Buddhist primary schools

• JitKiat

  27 Feb 08, 14:20

  Anybody with children studying in a Buddhist primary school like Maha Bodhi, Mee Toh? Does Buddhist school focus more on moral/religious education rather than competition and examination?

• TIB744U

  27 Feb 08, 15:06

  Hey there everyone (:

   

  I was a graduate from Manjusri Secondary School by the Singapore Buddhist Federation 6 years ago (:

   

  From my 4 years there, I could say that the school focuses more on moral and religious education than competition and examination.

   

  I remember that every morning, Buddhist students would recite this and it's not compulsory for all students..

   

  "We wholeheartedly take refuge in the Buddha, and respect the Buddha as our teacher. We wholeheartedly take refuge in the Dharma and practise the noble teaching. We wholeheartedly take refuge in the Sangha and accept the guidance of the Sangha. We pledge ourselves to cultivate kindness, to keep right speech and to do good deeds. With the blessings of the Triple Gem, may our wisdom grow for the betterment of our conduct and studies. May our deeds be filled with loving kindness and compassions. May all beings attain the state of calmness, peace, prosperity and happiness.

   

  Every Monday, Dharma teachers would be invited to teach during our first lesson of the day. Students are not obliged to listen to whatever the Dharma teachers, but out of respect most students would participate.

   

  We have Vesak Day celebration to commemorate the Birth, Death and the Nirvana of the Buddha. We have the showering of the Prince Siddhartha ceremony in school and invites our school supervisor to be part of the celebration as well. (:

• Beyond Religion

  27 Feb 08, 15:26

  Originally posted by TIB744U:

  Hey there everyone (:

   

  I was a graduate from Manjusri Secondary School by the Singapore Buddhist Federation 6 years ago (:

   

  From my 4 years there, I could say that the school focuses more on moral and religious education than competition and examination.

   

  I remember that every morning, Buddhist students would recite this and it's not compulsory for all students..

   

  "We wholeheartedly take refuge in the Buddha, and respect the Buddha as our teacher. We wholeheartedly take refuge in the Dharma and practise the noble teaching. We wholeheartedly take refuge in the Sangha and accept the guidance of the Sangha. We pledge ourselves to cultivate kindness, to keep right speech and to do good deeds. With the blessings of the Triple Gem, may our wisdom grow for the betterment of our conduct and studies. May our deeds be filled with loving kindness and compassions. May all beings attain the state of calmness, peace, prosperity and happiness.

   

  Every Monday, Dharma teachers would be invited to teach during our first lesson of the day. Students are not obliged to listen to whatever the Dharma teachers, but out of respect most students would participate.

   

  We have Vesak Day celebration to commemorate the Birth, Death and the Nirvana of the Buddha. We have the showering of the Prince Siddhartha ceremony in school and invites our school supervisor to be part of the celebration as well. (:

  Its a pity we have so few Buddhists schools in Singapore. Only three (? Maha Bodhi, Mee Toh and Manjushri) in a country where 42% of its population are Buddhists

  I would like to enrol my children in Buddhist schools, but the Buddhists schools are simply too few and far between.

• JitKiat

  27 Feb 08, 16:04

  Manjusri Secondary School is a result of great effort by many Buddhists such as �木�居士:

  
  "�今 二�一年�，也就是1982年�，为了筹建佛教文殊中学，我作为总务，带领六�多组两百多个人，跑中元会，那时情形�常困难，很难进去。我�用自己交游广 阔的优势，�动那些出租桌�椅�的朋�公�，哪里有中元会通知我，还跑到负责申办执照的部门，��申请，我就在一边抄录。与此�时，我在居士林大殿宣布， 你们邻居有中元会请通知我，我就去。一时之间，消�从四�八方传�。
  
  从六月三�开始，我就驾�自己新买的车开始跑，晚上跑到�夜两点， 早上六点�开眼���跑。如此这般，跑到�五，我就开始累得�血了。结果�船法师�常凯法师他们出�，�我��以跑，必须��。我说，正在�的时候，�途 ��，怎么行呢？��以�的�六�多个组两百多人，我�指挥，我�去招，�天都是我招的，我�下�钱就没有了，一定��。结果还是跑足了一个月。��医生 查出我肺上长瘤，说是一�血就�动手术，明确就是癌症。那是��，这里就�多说了��事实上，那以�的我在陈笃生医院出出进进八年，最�我那个瘤�而照� 到了，�剩下一点痕迹而已。我的�度是，�管它，没什么了�起。我�说的是，真正了�起的，�是我们个人，是广大普通的信众。
  
  就是在那 次跑中元会的日å­�里，在女皇镇è�œå¸‚场，有一天，我去招中元会，é�‡åˆ°ä¸€ä¸ªç®¡äº‹çš„，胖胖的男人，我跟他说，我是佛教总会的代表，我们è¦�建文殊中学，è¦�在这边募 æ��。没想到这个胖男人大å�¼ä¸€å£°“èµ°å¼€ï¼�”手上还拿ç�€æ�€çŒªåˆ€ï¼Œæ€�度é�žå¸¸å‡¶ã€‚那我说，我们真的是为了学校，他根本ä¸�买我的å¸�，说：“你跟我å�«æ�Žæœ¨æº�æ�¥ï¼�”糟 糕ï¼�我跟他å�ˆæ²¡æœ‰å†¤ä»‡ä¸ºä»€ä¹ˆè®²è¯�这么凶，还拿æ�€çŒªåˆ€ä¸€æŒ‡ï¼Ÿæˆ‘就照实跟他说，我就是æ�Žæœ¨æº�，哪知é�“人家一å�¬ï¼Œé©¬ä¸Šå°±å�˜äº†ä¸€ä¸ªäººä¼¼åœ°çƒ­æƒ…：“你是æ�Žå…ˆç”Ÿï¼Ÿå��ã€� å��ã€�å��ï¼�è¦�ä¸�è¦�å–�咖啡？”为什么å�˜å¾—这么快？我问他，他爽直得很，告诉我说“我æ¯�亲是你们的会员，她è€�人家交代我，è°�æ�¥éƒ½æ‹’ç»�，å�ªæœ‰ä½ æ�¥å�¯ä»¥æŽ¥å�—。”

  这样的事例太多了，�胜枚举。我其实很惭愧，因为这些居士���，好多我并�认得，我想，她们这么�心，是因为她们真心真��全心全�地信奉佛法，这些普通的信众，她（他）们�是所有佛教团体的中�力�。

   

• ceecookie

  27 Feb 08, 16:07

  Does the canteen sell only vegeterian food or got meat as well?

• FireIce

  27 Feb 08, 16:12

  me sister from Mee Toh at the old campus at race course road
  (fann wong sister oso from Mee Toh)
  btw, affiliated to manjusri
  
  one level oni 3 classes... bcos the sch damn small
  
  vesak day celebration is more happening than any other festivals
  their students take PSLE in the hall of the temple next door, which i think is kind cool...
  
  other than tt, they don't enforce or have compulsory lessons on buddhist studies or wat... everything else the same as any other mainstream sec sch
  

• justdoit77

  28 Feb 08, 06:28

  Originally posted by TIB744U:

  Hey there everyone (:

  I was a graduate from Manjusri Secondary School by the Singapore Buddhist Federation 6 years ago (:

  From my 4 years there, I could say that the school focuses more on moral and religious education than competition and examination.

  I remember that every morning, Buddhist students would recite this and it's not compulsory for all students..

  "We wholeheartedly take refuge in the Buddha, and respect the Buddha as our teacher. We wholeheartedly take refuge in the Dharma and practise the noble teaching. We wholeheartedly take refuge in the Sangha and accept the guidance of the Sangha. We pledge ourselves to cultivate kindness, to keep right speech and to do good deeds. With the blessings of the Triple Gem, may our wisdom grow for the betterment of our conduct and studies. May our deeds be filled with loving kindness and compassions. May all beings attain the state of calmness, peace, prosperity and happiness.

  Every Monday, Dharma teachers would be invited to teach during our first lesson of the day. Students are not obliged to listen to whatever the Dharma teachers, but out of respect most students would participate.

  We have Vesak Day celebration to commemorate the Birth, Death and the Nirvana of the Buddha. We have the showering of the Prince Siddhartha ceremony in school and invites our school supervisor to be part of the celebration as well. (:

  Glad to know that. I think focus on moral before focus on competition and examination is a good approach for students. If one doesn't have good moral, having competition skill and knowledge can be a liability to a company and whole society.

• justdoit77

  28 Feb 08, 06:32

  Originally posted by Beyond Religion:

  Its a pity we have so few Buddhists schools in Singapore. Only three (? Maha Bodhi, Mee Toh and Manjushri) in a country where 42% of its population are Buddhists

  I would like to enrol my children in Buddhist schools, but the Buddhists schools are simply too few and far between.

  If really no chance to get in, then you do something to ensure he on buddhism path lor. Probably teach him on your own or help him get the right companion.

• JitKiat

  28 Feb 08, 11:25

   

  he relationship between teacher and student in Singapore makes me worried about our education system....

  1. Our education is too exam-oriented... in such an environment, moral education takes a backseat

  The 1st day entering school, teacher will 1st classify students according to "those who attends tuition and those who do not".

  2. Parents are not teaching kids to respect teachers in school ... blow up cases are common today ... students use handphone to take teacher's. Teachers in turn, become unforgiving.

  See blog by a teacher Wu Pei Qi (published in MyPaper today) at http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4cab83a601008gzj.html

  Her teacher is really forgiving and obviously some teachers in Singapore are not so forgiving now !!

  3. Teachers, giving up students perform poorly in exams even in primary one

  Example: my colleague's son entered primary one (not top schools), recently, a teacher called my colleague to schoool and said "your kid's result is too poor,  I give up and there is nothing I can do liao" .... imagine just primary one and the son is an obedient, kind-hearted kid.

   

• cycle

  28 Feb 08, 13:41

  Originally posted by JitKiat:

  Manjusri Secondary School is a result of great effort by many Buddhists such as �木�居士:

  
  "�今 二�一年�，也就是1982年�，为了筹建佛教文殊中学，我作为总务，带领六�多组两百多个人，跑中元会，那时情形�常困难，很难进去。我�用自己交游广阔的优势，�动那些出租桌�椅�的朋�公�，哪里有中元会通知我，还跑到负责申办执照的部门，��申请，我就在一边抄录。与此�时，我在居士林大殿宣布，你们邻居有中元会请通知我，我就去。一时之间，消�从四�八方传�。
  
  从六月三�开始，我就驾�自己新买的车开始跑，晚上跑到�夜两点，早上六点�开眼���跑。如此这般，跑到�五，我就开始累得�血了。结果�船法师�常凯法师他们出�，�我��以跑，必须��。我说，正在�的时候，�途��，怎么行呢？��以�的�六�多个组两百多人，我�指挥，我�去招，�天都是我招的，我�下�钱就没有了，一定��。结果还是跑足了一个月。��医生查出我肺上长瘤，说是一�血就�动手术，明确就是癌症。那是��，这里就�多说了��事实上，那以�的我在陈笃生医院出出进进八年，最�我那个瘤�而照�到了，�剩下一点痕迹而已。我的�度是，�管它，没什么了�起。我�说的是，真正了�起的，�是我们个人，是广大普通的信众。
  
  就是在那次跑中元会的日å­�里，在女皇镇è�œå¸‚场，有一天，我去招中元会，é�‡åˆ°ä¸€ä¸ªç®¡äº‹çš„，胖胖的男人，我跟他说，我是佛教总会的代表，我们è¦�建文殊中学，è¦�在这边募æ��。没想到这个胖男人大å�¼ä¸€å£°“èµ°å¼€ï¼�”手上还拿ç�€æ�€çŒªåˆ€ï¼Œæ€�度é�žå¸¸å‡¶ã€‚那我说，我们真的是为了学校，他根本ä¸�买我的å¸�，说：“你跟我å�«æ�Žæœ¨æº�æ�¥ï¼�”糟糕ï¼�我跟他å�ˆæ²¡æœ‰å†¤ä»‡ä¸ºä»€ä¹ˆè®²è¯�这么凶，还拿æ�€çŒªåˆ€ä¸€æŒ‡ï¼Ÿæˆ‘就照实跟他说，我就是æ�Žæœ¨æº�，哪知é�“人家一å�¬ï¼Œé©¬ä¸Šå°±å�˜äº†ä¸€ä¸ªäººä¼¼åœ°çƒ­æƒ…：“你是æ�Žå…ˆç”Ÿï¼Ÿå��ã€�å��ã€�å��ï¼�è¦�ä¸�è¦�å–�咖啡？”为什么å�˜å¾—这么快？我问他，他爽直得很，告诉我说“我æ¯�亲是你们的会员，她è€�人家交代我，è°�æ�¥éƒ½æ‹’ç»�，å�ªæœ‰ä½ æ�¥å�¯ä»¥æŽ¥å�—。”

  这样的事例太多了，�胜枚举。我其实很惭愧，因为这些居士���，好多我并�认得，我想，她们这么�心，是因为她们真心真��全心全�地信奉佛法，这些普通的信众，她（他）们�是所有佛教团体的中�力�。

   

  Very touching. 真的�感谢四��。

• Arena

  29 Feb 08, 22:13

  however, there are too little buddhist pri sch...

  and they are in the east side...

  some parents who wanted to send their children to the buddhist sch will find it not practical to do so as the sch is really too far...

  take for example, if staying in woodlands, yishun, chua chu kang, jurong area...

• JitKiat

  4 Mar 08, 10:53

  Can also consider sending children to attend some buddhist's classes (typically weekly) like Tzu Chi Foundation children classes (in Pasir Ris), AMTB's 弟�规 class etc

   

• AsimpleKid

  21 Mar 08, 22:30

  hi everyone, i m an ex-mahabodhian and currently in Manjusri sec school =D

  I m proud of my current school though it don't really have gd reputation.

  My school focus on moral education and some monks will come and give a speech(recently, ajahn brahm has came to give us a speech)

  I have been in two buddist schools and it really teaches us the moral values.

  My school have vegetarian food stall but there's only one. There are muslim food stall available for muslims and hindus, chicken rice stall and chinese cooked food stall.. and many others so it did not only serve vegetables -__-".

  I love my school ~

• An Eternal Now

  21 Mar 08, 22:53

  Originally posted by AsimpleKid:

  hi everyone, i m an ex-mahabodhian and currently in Manjusri sec school =D

  I m proud of my current school though it don't really have gd reputation.

  My school focus on moral education and some monks will come and give a speech(recently, ajahn brahm has came to give us a speech)

  I have been in two buddist schools and it really teaches us the moral values.

  My school have vegetarian food stall but there's only one. There are muslim food stall available for muslims and hindus, chicken rice stall and chinese cooked food stall.. and many others so it did not only serve vegetables -__-".

  I love my school ~

  Welcome to the forum :) Interesting Ajahn Brahm also teaching there... that's great.

  How old are you now btw?

• Beyond Religion

  22 Mar 08, 09:53

  Originally posted by AsimpleKid:

  hi everyone, i m an ex-mahabodhian and currently in Manjusri sec school =D

  I m proud of my current school though it don't really have gd reputation.

  My school focus on moral education and some monks will come and give a speech(recently, ajahn brahm has came to give us a speech)

  I have been in two buddist schools and it really teaches us the moral values.

  My school have vegetarian food stall but there's only one. There are muslim food stall available for muslims and hindus, chicken rice stall and chinese cooked food stall.. and many others so it did not only serve vegetables -__-".

  I love my school ~

  
  Wow you are really blessed to be in not one, but two Buddhist schools... To top it up you also get to hear Ajahn Brahm. He is an excellent speaker.

• ShrodingersCat

  22 Mar 08, 10:10

  and red swastika!

• AsimpleKid

  22 Mar 08, 16:46

  Haha, he just came for 1 hour to give a talk and left.

  I am 15 yrs old this year.

• An Eternal Now

  23 Mar 08, 00:31

  Originally posted by AsimpleKid:

  Haha, he just came for 1 hour to give a talk and left.

  I am 15 yrs old this year.

  Wow great! Gd you are beginning interest and practice in Buddhism at such an early age...

  p.s. me too hehe... in fact I took over this forum as owner when I was 14. Now I just turned 18 ;)

• AsimpleKid

  23 Mar 08, 20:23

  Oh that means you are still studying ... =D haha.. It is very Gd of you to manage this forum and studying at the same time.. You have potential as a great leader.

  Do u intend to be a monk/nun ?( curious)..

• An Eternal Now

  23 Mar 08, 20:46

  Originally posted by AsimpleKid:

  Oh that means you are still studying ... =D haha.. It is very Gd of you to manage this forum and studying at the same time.. You have potential as a great leader.

  Do u intend to be a monk/nun ?( curious)..

  Erm... no intentions to be a monk nor a "great leader".

  Just an ordinary practitioner.. lol

• rokkie

  24 Mar 08, 14:23

  Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

  Wow great! Gd you are beginning interest and practice in Buddhism at such an early age...

  p.s. me too hehe... in fact I took over this forum as owner when I was 14. Now I just turned 18 ;)

  
  buddy ,u r so young ,good .bless u