On Thursday 15 June, Year 10 EPR students travelled to the Buddhist Centre in Manchester to help deepen their understanding of the faith which is studied in their EPR GCSE course. They spent time with Buddhists from the local community and were able to explore the beautiful sacred space which lies in the heart of the city centre.
Daniel, a secular Buddhist, led a fascinating educational session in the centre’s shrine room. He invited students to ask questions, putting them at ease by sharing his personal journey to becoming a Buddhist and explaining the challenges and rewards of following his faith in the 21st century. He gave a wonderful insight into the Buddhist teachings about impermanence and dependent origination; his points left the group with important messages about how to recognise the conditions that lead to suffering and happiness, as well as the need to not waste time, because our experience is valuable and limited.
The session ended with a period of meditation, which gave the group the chance to experience this important Buddhist practice for themselves. It left them feeling peaceful and gave them an opportunity to reflect on the benefits of taking time out to focus on liberating the mind of daily distractions.
For the rest of the day, students were given free time to explore the commercial hub of the city; an opportunity to contrast the fast paced, materialistic lifestyle with the serene, detached setting of the Buddhist Centre.
Mrs Rachel Oracz – Head of Social Sciences and Humanities Faculty – Head of Ethics, Philosophy & Religion
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