Worksheets include:

  • Writing Practice

  • Coloring page

  • Telephone game guide

  • Wordsearch & more!

Both leader and student versions are included for those interested in sharing or guiding others through the material.


Note: These are Canva download links. If you don’t have a Canva Pro account, you may see a watermark, but the content is still fully usable.

Who is David Roylance?

David Roylance is a dedicated practitioner and teacher of Gotama Buddha’s Teachings. David has thoroughly explored the original teachings of Gotama Buddha, The Pali Canon, containing 45 large volumes of books.

Not only has David explored these volumes entirely, he has also consolidated and organized Gotama Buddha’s Teachings into a series of 13 books, which are all available as free downloads on his website, buddhadailywisdom.com.

David has brought Gotama Buddha’s Teachings, from 2,500 years ago, to this modern world so we may understand, practice, and learn the Path to Enlightenment.