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
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