Opening: We will discuss the Jataka tales assigned for reading the night before. The students will be paired and asked to choose one of the two stories to portray in a drawing. Each pair will decide which elements are the most important to include, and will construct a drawing in a 5" diameter circle. Composition is not a concern, the drawing should be clear enough for someone unfamiliar with the story to grasp what takes place. After 2-3 minutes of drawing time they will be asked to present their compositions to the class.
In-Class Talking Points: Legends and Tales
The key point to cover today is the function of storytelling in Buddhism. We will examine the "Story of Simhala, the Caravan Leader" from Buddhism in Practice as an example. Ask students to consider how the story perpetuates the Buddhist tradition, and what other ideas the story intends to spread to its audience.
Evening Reading Assignment: Art of Tibet by Robert E. Fisher, p. 29-124.
Journal Assignment: Do the stories we discussed seem to refute or support any integral Buddhist concepts? Are these stories authentically Buddhist?
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