practices for the kiddies

Buddhist Verses to Cultivate within our Children and be Learned by Heart

The following are some simple Buddhist practices from the Pāli tradition - Southern School - that both parents and their kids can do together and talk about. 

Upon waking, sit up and settle your attention inwards, bring to mind the Triple Gem, and proceed to chant the “Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambuddhassa” verse three times. Then, take a moment to reflect on what we can call "Three Universal Facts of Life":

1. Take good care of your health
2. Make an honest living
3. Accumulate virtue - pāramī - and perform good deeds

​Having obtained the fortune that is this precious human birth, we should often reflect on these three knowledges. In order to understand the depth of these life-points until successfully and fully grasping their significance, we need to diligently study, reflect, practice, and train ourselves properly.

Before bed chant the “Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambuddhassa” verse three times. Then take a moment to recite some “Daily Aspirations and Resolutions to Live By", e.g.:

1. We must eventually be able to be our own refuge
2. We must take good care of our parents and see to their comfort and well-being
3. We must see to the maintenance and upkeeping of the practice of our faith, by directly experiencing the truth of it and living the Dharma in our everyday lives.
4. "May the energetic power of these aspirations guide me towards experiencing the Path and Fruit of Nirvana. Nippāna Pajayo Hotu."

​Get some good sleep. 

SOME BACKGROUND INFO ON THE CHANTING:

“Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambuddhassa” is a customary preliminary chant that can be recited by itself or as a precursor to other chants. Essentially, it is a verbal practice wherein one is giving respects and honoring to their teacher, which they feel is someone whom has given them the know-how and knowledge of how make the most out of life and how to use it as a wholesome practice.

It is usually literally translated as:
“Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the Worthy Lord, the Fully Self-Enlightened/Awakened One”

Namo refers to Homage, Lowering oneself in reverence and respect
Tassa 'to That Being'
Bhagavato (skt. Bhagavan) in this context / tradition refers to one who is Great, Holy, Blessed, a Lord among humankind.
Arahato refers to Purity, in body speech and mind; pure, removed and free from delusion, disillusionment, anger, greed, lust, jealousy, inferior states of mind; because of that purity, they are Worthy of being a teacher, listened to, their teachings considered/contemplated over, and of having those teachings be tested in practice.
Sammā refers to something being Correct, Proper, Right (not relative, but as an absolute)
SamBuddhassa is two words together: ‘Sam’ means oneself, by oneself (not as a result from efforts of power done by another being and given out). ‘Buddhassa’ refers to True Knowledge, Awakening, Enlightenment. ‘Sambuddhassa’ refers to one who has attained Awakening / Clear Penetrating Sight / Knowing / Absolute Truth by themselves, as a result of their own efforts.

Perhaps put in a different layman’s terms: “I pay Homage, to That Being, Blessed and Holy as a result of their wholesomely dedicated efforts and accomplishments, One who is Worthy to be called a Lord due to purification of mind, speech, and body in the ultimate absolute degree, and has trained themselves over uncountable lifetimes until, as a result of their own efforts, forbearance, and striving has Finally and Fully Awakened to the discovery and Enlightenment of the ultimate truth and reality that lies within (i.e. was not bestowed upon them by some exterior supreme being or deity).

Traditionally and practically, this refers to what we know as a Buddha.

'Nippāna Pajayo Hotu' is kind of like a Buddhist 'Amen', meant to seal the words or practice and direct them towards the attainment of Nippāna (Sanskrit: Nirvāṇa)