The Golden Statue (ppt)

1
(No Transcript)
2
(No Transcript)
3

• In this lesson we will be thinking about
  generosity.

4
The Golden Statue
5

• About 2,500 years ago there was a great teacher
  who persuaded people to show love and respect for
  all living things.
• He became known as the Lord Buddha

6

• The religion he founded spread across many
  countries, including Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand
  and China.

7

• In these countries there are many beautiful
  temples. Each with a statue of Buddha.

8

• Long ago people living near a temple decided to
  make a new statue. The monks went far and wide
  collecting money to pay for it.

9

• When one young monk visited the house of a rich
  merchant, the whole household was gathered to
  hear about the Lord Buddha, and to offer
  donations towards the new statue.

10

• The merchant was the first to make his
• contribution a bag of gold coins.
• His wife offered necklaces
• and bracelets. Then their
• friends donated rings and
• brooches.
• The monk accepted each gift most gratefully.

11

• The monk had not noticed the young servant girl
  who worked all day long in the household in
  return for her food and clothes.
• The only thing she possessed was a
  single coin of little value

12

• As the monk was leaving, the servant girl
  slipped out of the shadows and offered her coin
  for the statue.
• The monk was in a hurry, and brushed her aside.
  I have no use for that. he said Its
  worthless!

13

• The monks all returned to the temple with the
  gifts they had collected.
• The precious gold was melted down to make the
  statue.

14

• They poured the molten metal into the mould, and
  waited impatiently for it to set.

15
Ugh!
Ugh!

• When the metal was cold and hard, they broke
  open the mould.
• To their horror the statue that emerged was
  really ugly!

Ugh!
Ugh!
16

• They agreed to start the process again, heating
  then pouring the metal into a new mould.
• After an anxious wait they smashed the clay, but
  as the statue appeared they saw that it was even
  more hideous!

Oh No!
17

• I fear that this is a sign that one of us has
  not shown sufficient love and kindness said a
  wise old monk.

18

• Everyone present searched their conscience.
• The young monk suddenly remembered his refusal
  to accept the humble offering from the servant
  girl at the house of the rich merchant.

19

• Return and accept the gift said the wise old
  monk. It may have been small, but it was offered
  with a loving heart.

20

• The monk wasted no time in returning to the
  merchants house.
• On finding the servant girl he asked if she was
  still prepared to contribute her small coin,
  which was needed after all.
• She was pleased to hand it to the young monk.

21

• For the third time the metal was melted down and
  poured into the mould of Buddha.
• For the third time the monks waited anxiously
  for the mould to set.

22

• They need not have worried, for this time when
  the mould was broken they saw that the statue was
  quite beautiful

23

• As they examined it in greater detail, they
  found to their astonishment that a small bronze
  coin lay embedded on the breast of the statue.

It was the gift of the servant girl.
24

• The humble coin which had been offered with a
  loving heart now lay next to the heart of Buddha!

25
Teefas Teasers

• Who was the most generous person in the story.
• Why do you think so?
• What is your most precious possession?
• If you were to give away a little of your pocket
  money, who would you give it to?

26
Glossary

• Merchant a seller or trader
• Humble poor, modest

27
Activities to complete this lesson include
Rate this lesson here.

• background information on Buddhist temples
• make lotus flowers
• make a hand plaque and model street

Click on the image above to view and/or download
learning activities.