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Webpage managed by Tim Hall, Ph.D. focused on K-16 education for #religiousliteracy, #religiousdiversity, #religiousfreedom, #globalcompetence

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Buddhism

Buddhism Readings for Educators

  • Armstrong, Karen, Buddha
  • Gethin, Rupert, The Foundation of Buddhism
  • Keown, Damien, Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction
  • Michie, David, Buddhism for Busy People: Finding Happiness in a Hurried World
  • Mitchell, Donald, Introducing the Buddhist Experience 
  • Tenzin, Chogel, The Life of the Buddha
  • The Dalai Lama, An Introduction to Buddhism
  • The Pluralism Project at Harvard University webpage, Introduction to Buddhism
  • Yetunde, Pamela Ayo and Cheryl A. Giles, eds. Black and Buddhist: What Buddhism can Teach us about Race, Resilience, Transformation and Freedom

Buddhism Readings for the Classroom

Below are two short religious literacy text sets sorted by grades K-2 and 3-5 for Buddhism. Please note that teachers should read and review texts before using them in the classroom to ensure alignment with curricular goals. 

Grades K-2

Bullard, Lisa, and Holli Conger. My Religion, Your Religion. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 2015. This book provides a multi-perspective story on four major religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism.

Coombs, Kate, and Anna Emilia Laitinen. Breathe and Be: A Book of Mindfulness Poems. Boulder, CO: Sounds True, 2017. This book showcases mindfulness poems for young readers.

Ware, Marisa Aragon. Where’s Buddha? New York, NY: Bala Kids, 2019. This text demonstrates the perspective that Buddha can be found everywhere. 

Grades 3-5

Ajmera, Maya, Magda Nakassis, and Cynthia Pon. Faith. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2009. Photographs document how children around the world celebrate their faith traditions.

Bortzer, Etan, and Robbie Marantz. What Is God? Willowdale, ON: Firefly Juvenile, 2002. This text provides a comparative introduction in text and colorful pictures to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and their sacred texts.

Buller, Laura. A Faith Like Mine: A Celebration of the World’s Religions – Seen through the Eyes of Children. London, England: DK Publication, 2006. A comprehensive informational text provides plenty of pictures that detail the major and even some of the world’s more minor faith traditions.

George, Charles. What Makes Me a Buddhist? Farmington Mills, MI: Kidhaven Press, 2005. This text discusses the origins, beliefs, praxis, and celebrations of Buddhist faith tradition.

Glossop, Jennifer, and John Mantha. The Kids Book of World Religions. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2013. An informative text details the major faith traditions of the world.

Marsico, Katie. Buddhism. Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Publishing, 2017. This text, which is part of the Global Citizens: World Religions series, describes Buddhism through text and pictures.

Osborne, Mary Pope. One World, Many Religions: The Ways We Worship. New York, NY: Knopf, 1996. A non-fiction story uses photographs to detail seven major faith traditions today.

Saiwai, Tetsu. The 14th Dalai Lama: A Manga Biography. New York, NY, 2008. This excellent manga biography of the Dalai Lama provides insight into Tibetan/Chinese politics. 

Wills, Anna, and Nora Tomm. Who Believes What? Exploring the World’s Major Religions. Toronto, ON: Owlkids Books, 2018. 

Videos on Buddhism for the Classroom

HDS: Buddhism in Brief

What is Buddhism?

Who was the Buddha?

The Buddha

Harvard Divinity School: Case Studies on Buddhism

  • Pollution and Waste in Thailand
  • The Ordination of Nuns in Sri Lanka
  • Buddhism in Japanese-American Internment Camps
  • Conflict in Myanmar
  • Mindfulness in Silicon Valley

Harvard University Pluralism Project: Essays on Buddhism 

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