FW: [libn] Enlightened children

[Guest guest]

Realizers:

 

Here is a contribution from a friend in another group (libn, short for

liberation, which was already taken as a name; we refer to one

another as Libniters).

 

Gary

 

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Hi, Rob and Gary, This is an intriguing subject; as a parent wish I had more

answers..One interesting book for childten that I came across was The 14th

Dalai Lama by Whitney Stewart with a preface by the Dalai Lama who says

" children can here read my life from early childhood to exile in India.. " Of

course, the Dalai Lama did not have a usual childhood upbringing since by

age 3 he was taken to the monastery. In '36 the monks searched Tibet for

their next Dalai Lama (re-incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, the deity of

compassion). They found this young farm boy, born in a cowshed who was then

was raised among monks, by the time he was 15 he was negotiating with the

communist Chinese ('50) and by age 24 he was in exile. But he says his early

childhood had love and affection. In this book, the Dalai Lama is asked

" How do children become compassionate human beings? " He answers that the

sound development of a person's future does largely depend on childhood

experience and training (from the 1st few weeks after birth to 3 or 4 years

old the brain develops so quickly), gaining the beginnings of sound

knowledge and behavior. He recalled how as a child himself he found animals

to be great playmates and that he discovered an instinct to rescue the

weaker ones..He said he was taught the harmfulness of negative thoughts

early ( spiteful anger, jealously, greed...). He goes on to say that

affection must be experienced by children in order to know how to give it to

others. Warm feelings, instillation of basic goodness, distinguishing how a

behavior may not be skillful as opposed (as Gary pointed out) to " you're no

good... " Then he was asked if youngsters can meditate. He replied that

children can use their favorite things such as a butterfly, a flower, an

animal and to be told to draw that in the mind and to pay attention

completely to it, to develop one-pointedness of mind. Teach children to be

sensitive to weaker persons and to understand that both winners and losers

have rights and dignity; use stories that lead them to understand we need

each other to survive and flourish; show kindness even to insects. He said

that a child's mind is not prejudiced, but that later " my " religion, my

race, my class etc. can separate us, so inculcate social responsibilty and

tolerance and curiosity for differences before demarcation can over control

the youngster. Introduce and model the value of forgiving one's self and

others...

 

Warm regards to all, Morgan

 

Morgan Callahan

 

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