On June 11th and 13th, 65 students from Christ’s College in Christchurch visited Fo Guang Shan Christchurch. School chaplain Cameron Pickering led the students in learning the values of the Three Acts of Goodness and the Four Givings.
Christ’s College is New Zealand’s oldest private boys’ school, with roots in the Anglican Church. The school has visited FGS for five consecutive years, as teachers and chaplains value the teachings of Humanistic Buddhism and encourage students to develop positive attitudes towards life.
The visit included a Temple tour led by Ricky WANG and Deirdre Johns. Students also explored the Harmony and Hue Oil Painting Exhibition in the FGY Art Gallery, watched The Life of Buddha movie, experienced mindfulness meditation and listened to the podcast stories from Bodhi Light Tales produced by FGS Institute of Humanistic Buddhism. Stories such as The Tortoise and the Crane encouraged students to remain confident during difficult times. The Conference of the Six Senses explained that the body comprises the five senses—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and the mind. The story highlighted the importance of each part and the need for mutual respect.
Mindfulness teacher Liz de Lautour shared that the stories were short but meaningful and expressed interest in using them as teaching materials at school. For many students, this was their first visit to a Buddhist Temple. They were curious about the serene environment and asked many thoughtful questions.
The Temple gifted students with Three Acts of Goodness pencils and bookmarks featuring Wise Words from Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Both teachers and students appreciated the experience, finding it inspiring and helpful in guiding their life direction.