Exploring Buddhism

On Tuesday we were delighted to welcome Soto Zen priest, Lana Berrington, to talk to Year 9 and 10 RS students about Buddhism and help them to understand more about Buddhist practices and beliefs.

Hosei Berrington follows Soto Zen Buddhism, the leading school of Zen Buddhism in which practitioners do not actively seek Enlightenment or Satori (the Zen Buddhism term for enlightenment), but rather they seek to fully experience every moment; that is, to be acutely aware of every action in the here and now. She received her Lay Precepts in 2003, which constitute the basic code of ethics undertaken by Lay followers of Buddhism. The Precepts in all the traditions are essentially identical and are commitments to abstain from harming living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication.

The session on Tuesday began with a screening of the documentary film “Walk With Me”, a cinematic journey into the world of a monastic community that practises the art of mindfulness with Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh. The film has been described as a “fascinating and immersive exploration of what it means to devote one’s life to mindfulness… ‘Walk With Me’ captures the daily routine and rituals of monks and nuns on a quest to develop a deep sense of presence. It is an insightful rumination on the pursuit of happiness, living in the present and our attachment to material things – a welcome remedy to the stresses of city life and a world in turmoil." Laure Bonville, London Film Festival

The screening was followed by a student led discussion about what they had seen and a Q and A session with Hosei Berrington during which the girls has some very astute questions including: “Has meditation become too commercialised?”, “Are there sexual inequalities in Buddhism?”, “What festivals do Buddhists celebrate?”

Head of RS, Mr McKain said, “Hosei Berrington is the best person I have heard speak about Buddhism. Refreshingly honest, she really challenged our students' perception of Buddhism in the modern world. The GCSE textbooks certainly do not mention a female Buddhist priest who runs an AirBnB! I know that Lana was incredibly impressed with the knowledge our girls displayed through their questions at the end, and the students clearly enjoyed engaging with her and learning about her life.”