Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied
Learning objective: To bring the attention of the students towards the fact that long-lasting happiness is not found in physical facilities.
Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
Direction of discussion (For Teachers): The purpose of telling this story and discussing the questions based on it is to help the students understand that to secure comforts and facilities and to enjoy them is not wrong, but dependency on them is a sign of weakness. A strong person is not the one who has a lot of comfort, or the one who has distanced himself from them. A strong person is indeed the one who does not become unhappy if physical facilities are reduced and keeps moving forward in their absence or scarcity. Or, a strong person is also the one who rightly utilises physical facilities and doesn’t think of over consumption but does rightful consumption. Such a person can have access to long term happiness.
Story
In a kingdom, a hermit was living under a tree for many days. The hermit was very renowned. People would come to meet him from far away. And so, even in the eyes of the king of this kingdom, he was an acclaimed hermit. One day, the king went to meet him. His conversation with the hermit deeply inspired the king and he requested the hermit to come to stay in his palace instead of living under the tree. The hermit agreed and said, “Wherever you will ask me to stay, I will.” The king was a little surprised. He thought that the hermit would say, “What would a hermit like me do in a palace?” But the hermit acted against the king’s expectation and was immediately ready to go with the king. The king was taken aback, but because he himself had proposed this, he had to take the hermit to the palace.
The king made all the comforts of the palace available to the hermit. Carpets were laid out, comfortable mattresses were provided for sleeping, and delicious food was served. The hermit began to use all of these facilities. The king thought, “What kind of a hermit is he? He didn’t even say once , ‘I’m a hermit, I do not sleep on the mattress, I sleep on the ground.’ He didn’t say even once that hermits do not need such delicious food. They eat very simple, plain food.”
After a few days passed by, the king asked him, “Maharaj, I have a doubt. I want to know if you were happier living under the tree or here in the palace amidst all the comforts.” The hermit told him, “What has happiness got to do with living in a palace or under a tree?” The king thought that probably the hermit had become accustomed to living in the palace. So he asked, “I live in a palace and now even you live in a palace. So what is the difference between a worldly person like me and a hermit like you?”
The hermit said, “If you want to understand the difference, come out of the palace with me.” The king went with him. When they reached quite far from the palace, the king asked the hermit to tell him the difference. The hermit said, “Let’s go a little further.” Now the sun was really hot and the king was getting increasingly uncomfortable. So he asked again, “Maharaj, please tell me now. We have come far away and have to go back to the palace too.” The hermit said, “See, you have known what it is to stay in a palace. Now stay with me and only then will you get the answer.” The king questioned him about how he could leave the palace, the kingdom and go with him.
And to this the hermit replied, “Here lies the difference between a worldly person and a hermit. When a worldly person moves out, there is a lot in his mind that stops him. But a hermit has nothing in his mind that can stop him from going ahead. When I was living under the tree, the tree was not inside me, that’s why I came to the palace with you. When I lived in the palace, then too, the palace wasn’t inside me, but it is inside you, and that is why it is stopping you.”
Day 1
Proposed questions for discussion
1. In the story, the hermit asks the king – how is a palace related to happiness? Discuss this. Can one be happy always merely by getting a chance to live in a palace?
2. Is it possible for one person to live happily despite living in a simple house and another to be unhappy even in a palace?
3. Can all the comforts of a palace make a person happy if he/she is not happy within?
(Through the above questions, try to help the children understand that facilities are needed and we should have them but only physical facilities and comforts cannot make a person happy. For that, clarity within oneself, good happy relationships, love and respect in the family and in society are needed. One can’t be happy only with comforts, but if a person is really happy within, then he/she can be happy with less facilities too.)
At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
Day 2:
Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
1. What are the facilities around us that, if we have to give up some of these, will it restrict our progress and growth?
2. What are the things that people possess, not because they need them but to show off?
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
Dos and Don’ts
Learning objective: To bring the attention of the students towards the fact that long-lasting happiness is not found in physical facilities.
Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
Direction of discussion (For Teachers): The purpose of telling this story and discussing the questions based on it is to help the students understand that to secure comforts and facilities and to enjoy them is not wrong, but dependency on them is a sign of weakness. A strong person is not the one who has a lot of comfort, or the one who has distanced himself from them. A strong person is indeed the one who does not become unhappy if physical facilities are reduced and keeps moving forward in their absence or scarcity. Or, a strong person is also the one who rightly utilises physical facilities and doesn’t think of over consumption but does rightful consumption. Such a person can have access to long term happiness.
Story
In a kingdom, a hermit was living under a tree for many days. The hermit was very renowned. People would come to meet him from far away. And so, even in the eyes of the king of this kingdom, he was an acclaimed hermit. One day, the king went to meet him. His conversation with the hermit deeply inspired the king and he requested the hermit to come to stay in his palace instead of living under the tree. The hermit agreed and said, “Wherever you will ask me to stay, I will.” The king was a little surprised. He thought that the hermit would say, “What would a hermit like me do in a palace?” But the hermit acted against the king’s expectation and was immediately ready to go with the king. The king was taken aback, but because he himself had proposed this, he had to take the hermit to the palace.
The king made all the comforts of the palace available to the hermit. Carpets were laid out, comfortable mattresses were provided for sleeping, and delicious food was served. The hermit began to use all of these facilities. The king thought, “What kind of a hermit is he? He didn’t even say once , ‘I’m a hermit, I do not sleep on the mattress, I sleep on the ground.’ He didn’t say even once that hermits do not need such delicious food. They eat very simple, plain food.”
After a few days passed by, the king asked him, “Maharaj, I have a doubt. I want to know if you were happier living under the tree or here in the palace amidst all the comforts.” The hermit told him, “What has happiness got to do with living in a palace or under a tree?” The king thought that probably the hermit had become accustomed to living in the palace. So he asked, “I live in a palace and now even you live in a palace. So what is the difference between a worldly person like me and a hermit like you?”
The hermit said, “If you want to understand the difference, come out of the palace with me.” The king went with him. When they reached quite far from the palace, the king asked the hermit to tell him the difference. The hermit said, “Let’s go a little further.” Now the sun was really hot and the king was getting increasingly uncomfortable. So he asked again, “Maharaj, please tell me now. We have come far away and have to go back to the palace too.” The hermit said, “See, you have known what it is to stay in a palace. Now stay with me and only then will you get the answer.” The king questioned him about how he could leave the palace, the kingdom and go with him.
And to this the hermit replied, “Here lies the difference between a worldly person and a hermit. When a worldly person moves out, there is a lot in his mind that stops him. But a hermit has nothing in his mind that can stop him from going ahead. When I was living under the tree, the tree was not inside me, that’s why I came to the palace with you. When I lived in the palace, then too, the palace wasn’t inside me, but it is inside you, and that is why it is stopping you.”
Day 1
Proposed questions for discussion
1. In the story, the hermit asks the king – how is a palace related to happiness? Discuss this. Can one be happy always merely by getting a chance to live in a palace?
2. Is it possible for one person to live happily despite living in a simple house and another to be unhappy even in a palace?
3. Can all the comforts of a palace make a person happy if he/she is not happy within?
(Through the above questions, try to help the children understand that facilities are needed and we should have them but only physical facilities and comforts cannot make a person happy. For that, clarity within oneself, good happy relationships, love and respect in the family and in society are needed. One can’t be happy only with comforts, but if a person is really happy within, then he/she can be happy with less facilities too.)
At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
- Students discuss the story at home and understand the thoughts and views of their family members.
- They observe that in the absence or reduction of any physical facility (vehicle, A.C., T.V.) at home, does everyone react with similar displeasure or is there a difference?
Day 2:
Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
- Have some students recall the story. You may adopt various ways for helping the students recall, such as getting one of them to narrate the story, role-play, pairing the students and letting them tell each other, etc.
- Have them share the feedback received from their homes in small groups. Some students may be given the chance to share the experience at home in class.
- The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for the remaining students.
1. What are the facilities around us that, if we have to give up some of these, will it restrict our progress and growth?
2. What are the things that people possess, not because they need them but to show off?
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
Dos and Don’ts
- Give everyone an opportunity to express themselves and listen to them patiently.
- Make sure that all the students participate in the discussion.
- Encourage and support the students who are hesitant to participate in the discussion.
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- Alexander and Diogenes
- The Mind Palace
- Rabia’s Needle
- What is real and what is fake?
- How much land?
- Ego’s room
- Turban
- My Identity
- Arunima Sinha
- Socrates’ three questions
- Three labourers, three perspectives
- Serene water
- Who is speaking?
- The kite string
- A big man
- Brother, not a burden
- All together
- Sugar in milk
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