Topic: Holy Buildings

Published date - Apr 2025

Come and join us for Vaisakhi – the Indian spring harvest festival, which has been celebrated for centuries. Vaisakhi is of special importance in Sikhi as it marks the day the Khalsa was established by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699.

Our film highlights the vibrant traditions and practices associated with Vaisakhi, from the Nishan Sahib Seva – the service of cleaning and putting up a new Nishan Sahib (flag), and the sharing of langar (community meals) to the recitation of prayers and music that fill the air. The celebrations of Vaisakhi showcase the spirit of togetherness, faith, and cultural pride. With beautiful illustrations and live action combined, we hope that we can get you excited for the festival of Vaisakhi!

Transcript

Vaisakhi Transcript

Contributor 1: Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Jaya Narrator: Every spring all over the world, Sikhs like me celebrate the festival of Vaisakhi. It's been a harvest festival in India for thousands of years. But for Sikhs it has an extra special meaning because it's also where the Khalsa began. Khalsa means the pure ones and it's what we call the community of Sikhs who have fully committed themselves to Sikhi. This is our temple where we worship and get together as a community. It's called a Gurdwara, which means House of the Guru because the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is here. Our living Guru, in the form of a book on the days leading up to Vaisakhi an Akhand Path will be held. This is when the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is read out loud from beginning to end. It takes 48 hours to read all 1,430 pages, so different readers take turns. On the day itself. Everyone goes to the Gurdwara in the morning for prayers and to hear the Guru Granth Sahib Ji being read.

Contributor 1: Vaisakhi to me means coming together as a whole community to celebrate the birth of the Khalsa. Celebrating togetherness and oneness. No matter what faith you are, what creed you are, what gender you are. We all come together as one.

Contributor 2: Vaisakhi to me is also a good time to reflect, to be grateful for all that we have.

Jaya Narrator: Vaisakhi is celebrated on the first day of the Sikh month of the Vaisakh, which falls on the 13th or 14th of April.

Contributor 3: Vaisakhi is signing up to the code and conduct of the Sikhs, and the storytelling that goes on in these days reminds you of the sets of values that created the Sikh faith.

Jaya Narrator: At Vaisakhi we remember an important event in our history. In 1699, the Sikh community didn't feel much like celebrating the harvest festival. They were facing vicious persecution from the Emperor Aurangzeb just for being Sikhs. 23 years earlier. Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru and leader of the Sikh people, had been beheaded on the emperor's orders. Many people had decided that rather than share the fate of their guru, they would abandon Sikhi altogether. Now the Sikh community was in danger of falling apart, and it was up to Guru Gobind Rajij, the son of Guru Tegh Bahadur to do something about it. In the weeks leading up to Vaisakhi, word went out that the guru was asking every single Sikh to attend a special celebration in the town of Anandpur. And on the day, tens of thousands of people gathered in front of Kashgar Fort, where a large tent had been put up. Guru Gobind Rajij walked out in front of the crowd. He was an impressive sight in his saffron robes, his hair tied neatly in a turban. He held a sword above his head and it flashed in the sunlight. The crowd fell silent, waiting for their guru to speak. Who among you is willing to die for God and for their guru? Who will give their head to my sword? What did he mean? Eventually a man made his way up to the front. It was Daya Ram, a young man from a well-to-do family. The guru welcomed him like a brother and took him into the tent. Then a hush descended as the crowd strained to hear what was going on. There was a swish of a sword and a sickening thud. The guru emerged alone from the tent and waved his sword for all to see. Shock ran through the crowd like a wave. The blade was covered in blood. Had the guru beheaded Daya Ram. Who else is willing to give their life for God and for me? This time everyone remained absolutely still frightened to move. But then another man stepped forward. A farmer called Dharam Das. As before, he was welcomed by the guru and led inside the tent. Everyone held their breath, a swish, a thud, and the guru re-emerged, brandishing his bloodstained sword. Panic began to spread. My sword is still hungry. Who else is willing to give their head to serve me? Unbelievably, three more men volunteered. A tailor called Mokham Chand. A barber called Sahib Chand. And a water carrier called Himmat Rai. One at a time, the guru took them into the tent and then came out alone, his blade sticky with congealing blood. The crowd was in confusion. No one could understand what was happening. But then the guru threw back the flaps of the tent and all five men walked out alive and well. They were wearing turbans and saffron robes like the guru, and they were all smiling. Five men from very different backgrounds, standing shoulder to shoulder with the guru. Five men who were willing to die for their guru if necessary. The crowd cheered. The guru announced that they would be known as the Panj Piare, the beloved five. He invited them to drink holy water called Amrit, and then he anointed them, sprinkling the Amrit on their heads and eyes. They were the first members of the Khalsa, the Pure Ones. Sikhs who were truly committed to Sikki. The guru asked the Panj Piare to baptise him with Amrit in the same way. And then the crowd rushed forward, all eager to join the Khalsa. Each person was given a new name, Singh, which means lion for men and Kaur, which means princess or leader for women. Guru Gobind Rajij became Guru Gobind Singh Ji and new life was breathed into the Sikh people as they stood proudly together. They were more than a match for the Emperor. The Panj Piare are represented at our celebrations by members of the Khalsa, sometimes called the Khalsa Panth, which means the way of the Pure Ones.

Contributor 4: So the Panj Piare, they're the first Sikhs to be initiated into the Khalsa Panth. So Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who was the 10th guru of the Sikh religion, he felt it was necessary to create a distinct identity for the Sikhs in which they were clearly recognised and could follow a code of conduct which helps them in their daily life.

Contributor 5: The underpin of love and compassion and humility, of telling the truth and living a very simple lifestyle and being content with what you have.

Contributor 6: So Khalsa is someone who actually fights for the justice, someone who fights for the righteousness. Someone who is not biased. He would not take the side of his own religion or his own people. He would fight for righteousness. That is Khalsa.

Jaya Narrator: Vaisakhi is a popular time of year for people to join the Khalsa, which they do in the same way as the Panj Piare and the guru did by going through the Amrit ceremony or Amrit Sanchar.

Contributor 7: I was fortunate to take the Amrit Sanchar ceremony two years ago, when I felt it was the right time in my life to commit to the Guru's teachings and way of life. The Amrit Sanchar ceremony is open to all regardless of your faith, your background, your age, your colour. It's open to everybody. Through that ceremony, essentially, you're saying that you give your head, you will live a disciplined life, and ultimately you'll believe in the force of one. In treating humans together, humanity together, but also how you will conduct yourself and with others around you. Also, at that time, the Sikhs are given the five symbols of the Sikh faith. The Kesh, which is the long uncut hair, the Kara, which is the steel bangle, the Kirpan which is the sword that you may see worn on the outside, the Kachera, which is the the shorts that are worn as undergarments. And finally the Kangha, which is used to keep your your hair tied up as well.

Jaya Narrator: Every Gurdwara has a flag outside, like this one called a Nishan Sahib, which symbolises that everyone is welcome at the Gurdwara for food and help. At Vaisakhi it's taken down and a new one is put up in a ceremony called the Nishan Sahib Seva.

Contributor 5: Today is also particularly special because as you can see behind me, we are going to be doing the Nishan Sahib Seva. So the Nishan Sahib is our flag and the Nishan Sahib can be seen in every Gurudwara. Wherever you go in the world, there will always be a Nissan Sahib up and this time of year it's taken down and we clean it. We redress it, if you like. So that because the colours fade with the weathering over the year. So new bright robes are put onto the Nissan Sahib and everybody loves joining in, in that process. Especially children that like to see it all being done.

Jaya Narrator: All Gurdwaras have a Langar a dining hall that serves free vegetarian food so everyone eats together. And then celebrations often continue long into the night.

Contributor 7: It's springtime in India. It's about actually, you know, the start of a new beginning. It's a time for people to come together. The Sikh faith congregation around the world comes together to reflect on the values of the Sikh faith. But then also, I think it's an opportunity for us all to come together and think about how we want to lead our lives as well, and what was set out by the gurus initially, then how we want to take that forward in our daily lives as well.

Vaisakhi

Video length - 11.06

Published date - Jan 2025

Join Maria and Jayne as they explore the key similarities and differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant branches of Christianity. Through a conversational format they discuss these denominations and their shared beliefs and unique practices, offering insights into the historical, theological, and cultural distinctions that shape their faiths.

The film delves into topics such as the structure of church leadership, styles of worship, sacraments, and the role of tradition versus scripture. It examines rituals like baptism and communion, contrasting Catholic beliefs in transubstantiation with Protestant symbolism. It also touches on theological concepts like salvation, confession, and the afterlife, presenting perspectives on purgatory, saints, and direct prayer.

The film highlights both common ground and diversity within Christianity, encouraging viewers to appreciate the richness of its traditions. Perfect for students and anyone interested in the history and practices of Christian faith.

Transcript

Understanding Denominations: Christianity

Hi. I'm a Christian and so am I. But we come from different denominations of Christianity. A denomination is a branch or group within a religion. I'm a Roman Catholic and I'm a Protestant. We both believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who died and rose again and then went to heaven. Jesus left his apostles, his messengers, to spread his teaching and made Peter their leader. And we believe that's when the Catholic Church started. The word Catholic comes from the Greek word katholikos, which means universal because the church was for everyone. But in the year 1054, the Great Schism happened. The church split into the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, so called because it was based in Rome, and it became more and more powerful throughout Europe. Then in 1382, a professor at Oxford University, John Wycliffe, argued that it was time for the church to be reformed. But the Reformation Formation didn't really get going until 1517, when a German priest called Martin Luther started a protest against the Roman Catholics and the Protestant Church was born. Or the Protestant churches were born because there are different denominations within Protestantism, right? Yeah. In fact, I wouldn't usually call myself a Protestant. I'd call myself a Baptist, which is the Protestant denomination which I belong to. But there are also Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Quakers. There are lots of them. I get it. So what are the main differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants? Well, let's start with the church itself. The building, I mean, take a look. Roman Catholic churches usually have a lot of decoration and other stuff. The most common symbol we use is the crucifix. Jesus on the cross. It's a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for us when he was crucified. Protestant churches tend to be plainer. Our symbol is an empty cross. Sometimes called a Latin cross. It reminds us that Jesus rose from the dead.

A Roman Catholic church is led by a priest. Only men can be priests and they can't get married or have children. They usually wear a white dog collar and put on long robes called vestments during services. We tend to call our church leaders ministers or pastors because we believe in the priesthood of all believers, that the leader of the church is no different to the rest of us. Most Protestant denominations have male and female pastors. They can get married, and they don't usually wear dog collars or vestments, although some do. The priesthood is something special in the Roman Catholic Church, especially the Pope. We believe that the Apostle Peter was the first pope, and the blessing he was given by Jesus has been passed down from man to man until we get to the present day Pope who leads the church. It's called the apostolic succession. We don't have a single leader. There's the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England. But other Protestant churches have their own leaders. The Roman Catholic Church's authority comes from the Bible and 2000 years of tradition. In Protestant churches, authority comes just from the Bible. We both believe in the Bible, which is a collection of 66 books written by different authors over about 1500 years. Reading the Bible and learning from it is really important to Protestants. The main focus of our services is a sermon, a talk given by the pastor to help explain the Bible's teachings. The Roman Catholic Bible has 73 books. The Protestants removed seven of them. Bible study is less important to us. We tend to concentrate on the sacraments, which are seven special ceremonies that were given the stamp of approval by Jesus. Baptism. Confirmation. Eucharist. Confession. Anointing of the sick, holy matrimony, and holy orders. Most Protestants would say there are only two sacraments Baptism and Holy Communion, but we do them differently. Baptism is a ritual wash symbolising the removal of sin and the start of a new life. Yeah, although we would say it's more than just a symbol, it's important that people get baptised so that they can become part of the church as soon as possible, whether they're babies or adults. We do it by sprinkling them with holy water from a big basin, like this, called a font. We have believers baptism, which means we only baptise people who can decide for themselves if that's what they want. Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan, so most Protestant churches will imitate that with baptism by full immersion, which means they go completely underwater in a baptismal pool or baptistry. Like this.

Celebrating the Eucharist, which we do during a service called mass, is central to Roman Catholic life. We're more likely to call it Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, or breaking of the bread. It's when we share bread and wine to symbolise the body and blood of Jesus. He asked his followers to remember his death on the cross in this way. But again, we would say it's more than just a symbol. Roman Catholics believe that while the outward form of the bread and wine stays the same, their essence becomes the body and blood of Jesus who is there again at the mass. The belief is traditionally called transubstantiation. People usually come up to the front of the church to receive the bread and wine from the priest. Although wafers are often used instead of bread, in Protestant churches, it's more usual for everyone to stay in their seats and for the bread and wine to be passed along the rows. The bread is usually actual bread, but a lot of churches use red grape juice instead of wine. You don't believe the bread and wine changed in any way? No, mostly some Protestants believe that the bread and wine are changed in a spiritual way. That they are blessed by God and become holy. But we don't believe that they are Jesus's body and blood. One of the sacraments you don't have is confession. We sit with the priest and tell him our sins, the things we've done wrong, and he forgives us on behalf of God and gives us a penance, which is something we do to show that we're sorry. We usually give him prayers to say. We can go to our pastors for advice, but we pray directly to God for forgiveness. We can pray directly to God as well, but our priests act like go betweens for us.

You also pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus and the saints, don't you? That's right. Saints are people who lived really holy lives. People we can be sure are in heaven. And do the saints answer your prayers? No. It's still God who answers the prayers. It's a bit like asking a friend to pray for you, but a saint has the advantage of already being in heaven and closer to God. It's why we have pictures and statues of saints and the Virgin Mary, which you won't find in a Protestant church. We only pray to God. Our worship tends to be very traditional classical music and prayers from a book. Up until the 1960s. It was all in Latin. But since then our worship has been in the language of the worshippers. Although some churches still like to use the Latin Mass, Protestant worship has always been in the worshippers language, and we tend to have a more modern style of music. Many churches even have their own bands to lead the singing. The mass follows a written pattern called a liturgy, and it's been the same for centuries. Our worship is a bit looser, although our service will still have a structure with singing, prayers and a sermon. You don't use a prayer book? No. Although I should explain the Church of England here, which is a special case. It all started with Henry VIII, famous for having six wives. Exactly. Until the 1530s. England was a Roman Catholic country. But Henry VIII wanted to divorce his first wife and marry his mistress. The Pope said no. So Henry told the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, to create a Church of England that wasn't under the pope's authority. This developed into a church with Protestant beliefs, but a lot of Catholic traditions. So many of them still use prayer books and more formal styles of worship. And they have priests. Yeah, but men and women can be Church of England priests and they can get married. Okay, so what happens when we die? Salvation. We're saved from hell and go to heaven to be with God. It's not quite that simple for Roman Catholics. We believe that salvation is a lifelong process. We're saved by our faith in God and the good works we do. Protestants believe that salvation is by faith alone. You've probably heard us talking about being born again, yeah? Well, we believe that once you've accepted Jesus as your Savior, that's it. You're going to heaven. It's a once in a lifetime thing, so you don't have to do any good works. We don't have to. But we believe that once a person is saved, the Holy Spirit will help them to become a better person. So they'll be doing good things for other people anyway. Roman Catholics believe that after death, really good people go straight to heaven and really bad people go straight to hell. But we also believe in a place called purgatory, which is where most people go to be purified of their sins before moving on to heaven. Protestants just believe in heaven and hell. We've got this life to get saved, and then we go to one or the other for eternity. But in the here and now, would you say we have more in common than differences? I don't know. What do you think?

Understanding Denominations: Christianity

Video length - 09.50

Published date - Oct 2024

Join us for Diwali (or Deepavali) for The Festival of Lights. Come inside a vibrant Mandir, where Hindus of all ages come together to celebrate one of the most cherished festivals in Hindu culture. Feel the spirit of Diwali, following families, children, and elders as they prepare offerings, light diyas, and share moments of reflection. People share what Diwali means to them, weaving a tapestry of personal meanings and traditions that reflect resilience, unity, and the victory of light over darkness.

The ancient story of the Ramayana is depicted with colourful illustrations, bringing to life the journey of Rama, his loyal brother Lakshmana, and devoted wife Sita. Together, they embark on a journey marked by courage, loyalty, and the ultimate triumph over the demon king Ravana. The visuals depict their trials and victories, culminating in the joyous return to Ayodhya and the lighting of countless lamps to celebrate good’s triumph over evil.

Through these interwoven narratives Diwali offers a heartfelt exploration of cultural identity, tradition, and spirituality, reminding viewers of the universal themes of hope and resilience celebrated during the festival Diwali.

Transcript

Diwali

Every autumn, Hindus like me celebrate the festival of Diwali or Deepavali, which means “row of lights”. It happens on the days surrounding the night of the new moon that marks the end of the Indian month Ashwin and the beginning of Kartik, which is also our New Year. It usually falls somewhere in October or November. We prepare for Diwali by cleaning and decorating our homes and the Mandir, and we buy new clothes to wear, and presents for our friends and family.

So every year we come to the temple because it's our second home. It's nice to celebrate Diwali together with friends and family.

I celebrate Diwali, or Deepavali as it's called in southern India and Sri Lanka, by coming to the temple and celebrating the festival with all of my friends, and just enjoying the serenity of the temple.

It's a time for relaxation, eating, cleaning the house, doing some thorough cleaning because it's a very auspicious time.

So you visit your parents, you visit your in-laws, and all get together to celebrate this as a family get-together.

I celebrate Diwali by me and my family coming to the temple to gather and meet other families who are also celebrating this festival.

It's really nice seeing everyone taking part in the temple festivals, and sharing food afterwards is always a highlight!

Diwali marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of the New Year in India. We celebrate the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali also commemorates an important event as told in a story called the Ramayana.

Long ago and far away in the land of Kosala, King Dasharatha ruled over his subjects from the city of Ayodhya. He was a good king, but he was getting old and looking forward to handing over his responsibilities to Prince Rama, the son of his first wife. But he had three wives and the youngest, Kaikeyi, had other ideas. Kaikeyi had once saved Dasharatha’s life, and in return, he'd promised to give her whatever she wanted, thinking that she would ask for jewels or expensive clothes. But Kaikeyi had waited for the right time to claim the king's promise, and now she gave him her demands: Prince Rama to be banished from the kingdom for 14 years, and her son crowned as king in his place. Dasharatha was horrified, but Kaikeyi was his wife, and a promise was a promise. Rama always obeyed his father, so he agreed to leave the kingdom and live alone in exile. But Rama's devoted wife Sita and his half-brother Lakshmana insisted on going with him. So together, they went to live in the Panchavati forest. After the palaces and gardens of Ayodhya, it seemed a terrible place: dark, forbidding, full of wild animals and dangerous demons. But Rama was an expert archer, and with his bow and arrows he protected Sita. They built a little cottage in a clearing, and lived on the fruit and vegetables that grew in the forest. Ravana, the demon king, lusted after Sita and was determined to make her his queen. And whatever Ravana wanted, he usually got. He had ten heads and all of them were ugly. He had 20 arms and carried a sharp, jagged and deadly weapon in each one. Even other demons were frightened of Ravana, but he had no hope of kidnapping Sita while she was under Rama's protection. So Ravana enlisted the help of a shape-shifter called Maricha.

One day, Sita looked out of the cottage window to see a beautiful golden deer crossing the forest clearing. She was afraid it would be killed by a wild beast, so she begged Rama to go out and bring the deer back to the cottage. Rama suspected a trap, so he told Lakshmana to look after Sita while he was gone, and rushed off after the deer. But a few minutes later they heard Rama's voice crying out for help. Sita was distraught, so Lakshmana told her to stay in the cottage where she'd be safe, grabbed his bow and ran out into the forest to find Rama. So far, Ravana’s plan was going perfectly. Maricha had transformed into a deer and drawn Rama out of the house. Then she doubled back to the cottage and imitated his voice, calling for help. Lakshmana had taken the bait and now the coast was clear. There was a knock on the cottage door, and Sita peeped out to see someone wearing a long orange robe. It was a holy man. So she opened the door and stepped out. But then the man threw back his hood and Sita screamed. All ten of Ravana’s faces were leering down at her. Rama and Lakshmana returned to find Sita gone,but Jatayu, the vulture, told them that he'd seen Ravana carrying Sita off to his fortress on the island of Lanka, which was protected by an army of demons and surrounded by a stormy sea. Hanuman, the monkey hero, went on a daring mission to the island to spy on Ravana. He found where Sita was being held prisoner, gave her Rama's ring and told her not to lose hope - a rescue would be coming soon. But Ravana’s demons caught Hanuman before he could get away and set light to his tail. Hanuman wriggled free and jumped from rooftop to rooftop, his tail setting fire to the fortress. The demons panicked, and while they rushed around with buckets of water, Hanuman put out his tail and made his escape from the island. Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman's army of monkeys made their way to the shore and looked out across the sea. They were ready. The monkeys built a magic bridge of floating stones, and the army charged across it towards Ravana's fortress. The battle was fierce, but the demons soon fell back under Rama's attack. Ravana fought viciously, all 20 arms, whirling all 20 weapons and dealing death in every direction. Rama aimed his bow and loosed an arrow. It pierced Ravana's heart and killed him instantly. Rama rushed to be with Sita, and together with Lakshmana and the triumphant army, they travelled back to the kingdom of Kosala. The 14 year exile was over and people lit the streets with lamps to welcome Rama back to Ayodhya. Their rightful king was home.

So Diwali is when Rama and Sita returned to their hometown Ayodhya from their 14 years of exile. So it's kind of like a celebration of joy and togetherness, and it's kind of celebrating them coming back to us.

It's because the village or kingdom where Rama and Sita lived - they really missed Rama and Sita when they were sent to the forest for 14 years, so they lit lamps to guide their way because they really wanted their dear Rama and Sita back.

So lighting diyas is a symbolic event. It's about lighting the way for Rama and Sita and remembering what they told us in their moral acts, but also to light the way forward in our lives as well, and ward off all evil.

We also put diyas in our windows and doorways to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi into our homes.

We worship Goddess Lakshmi during Diwali because she's the goddess of wealth and prosperity, so we worship her.

And particularly in this time of year, we like to look towards her, and pray for her as well, as she brings love, light and prosperity to families.

Lakshmi is usually shown wearing a red sari which is a lucky colour in India. She'll be standing in a lotus flower which symbolises purity, and there are often showers of gold coins falling from her hands to represent good fortune, which we ask her to bless us with for the coming year. At home and in the mandir, we do Lakshmi Puja - when we make offerings and say prayers to Lakshmi. And she's also linked to the story of the Ramayana because we believe that Sita was Lakshmi in human form.

A rangoli pattern is a design that's created with coloured rice powder, and it's really nice to have those in front of your houses or temples as they welcome God into your home, and it shows how much love you have for God.

It's done typically in the mornings. The house-members will clean the front of the house to kind of ward away all evil and dirt, and create a nice rangoli pattern to welcome guests, and also welcome love, light and prosperity to their house.

Celebrations continue long into the night with lots of good food, and fireworks!

Fireworks are often used for celebration, which once again ties into the fact that Diwali is like a big celebration of the light in our lives.

Diwali means having new beginnings for me. As I get to come to temple and I get to spend time with people, and that means that I get to have, like, that light that illuminates the darkness. I think for us, it changes every year, but the one thing that stays the same is kind of togetherness. So we always meet up with friends and family wear our traditional Indian clothes, eat some nice Indian food, and just have a good time.

Diwali for me means good overcoming evil, light coming into darkness. We have a beautiful prayer called asato ma sadgamaya tamaso ma jyotirgamaya - lead me from darkness into light.

Deepavali for me means giving myself and my family a fresh start. And this is shown through lighting the lamps and getting rid of the darkness, and also coming together at the temple with my friends and family.

It's just very fun - lighting of the sparklers, and lighting the diyas and everything together.

I think it's just such a celebration of love and light and joy. I think it's really enjoyable.

Diwali

Video length - 10.46

Published date - Sep 2024

Meet Brother Matthew, he is a Carmelite Friar. Check out the daily routine of his life as friar. We’ll see his commitment to a life of prayer, contemplation, and service. Carmelite friar’s spend their time doing early morning prayers, time spent in quiet reflection, communal meals, and work dedicated to both spiritual and practical tasks. The friars balance their contemplative practices with efforts to help the community, embodying their deep devotion to their faith and spiritual discipline.

Transcript

Brother Matthew: Hello, I'm brother Matthew, I'm a Carmelite friar here in the UK, and that means I live in a community with other friars. So a friar is a man who is drawn to serve God and to live according to a certain set of rules in the Roman Catholic Church. A priory is just a word we use to describe the place where friars live. So the word friar comes from the Latin word frater, which means brother. And I think overall that describes perfectly how we relate to one another in the community. Monks and friars are quite different. Monks live in monasteries and generally you'll find monasteries out in the countryside a long way away from towns and cities, whereas friars, you'll find our prior is in the middle of towns, in the middle of cities. And for us that's really important, not only because we rely on the generosity of others, but because of our ministry we really see ourselves as ministering in the midst of the people, sharing our experiences of God, but also being there so people can share their experiences with us.

So different priors do have different timetables, but here in Aylesford I get up at 6:30 usually. So normally when I wake up I just go and have a shower straightaway, and once I'm dressed, I'll go down to our community kitchen and make a cup of tea. I'll usually then come back up to my room with my cup of tea and do my first prayers of the day, which we call the Office of Readings. And really, we can do it at any time. But I like to do it first thing because it really sets me up for the day.

As a Carmelite, we wear this habit and it helps us to be identified as Carmelite. So the Carmelite habit is made up of a brown tunic, a brown scapular which is like the apron at the front and the back, the hood, which we call the capuche. And then it's tied together at the waist with a leather belt. On special occasions or big events, will also wear a white cloak over the top. And here in the UK, the Carmelites have also got another name which is the White Friars, and that comes from that white cloak. I think for me, as I put the habit on, it reminds me that I am doing something different and that I am called to do something different. On those occasions where I do walk down the street to get some funny looks, but then you realise sometimes you forget why, and then you look down and realise that you're not wearing the latest trend. So we wouldn't wear our habit all the time, but we would usually wear it when we are together and praying. So morning prayer, evening prayer, mass. And I think it's one of those great symbols of something that unites us as brothers together, but also in our ministry and serving in the church together. Morning prayer here at Aylesford is at at 8 a.m., and it's the first opportunity we have together as a community to gather in the chapel and the chapel is just another word, another place of worship. Is it usually a little bit smaller than the church. And morning prayer here at Aylesford is open to everybody, not just the friars.

Friars: Oh God come to our aid. Oh Lord make haste to help us.

Brother Matthew: And it consists of a hymn, some psalms, a short reading from Scripture, and then some intercessions, some prayers. Now, as brothers, we all have different ministries, and some are called to serve as priests, and some are called to serve in different ways. But really what's most important for us is that we are brothers. We are all that family together. So all friars are men and we live in communities of men. That integral part of being a friar. I suppose the female equivalent of a friar is a sister or a nun.

Brother Matthew: And the Carmelite Order takes its name from Mount Carmel in the northwest of the Holy Land. It's a mountain and around the 13th century. So in the 1200s, a group of men, we think maybe pilgrims or crusaders returning home, settled on Mount Carmel to live a life of prayer. And they settled near a place called the Well of Elijah. And they really took the spirit of Elijah as their role model. So Elijah was a prophet in the Old Testament, and he spent a lot of time in silence alone with God, discovering that relationship with God, but also going out and ministering and being a prophet to the people as well, taking what he learned from that silence to the people.

So morning prayer is usually half an hour. So around 8:30 we'll leave the chapel and go to our ministries, go to our work. It could be meeting those that have come to visit us, celebrating mass, giving retreats or just meeting people. But overall, they're just ways in which we serve the community and we serve the church and we serve God. I'm studying at the moment, so my work would generally be reading for essays, writing essays, or I might have a class that day.

All friars take vows, and vows are promises that we make to God. I haven't made the vow of silence, but as a Carmelite friar, I've made a vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The vow of poverty means that I don't own anything. Before I joined, I had a car. I had a job. I was earning money. I had a laptop and things. When I joined and made my vow of poverty, I gave up those things. It doesn't mean I threw them away. It just means that what I now have, I share with my brothers. Overall, I think it's just been really conscious of not using the word mine. I've made the vow of chastity, which means I will always be single. I'll never have a partner. I'll never get married. Now, the vow of chastity doesn't mean that I can't love. But it means that I'm called to love everybody equally. The vow of obedience is a promise to do as I'm told to do as I'm asked by the brother who's been chosen in my community to be in charge, obedient to the brother who is in charge of all the friars in the country, and obedient to the friar, the brother who has been chosen to represent us in the world. I also vow to be obedient to the church and most importantly, to be obedient to the will of God. It's living a life that allows me to be really fulfilled, trusting that those who have responsibility over me have my best interests at heart. The vows don't just come from anywhere. We find them in the Bible, and we find them specifically in the life of Jesus. And so we try to imitate that life in really concrete ways.

So at midday, we gather together for mass, and mass is a celebration of who we are as Catholics, gathering together to celebrate this great gift that we have, where God becomes present to us in the bread and wine. Jesus says in the Bible, this is my body, this is my blood. And the mass we really celebrate those words as God becomes truly present to us. Another word for Mass is Eucharist, and Eucharist is a word that just means thanksgiving. And it's a time for us to give thanks to God in the way that Jesus showed us during his life. And here at Aylesford, when we have school groups or visitors, mass is open to everybody. Everybody is welcome to that community to remember that God is at the centre. And after mass is always a great opportunity then to chat to those people that have joined us as we go back out into our world.

At 1:00, we join together in our big dining room and we have a meal together. We have lunch together. Most of our meals are quite simple. That vow of poverty again, of not having always what we want, but just what we need. Living by our means. Living simply. After lunch we go into midday prayer. But it's not really a midday it's at 2:00 after midday prayers, which are about 15 minutes. We would return to our work and our ministries, so around 2:30 there's usually one brother on duty, so they would hear confessions of people visiting or give tours around the grounds of groups, give talks, reflections.

The process to become a friar is a long one. It takes around 5 to 7 years and we call that period initial formation. There are set stages of formation, but overall it's a constant process of speaking to others, listening to others, praying and trying to work out what God is asking of us and we call this discernment. It begins with what we would call a pre-novitiate. So that someone who is going to be a novice and it's a time of openness, discernment, where someone will come and live alongside the community and live in the style of a friar. After that period of time, they may ask to become a novice, to move into what we call the novitiate. And it's not just that person asking the community, but also the community deciding amongst themselves is this person a good fit? The novitiate then is a really intense year of prayer, where we live the life of a Carmelite friar, learning more about the tradition and the history, but also our role within the church and building that relationship with God. At the end of the novitiate, the year of being a novice. And if you still feel called to live this way of life, you would ask the community if you could take these vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. We call this Simple Profession, and that's the stage of formation that I'm in right now. Most friars like myself will go through a course of philosophy and theology, and it's so we're really equipped to answer those questions that people will ask us. At 6:30, the community will gather again for evening prayer.

Evening prayer will be around 15 minutes, but we go up to 7:00 and spend an extra 15 minutes in silence together. It's not the same as sitting in silence on your own. There's something really different about sitting in silence with other people. We work together. We laugh together. We talk together. But also we listen together and we pray together. After that silent time, we go up to the community kitchen and we will have supper together. Some will make sandwiches or eat the leftovers from lunch. After that, we're sort of free. Then we might watch TV in the TV room or sometimes we'll just sit around the kitchen table and chat. Living in a religious community is just like living in a family. You have those moments together, but moments on your own. But you know that in whatever you're doing, you are supported. It's not always easy, though, and they say that you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. And sometimes community life is a bit like that. I think it's the way of life that allows me to be exactly who I am. This is a way of life that isn't very fast, and it doesn't ask us to go after the next big thing, but it's just been able to stop and think just one thing. Yes, this is good and I'm happy. I wonder how many people can say that about their lives and about their work, but also it's just the freedom to be completely comfortable with who I am.

A Day in the Life of a Carmelite Friar

Video length - 12.06

Published date - Jun 2024

Join Janna on her exciting first pilgrimage to Umrah with her cousin Malaika and brother Deen! From London to the heart of Makkah, follow their journey as they explore the sacred Ka’bah, drink from the miraculous Zamzam Well, and run between the historic hills of Al Safa and Al Marwa. Experience the magic of midnight prayers, the beauty of Madinah, and the awe-inspiring Prophet’s Mosque. A heartfelt and inspiring adventure of faith, family, and unforgettable memories awaits.

Transcript

My First Pilgrimage

Janna: Hi, my name is Janna and I'm going on my first trip to Umrah, we're at the airport.

Shazia: And who are you going with?

Janna: Malaika.

Shazia: Who is Malaika?

Janna: She's my cousin and Deen, he's my brother.

Shazia: Say hi.

Malaika: Hi!

Janna: A pilgrimage is a journey to a special place and all Muslims should do a pilgrimage called Hajj once in their life. Which is when we go to a city called Makkah in Saudi Arabia. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are five things that all Muslims have to do. Hajj is always done at a special time of the year. We can also do Umrah, which is a shorter pilgrimage that can be done at any time of the year. First step of Umrah is to make my Niyyah, which is when I say out loud that I intend to perform Umrah and get into this state of Ihram. Ihram is when we are in a state of purity and holiness. We wash and put on special clothes and we can't cut our hair or nails until we finished Umrah. We were flying from London, so I made my Niyyah and got changed on the plane. When we were close to landing at the airport in Jeddah.

Janna: We have landed in Jeddah. And I am wearing my Hijab and my Abaya.

Janna: Because you need to be modest to visit

Janna: Allah's subhanahu wa ta'ala house. I also got changed into my Abaya and hijab for Umrah.

Janna: I got changed in the aeroplane too. I'm wearing an Ihram, that is two white cloths.

Janna: Now I'm ready for Umrah. Let's go.

Janna: Then we travel to Makkah. I'm about to start my Umrah. We're about to see the Ka'bah. It's very beautiful. Makkah is where the Ka'bah is a cube shaped building covered in black cloth. Wherever we are in the world, Muslims always turn to face the Ka'bah whenever we pray. And I was right there. This is where we did Tawaf, which means to walk around the Ka'bah seven times anti-clockwise. We do this because that's what Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, did. After Tawaf, I stopped to pray. Then we went to drink some water from the Zamzam Well, which is right beside the Ka'bah.

Shazia: What are you having here, Janna?

Janna: We're going to have some Zamzam water. And it's very yummy.

Janna: Back when this was all a desert, we believe that Allah made this well appear so that Ibrahim's wife Hajar and the son Ismail wouldn't die of thirst. The next step is to perform Sa'y. This is walking or running between the two hills called Al Safa and Al Marwa seven times. We do this because that's what Hajar did when she was searching for water in the desert. There's a section that's lit up and green and men are supposed to run or jog this bit, women can run if they want to. So I did. I enjoyed running over with my dad and granddad.

Shazia: How are you feeling?

Janna: Good and excited.

Shazia: And exhausted!

Janna: Yeah and exhausted.

Janna: The final step of Umrah was to cut my hair. I only needed to cut off a small amount about a third of the length of my finger. This was to show that I wasn't in the state of Ihram anymore and my Umrah was finished. We did our Umrah in the middle of the night, even though it was very, very magical. It was still very tiring. Now I've had a few days to rest. I feel much better and I have lots of energy. Saying the five daily prayers is another one of the five pillars of Islam.

Janna: Even though we have completed our Umrah. We still need to pray five times a day. The prayers are Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha. While we were in Saudi Arabia, we also went to Madinah, which is where the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, lived for a while and where he is now buried.

Janna: We traveled from Makkah to Madinah. It was a very long journey. We had lots of fun.

Shazia: What do you think of the Masjid?

Janna: It's very beautiful, the umbrella things go down and up. They're over there.

Janna: The reason why we visit Madinah is because it's the Prophet's sallallahu alayhi wa sallam city. And we are here to say salaam and pray at the Prophet's masjid.

Janna: Madinah was the first Muslim city, and the Prophet's Mosque or masjid is built where Prophet Muhammad used to live and where the first ever much smaller mosque was built. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him Tomb is also here, so it's a very, very special place for us.

Janna: We've just prayed our last Maghrib here in Madinah. It's been amazing and wonderful time and I'm looking forward to doing it again with Malaika and Deen. Bye!

My First Pilgrimage

Video length - 06.28

Keystage(s) - 2 and 3

The arti ceremony is a form of worship that happens in Hindu temples every day – also known as “an offering of light”. A young Hindu called Pranathi explains it all.

Curriculum Mapping

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices: Hinduism - Different forms of worship: puja and arati - The rituals of puja and arati and their significance for Hindus.

Area of Study 2 – Hinduism - Section 3: Living the Hindu Life - The nature and purpose of prayer in the temple and the home: the nature, features of use and purpose of the different forms of worship, including meditation, puja, havan, darshan, arti, bhajan, kirtan and japa, with reference to interpretations of Bhagavad Gita 6.44–47; divergent understandings of the benefits for Hindus of having different forms of worship.

Component Group 1 - Beliefs and teachings & Practices - Hinduism - Approaching deity •Different Hindu understandings of the role,forms and importance of the following types of worship: •• Havan or homa •• Puja •• Meditation •• Japa •• Bhajan or kirtan •• Darshan • The nature and importance of sacred places and spaces for Hindu worship: •• Temples •• Shrines •• Sites of pilgrimage •• Outdoors •• Hills and rivers

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Hinduism - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Practices Worship  Features and importance of daily puja in the home: (Bhagavad Gita 3:19, 4:38)  Features and importance of congregational puja in the mandir (including devotions to the murti, arti and havan)  Diversity in Vaishnavite and Shaivite worship  Significance of bhakti  Role, importance and features of pilgrimage to Varanasi

2.3 Component 3 (Route A) - Option 2: Hinduism - Places of worship in Britain and elsewhere ➢ Features and importance of daily puja in the home ➢ Features and importance of congregational puja in the mandir ➢ Diversity of views and practices: Vaishnava and Shaiva bhakti ➢ Hindu mandirs in Britain compared to those in India ➢ Features and importance of worship at outdoor shrines Worship/meditation ➢ The significance of different forms of worship/meditation; havan, puja, arati, darshan Bhagavad Gita 9.26, bhajan/kirtan, japa: Bhagavad Gita 3.19, 4.38, 6.11–12 ➢ The importance of focuses of worship and representations of the divine; one god, other deities, holy land, plants and animals: Bhagavad Gita 16.24 ➢ Honouring Gurus and elders

Transcript

Holy Cribs - Hinduism - The Arti Ceremony

Pranathi: Welcome to the Shree Ganapati Temple for the Aarti ceremony. This is a form of puja or worship that happens every day. It's sometimes called an offering of light because the pujari or priest uses a special lamp with five wicks to perform the ceremony. He lights the five flames, which symbolize the five traditional elements of Earth, air, fire, water and space. The Pujari waves the lamp in front of the deities while singing the Aarti prayer, and everyone joins in with the singing. And by ringing bells and blowing on a Shankar. A Shankar is a conch, a huge seashell. And if you blow into it the right way, it makes a sound like a trumpet. Mortis of the God Vishnu are often holding a conch shell, which symbolizes that God brings life out of the water. The lamb is taken to the main vimana or shrine first and waved in front of the deity. And in our mother, that is Ganesha, the God of wisdom. Then the lamp is taken around all the other deities too. We are showing our love for the deities. And in return we believe that their energy and love for us passes into the flames of the lamp. At the end of the ceremony, the Pujari takes the lamp around the people here so we can pass our hands over the flames to receive the blessing. .

Hinduism: The Arti Ceremony

Video length - 02.05

A young Hindu called Pranathi explains how all the items on a puja tray are used during worship.

Curriculum Mapping

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices: Hinduism - Different forms of worship: puja and arati - The rituals of puja and arati and their significance for Hindus.

Transcript

Holy Cribs – The Vimana and Puja Tray

Pranathi: A murti is a statue of a deity, a god or goddess. And Hindus like me use these to help us worship. This is Ganesha, the elephant headed God of wisdom, and he has his own vimana or shrine, which is a small space dedicated to him containing all the things we use to worship him. The murti's are treated as honoured guests and they'll be washed, decorated and given offerings of food every day as signs of respect to the deities they symbolise. Each one of the deities represents one aspect of the personality of the one unseen spirit. Brahman Puja is the name we use for worship or prayer. We often use a tray to hold all things we use in puja. There might be fruit, rice, flowers. Water, a lamp, ash, Kumkum, powder, incense, a bell, all kinds of things to touch, taste, smell here and look at. All five senses are involved as a symbol that the whole person is devoted to the deity. We ring a bell to wake up the murti and to bring people to join in the puja. We have a lamp because light symbolizes enlightenment or understanding. We often use a lamp that burns ghee, which is clarified butter and it smells great. Incense smells great, too. And we burn it in the Mandir and in our homes to purify the air, hiding any nasty smells. It also creates the sort of atmosphere that I've grown up associating with worship. So it helps me get in the right frame of mind. The flowers also smell nice and bring color to the Vimana. A water pot called a kamandalu, and the spoon are used to wash the muthi. And a red powder called kumkum and sandalwood paste are used to anoint the muthi and to make the tilaka marks on our foreheads to show we have been blessed. Prasad is food like fruit nuts or sweets that are offered to the murthis and then shared out to the worshippers after puja. We believe that the deity blesses the food during the puja, so when we eat the Prasad, we receive the blessing.

Hinduism: The Puja Tray

Video length - 03.00

Holy Cribs: The Mandir

Pranathi gives TrueTube a tour of The Shree Ghanapathy Mandir in South London, explaining its most important features and her beliefs as a Hindu.

Curriculum Mapping

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices: Hinduism - Different forms of worship: puja and arati - The rituals of puja and arati and their significance for Hindus.

Transcript

Holy Cribs: The Mandir

Pranathi: Welcome to the Shree Ghanapathy Temple. My name is Pranathi and I'm a Hindu. This is a temple or mandir and my dad is one of the priests here, so it's like a second home to me. We come here to worship Brahman, the one supreme spirit which we believe lives in all things. We worship many forms of Brahman, but this temple is especially dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Traditional mandirs usually have a gateway or a tower called a gopuram, which lets you know you're entering a special place. You may also find a statue of an animal or god outside. This is Ganesha, the elephant headed god of wisdom. This is the normal entrance for the mandir. The word mandir comes from the word 'house' in the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit. We think of the temple as a home for the deities, what we call the gods and goddesses that are inside. When we come into the temple, we respect it like you would when entering the home of a very important person. The entrance area of the mandir is called an ardhamandapa. It's where we take off our shoes and leave them in these racks. This is so we can keep the inside of the building as clean as possible, as another sign of respect. Also, some girls and women like to cover their heads when they come into the mandir. As people enter, they will often ring a bell to announce their arrival, just like you would ring on someone's doorbell.

On special occasions, we will open the main doors of the temple and you'll often see people bending down to touch the steps before they enter. In India, it's tradition that we touch the feet of those we respect, and the step represents the feet of the deities. By the door, this is Bhairavar. He is the protector or guardian of our temple. This is the mandapa, the main prayer hall of the mandir. All around the mandapa, there are deities. Each one has a shrine or vimana, which is a small area of worship. A statue of a deity is called a murti. We treat them as honoured guests, and so they are washed, decorated and given offerings of food every day, as signs of respect to the gods or goddesses they represent. I said outside that we worship one supreme spirit called Brahman who was a part of all things. So each one of the deities is Brahman in human or animal form. They show us many different ways to understand Brahman.

This mandir is dedicated to Ganesha, but most mandirs will have a murti of Ganesha near the door. He is a very popular deity because he removes obstacles or problems in people's lives. This is Shiva with his wife, Parvati. We also have murtis of Vishnu and we believe he has come to Earth in different forms. So here he is, as Krishna with Radha. And as Rama with Sita. Puja is the Hindu name for worship or prayer.

A tray is often laid out with various objects to help Hindus in their worship. Fruit, rice, flowers, water, a lamp, holy ash and kumkum powder, incense, a bell. There will be items to touch, taste, smell, hear and look at. All five senses are involved as a symbol that the whole person is devoted to the deity. Prasad is food like fruit, nuts or sweets that is offered to the murtis and then shared out after the puja. We believe that the deities bless the food during the puja. And so if we eat the prasad we will be blessed too. Take a sniff. Incense is burned in mandirs to purify the air, hiding any nasty smells. It also creates an atmosphere that always makes me think of puja. So it helps me to get in the right frame of mind to pray. The main shrine at the front of the mandapa is called a garbha griha, which means womb house. It symbolises the womb or heart of the body because we believe it gives life to the whole mandir. Inside the garbha griha will be a murti of the main deity that the mandir is dedicated to; the deity that most people come to this mandir to worship, which in our case is Ganesha. There is a space or corridor around the garbha griha called the pradakshina. This is so people can walk clockwise all around it. It shows that just like the shrine is at the centre of the circle I'm making as I walk around it, Ganesha is at the centre of my life. Directly above the garbha griha, some mandirs have a spire on the roof called a shikara, or they might even have several shikaras above all the different shrines. They symbolise the Himalayas, the mountains in India, where the deities were believed to live. In fact, shikara means 'mountain peak'. Some mandirs have flags, and the colour of the flags show which deity the mandir is dedicated to. So orange for Shiva and his family, which includes his son Ganesha; and red and white stripes for Swaminarayan.

Our priests traditionally come from the Brahmin varna, the top varna or caste in the Indian class system. He's called a pujari, someone who leads puja. This is the arti ceremony. The pujari uses a lamp with five wicks to symbolise the five traditional elements of earth, air, fire, water and space. He waves it in front of the murtis while chanting a prayer. And people ring bells and blow a shankha. A shankha or conch is a huge seashell. And if you blow into it properly, it makes... That sound. The lamp is blessed by the deities during the arti prayer, and then it's taken round the mandapa for us to pass our hands over the flames and then touch our heads to show that we are accepting the deity's blessing.

Mandirs are usually full of decorations and symbols. This one is called the Om, which represents Brahman, the one unseen spirit. The lotus flower grows out of a muddy riverbed to float on the surface, looking all beautiful. So it symbolises that we should try to be pure, even when the world around us is often polluted. And the swastika which represents the sun and God's blessings. Although this one is often misunderstood because it was used by the Nazis in the Second World War, it's a shame because the symbol of blessing was turned into a symbol of hate. But that's not what it means to me. Many mandirs have a hall or other rooms attached that can be used for meetings, education, festivals and lots of other events. And that's it. Thanks for coming to the Shree Ghanapathy Temple. Don't forget your shoes. Thanks for coming, guys. Bye.

Holy Cribs: The Mandir

Video length - 08.24

Holy Cribs: The Vihara

A young Buddhist called Hivin welcomes TrueTube to his Vihara in West London. We’re given the full tour while learning about Buddhist beliefs and worship, and even get to see the monks who live there.

Curriculum Mapping

Component 1: The study of religions - beliefs, teaching and practices: Buddhism - The nature, use and importance of Buddhist places of worship - Temples, shrines, monasteries (viharas), halls for meditation or learning (gompas) and their key features including Buddha rupa, artefacts and offerings.

Area of Study 3 – Buddhism - Section 3: Living the Buddhist Life - Features of Buddhist places of worship: the divergent nature, history and design of Buddhist places of worship, including temples, gompas, viharas, shrines in Theravada, Mahayana and Triratna Buddhism; how and why the places of worship are used, including reference to the shrine room, shrine facing east, and the library, showing the importance learning, including reference to the Kimsila Sutta. Puja: The nature and purpose of puja in the vihara and the home, including reference to Mangala Sutta; examples of the different types; when each type might be used and why; the importance of having different types of worship and their use in different Buddhist contexts.

Component Group 1–Beliefs and teachings & Practices - Buddhism-Practices - Sacred and significant places and spaces for Buddhists •The importance ,features and functions of: •• Temples •• Gompas and viharas •• Shrines •• Sites of pilgrimage •• Artefacts and offerings •• Retreats •The events that take place in different significant places, including Bodh Gayaand the Deer Park at Sarnath •The meaning and significance of key artefacts and offerings made at different significant places,includingthedifferentimages of the Buddha and his hand positions( mudras) • The purpose and form of retreats • The importance of undertaking pilgrimages • Common and divergent emphases placed on significant places and spaces by different Buddhist groups, including the role and importance of retreats •Different interpretations and emphases given to sources of wisdom and authority by different Buddhist groups

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Part A - Buddhism - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Practices Places of 'Worship' and Puja  The importance of features and functions of a vihara/home shrine  Diversity of practices in Theravada and Mahayana puja (Buddha, buddhas, bodhisattvas, mudras, mantras, mandalas)  Dana (giving) – opportunity to make offerings of food to monks.  Examples of the work of sanghas in Wales (Swansea, Cardiff, Raglan)

2.3 Component 3 (Route A) - Option 1: Buddhism - Practices - Buddhist places of worship in Britain and elsewhere ➢ The importance of features and functions of temples and viharas; statues, shrines, stupa and meditation area. Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist temples in Britain compared to those in countries where Buddhism is widely practised. ➢ Offerings: food, light, flowers, incense, offerings of food to monks (dana)

Transcript

Holy Cribs: The Vihara

Hivin: Hello and welcome to the London Buddhist Vihara. My name is Hivin and I'm a Buddhist. My religion is called Buddhism and our holy building is often called a temple, but the proper name for it is a vihara. And I'm going to show you around. Come on in. The first thing we do is take off our shoes and leave them on this rack. We do this to keep the inside of the building as clean as possible, as a symbol of purity. A vihara is a Buddhist monastery, a place where Buddhist monks live and we do have monks living here. The proper name for a monk is a bhikkhu. Bhikkhus are people who have decided to devote themselves into a spiritual life of simplicity and meditation. Come with me. This is a shrine room. It's the most important part of a vihara or any Buddhist temple. We come here to do puja, which means worship, and to meditate in front of a shrine which contains a statue of the Buddha. The Buddha is not a god. He was a man named Siddhartha Gautama, a royal prince who lived in Nepal about 2500 years ago. The title Buddha means enlightened one or awakened one because we believe that he discovered the truth about the world, how to live a happier and better life. We follow the Buddhist teachings, what we call the dhamma, and we give offerings of flowers, candles, incense, fruit and rice to a statue to show our respect for him. During puja, everyone sits on the floor as a sign of humility and equality. There might be clean sheets spread out on the floor or mats or cushions for people to sit on, so we are comfortable and ready to begin. We often chant words or phrases called sutras, which come from our holy books. This helps us to get into the right frame of mind for meditation, which is a very important part of Buddhism.

Meditation is concentrating or thinking deeply, and there are lots of different ways to do it. Meditation helps us to learn how our minds work so we can be like the Buddha and see the world for what it is and how to be happier. I can't control what goes on out there, but I can learn to control what goes on in here. We use bells to start or end a meditation and they can come in lots of different shapes and sizes. Like this bowl shaped one here. These are used because if I hit it. The sound goes on for ages, getting quieter and quieter, and I love it. It really helps me calm down and concentrate on my meditation. Buddhism has a lot of symbols to help us remember the dhamma, the Buddhist teachings, and to help us meditate. The eight spoked wheel is probably the most important and the best known. It's called the Dhamma Wheel, and it represents the noble Eightfold Path; eight principles that the Buddha taught us to live by: Right Understanding; Right Thought; Right Speech; Right Action; Right Livelihood; Right Effort; Right Mindfulness; and Right Concentration. This is a stupa. Really big ones are put up in places that are special to Buddhists, like where the Buddha was born or died or visited. Sometimes there are holy books or holy objects inside. For instance, things that used to belong to the Buddha, like clippings of his hair. Little stupas like this may also have something inside, but the shape itself has lots of different meanings. The eight rings around the top are another reminder of the Eightfold Path, which points towards the sky to symbolise the journey towards enlightenment. Which is when you know the truth about the world like the Buddha did. Some

Buddhists use a prayer wheel. It has sutras, words from a holy books, written around the outside and you hold the handle and spin it around. As it turns, the words are spread out into the air to bless everyone around. You sometimes get big ones to touch the walls or even turned by windmills or water wheels. Sutras are also written or printed onto flags which are hung up outside so that the wind can carry the blessings away to everyone. And we also have the stripey flag. The colours all have a meaning. Blue stands for peace and compassion. Yellow for the dhamma. Red for blessing. White for purity. Orange for wisdom. And all five together stand for unity. Mandala means circle or centre. Some Buddhists use these patterns to help them meditate. They are full of symbols with lots of different meanings. You see lotus flowers a lot in Buddhist art. Lotus flowers symbolise purity because they grow out of the mud at the bottom of lakes and rivers and float above it all, looking beautiful. It reminds us to be pure in an impure world. Welcome to our library. We have lots of holy books and books about the holy books. The most important are called the Tripitaka because that's where we find the teachings of the Buddha. My favourite is called the Dhammapada. These books were originally written in Pali, which was a language that used to be spoken during Buddha's time. And traditionally they were written on palm leaves. So we get these old odd shaped books with long, thin pages. And this is our meeting hall. We have lots of events here, like festivals and fundraisers for charity. Everything we do in the vihara is to help the Sangha, the community, and to support the bhikkhus who teach us and help us to become better Buddhists. Thanks for coming. You're welcome anytime. Bye.

Holy Cribs: The Vihara

Video length - 06.38

Keystage(s) - 2, 3 and 4