Significance of Jataka Tales- Anmol Kashyap

Jataka tales, originating from Buddhist literature, are profound narratives that carry immense significance across cultures. These stories depict the previous lives of the Buddha, known as Bodhisattva, before attaining enlightenment.

Through various characters and scenarios, Jataka tales convey moral teachings and spiritual wisdom. One key aspect of Jataka tales is their emphasis on virtues such as compassion, kindness, and selflessness. Each story showcases the Bodhisattva embodying these qualities, serving as an example for others to follow.

By illustrating the positive outcomes of virtuous actions, Jataka tales inspire readers to cultivate these qualities in their own lives. Furthermore, Jataka tales highlight the concept of karma, the law of cause and effect.

They illustrate how one's actions, both good and bad, shape their future experiences and spiritual progress. This teaching encourages individuals to be mindful of their deeds and strive for virtuous conduct to create positive outcomes in their lives. Moreover, Jataka tales provide valuable insights into human nature and the complexities of life.

 

Anmol Kashyap

Sunbeam School, Lahartara 

Knowledge Vs Learning - Tejas Kumar

Knowledge and Learning are closely related but distinct concepts. Knowledge refers to the information, facts, and understanding a person possesses about a particular subject or the world. It involves knowing specific details, principles, or theories.

Learning, on the other hand, is the process through which knowledge is acquired or absorbed. It encompasses the activities, experiences, and efforts involved in gaining new information, skills, or understanding.

Learning can occur through various means such as formal education, informal experiences, observation, or self-study. While having knowledge is a part of being educated, it is not the sole factor. Education involves more than just accumulating facts or information. 

It also encompasses critical thinking, problem-solving skills, creativity, communication abilities, and a broader understanding of the world. Education is about applying knowledge, adapting to new situations, and continuously seeking to expand one's understanding and skills.

In essence, having knowledge is a component of being educated, but true education involves the ongoing process of learning, growth, and development across various aspects of life.

-Tejas Kumar

-IX 'D'

-SUNBEAM SCHOOL, LAHARTARA

People and their differing aims - Tejash

Happiness: Many people strive to lead a happy and fulfilling life. This might involve pursuing activities, relationships, and experiences that bring joy and satisfaction.

Success: Success can be defined in various ways, such as achieving career goals, financial stability, personal accomplishments, or making a positive impact on others.

Health: Maintaining good physical and mental health is essential for overall well-being. People often aim to lead a healthy lifestyle through exercise, proper nutrition, and stress management.

Meaningful Relationships: Building and nurturing meaningful connections with family, friends, and romantic partners is a fundamental aspect of life for many people.

Personal Growth: Continuously learning and growing as individuals is important for self-improvement and development. This could involve acquiring new skills, gaining knowledge, or working on personal qualities.

Tejash

 Sunbeam School, Lahartara 

Importance of Leadership - Shubhangi Kashyap

Importance of Leadership

Leadership is pivotal in nation-building, providing direction, motivation, and decision-making. A leader's vision inspires citizens, fostering unity and trust. Effective leadership manages change, fosters innovation, and promotes inclusivity, vital for societal progress.

By nurturing international relations, leaders secure peace and cooperation. Transformative leadership enacts reforms, leaving lasting legacies that shape a nation's future.

However, leadership alone cannot determine a nation's destiny; societal, economic, and cultural factors also influence its development. Yet, a strong leader can galvanize collective action, navigate challenges, and steer the nation towards prosperity, leaving an indelible mark on its history.

Shubhangi Kashyap

Sunbeam School, Lahartara

What Are Jataka Tales? - Shambhavi Nautiyal

What are Jataka Tales? What do you know about them?

Jataka Tales are a voluminous body of literature which is a compound of stories from the life of Gautam Buddha as well as his previous births.

In these stories, the future Buddha may appear as a king, an outcast, a deva, an animal—but, in whatever form, he exhibits some virtue that the tale thereby inculcates. Often, Jātaka tales include an extensive cast of characters who interact and get into various kinds of trouble - whereupon the Buddha character intervenes to resolve all the problems and bring about a happy ending. The Jātaka genre is based on the idea that the Buddha was able to recollect all his past lives and thus could use these memories to tell a story and illustrate his teachings.

Did the story connect with you today and why?

I think, yes, it did connect with me in some manner. For instance, I like that the king, at least, tried providing for his illegitimate child in the form of a signet ring, because that doesn’t happen often. Most of the time, women get estranged in such cases, by both their parents and the father of the child.

I was also able to relate when the king tried denying the fact that it was his son who had come to the court since although it wasn’t upright, it’s something we all have done in our lives- trying to deny a mistake due to shame and fear of being judged but I was glad when the kind got over it and owned his ‘mistake’ as he had thought.

And I feel like we all can take away something from this, even after thousands of years,i.e., that no child should be denied their parental love despite whatever society might think. This resonates with a thought I came across right after the class, “You need to fully experience the karmic cycle to break free from it” as only after he tried denying it did he realise its ramifications and started operating from a standpoint of love.

So for me, the moral of the story is ‘Own whatever you do, because, after some point, they will get to know about it anyway.'

Shambhavi Nautiyal 

Class- 10

Ahlcon Public School

Tribute to Parents- Shambhavi Nautiyal

How can you give tribute to your parents?

I tell my mother that I love her at least eight times a day and try to act as infantile as I try not to hurt her feelings and, in its truest sense, make her feel happy. Ever since my infancy, the dynamic has been like that, and I can never ignore how her face brightens. That’s maybe the reason I am not able to implement my emotional maturity with her because I still feel like I’m five and, so I’m not able to act my actual age until we have some ‘grown-up talk’ because I don’t feel like a thing has changed between me and her and, I hope that she can constructively share her experiences in the future so that I can view her as a rational adult willing enough to understand me and forgive me in the best way that she can.

To pay tribute to your parents, you can write letters of admiration for them, maybe like a ‘Thank You Letter’.  I'm going to be doing this for this 'Mother’s Day'.  It is on occasions like this when I feel like I can be inherently open about my feelings without the fear of getting roasted or hit by the reality of the nature of my conduct towards my mother. I don't feel shy about speaking sweetly to my parents, and I feel like that as that’s how I have been wired by the media I consume.

I am pretty bad at the respect part, I believe, because my parents keep telling me that and this is probably the first time I am mentioning my ‘darker side’ or mistakes in one of these blogs. What I have focused till now is more on the flaws of my parent’s parenting skills, and I have also recently discovered that I have had the ‘perfectionist syndrome’ in some way because I used to think of things as black and white, so I couldn’t bring myself to love and forgive both mine and others’ mistakes.

So now I just want to say to my parents, “I am so proud to be your daughter, both of you, equally and  I think I realise your true value and role in my life journey and mindset” because I don’t know when or if I would ever be able to say this to their face, because you know it’s easier with friends because they only show their best side to you but with family, it’s different. You know each other inside-out and if you’re able to love each other unconditionally despite that, then you are gold and the luckiest person on earth with one of the best subconscious minds and emotional patterns.

There is conflict in families only when, one of the members isn’t able to accept, forgive and love the other member’s mistakes and starts shaming them for being an irresponsible human, which sometimes may also be unfeasible which is why you should always do the inner work and healing so that you don’t create an unhealthy environment for others.

According to me, if the toxic member happens to be you, then question yourself, if their mistake is something changeable. If yes, immediately call out your toxic behaviour and remind yourself that it’s okay to be human and commit mistakes. Never make someone hate themselves to the degree that they can’t ignore it anymore. Also, if you want to get tribute then you need to make yourself worthy of it first, whether child or parent, don’t make your behaviours nullify all the formal work that you do, especially, to the point, that your child or parent, isn’t able to remember all your good efforts.

First, learn to love yourself and then propagate it to others because it all starts from the self if you ever want to become a parent, keep questioning yourself- Would you want your child to go through something you're going through at the moment? And to the person who observes this kind of ‘behaviour’, first, acknowledge what’s happening to you and then slowly start empathizing with the other member, be the bigger person and forgive them. Kill them with kindness and it shall all come back to you. Just try maintaining that abundance mindset and pay your tribute.

Shambhavi Nautiyal

Ahlcon Public School

Grade- IX

Small Acts of Service - Divyanshu Agarwal

image courtesy -https://www.nusocia.com, used by Divyanshu Agarwal only

Small Acts of Service Help Change Lives

The small act of kindness reforms the lives of others who are not that capable of handling their daily needs. We are very much thankful to God that our parents are capable enough to provide us a happy life. Small acts of service can put a smile on the faces of underprivileged people. 

Acts of kindness make the earth a better place to live. We can donate money to charity. We can have scholarship schemes for children. We can donate our old books to the government schools Which don't have a good schooling facility. donate blood, so that those who don't have money can healthily live their lives. 

We should not discriminate or judge anyone based on their money or education status. Always try to bring a smile to the faces of others. Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness is a way to honour those needy individuals.

 

"There is no higher religion than human service to work for the common good is the greatest creed."      - Woodrow Wilson

 

Divyanshu Agarwal (XD)

Sunbeam Schools And Hostel Laharatra 

Pamela Atkinson - Mridul Maheshwari

image courtesy - https://www.deseret.com, used by Mridul Maheshwari for representation only

Pamela Atkinson

Today we saw a video about Pamela Atkinson related to her social work - serving others or helping the poor. Pamela believes that 'even small acts of service help change lives. Small things make a difference". 

Over the years, working with the poor, Pamela has learned that service doesn't always need to be huge, it can even be small.

Pamela said, "We should look for opportunities to make a difference in other people's lives-which in turn, make a difference in our own."

  -Mridul Maheshwari (IX)

                                                      Sunbeam School Lahartara

The True Success - Tenzin Nyesel

For me, Success means achieving a goal that you have set in your life. Even if it is just getting better marks in any subject.

Success is a feeling when you are well satisfied with what you have or got. Achieving success does not always mean becoming a topper in class or becoming a rich person. 

Sometimes it's just us who feel we have done better work that we couldn't do or attempt before.

Tenzin Nyesel
Class 10th,

Pestalozzi Children's Village Society

The Way of Home - Ati Pema

PC- Ati Pema

The Way of Home

"A leopard never changes its spots."
- Anonymous

Far beyond the distant chains of ice, stone and snow in the land of the icey plateau lies my dwelling, enveloped by the stone and dust that gives me my livelihood. I have to hunt those devilishly quick prey that leaps away on cliffs and claws away on the ridges (Even when they have none!). 

Fearless they are so I too have to become such, though they are swift, they lack much awareness and are lost in their petty fights. I can creep up on them quickly, and with my colour, they rarely see me! But a lot has changed since my solitude; there are more mouths to feed than my own.

My hunting days are longer and more gruelling, and hunting itself has become more complicated than it once was. My prey left their grazing ground and now lives on the planes in numbers more prominent than I had ever seen. It would be good if those two-legged skin changers did not look over them. They, too, live in herds of hundreds in their own lands, where they carve the plateau to their liking. 

I would not be much concerned, but lately, the snow on the hill, which once shone white, has been painted grey with dust. I can no longer hide under my camouflage! 

I take my cubs wherever I go as now my own kind threatens them in these difficult times. 

What had changed in the time I grew? Where is the land I knew? The snow, the ice and those green pastures. What could be the cause? 

Yet there is no time to complain as even those two-legged beasts are now hunting us! Will my cubs ever see the world I saw? Will they never hear the silent breath they take as they go for their first hunt? I shan't throw away my hope. As times have gone and become such, it will change once more. 

Ati Pema

St. Thomas College

The Book Highlight - Ayush Kashyap

The book Hidden Life of Trees highlights its intricate relationships and communication networks within forests, reminding us of the importance of fostering a deeper connection with the natural world. It encourages us to appreciate and respect the complexity of ecosystems.

Ayush Kashyap
Sunbeam School, Varuna

The Joy of Giving - Ahad Hashmi

The Joy of Giving is an enriching experience. It is a profound connection to our inherent generosity and empathy. When we give freely, whether it be our time, resources, or simply our presence, we ignite a spark of warmth and fulfilment within ourselves and others. 

The act of giving opens our hearts and purpose as we contribute to the well-being of those around us. In giving, we discover the truth that true abundance lies not in what we possess, but in what we are willing to share with others.

Ahad Hashmi
Sunbeam School, Varuna

Accomplishing the goals is not a success- Vaibhav Jaiswal

"It's amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credits."

Accomplishing the goals is not a success. Success means, you know the hard work you have done and the behaviour you show to the people, the respect which you give to the society. You're never overconfident in yourself. 

I have researched what is success; Success is not when you accomplish your dreams, success is when people respect you and you and your perspective in society. Only then, you become a successful person this is what I think after seeing the world.

Vaibhav Jaiswal 
Grade 9
Sunbeam School, Lahartara

Books are our Best friends - Animesh Kashyap

Books are our best friends, there is a saying. Books give us an enormous amount of knowledge. We go to school and learn a lot of new stuff. We are taught a lot of things and we are told some things. But to completely understand all concepts in the subjects, we need to read and consult the books.

The people who tell, teach or advise us are not always there with us but the books are always with us. We can refer to them and clarify our doubts or remind ourselves of some points we have forgotten or learn a point which we have not looked into so far.

Books may be costly to buy. But good books are worth more than the money. In some cases, friends don't come to help us, but books never cheat us. They always help us whenever we fall into trouble. Books play an important role in our lives because they make us knowledgeable, and intelligent, and help us to become mature and smart people.

Animesh Kashyap
Class-VIII
Sunbeam School & Hostel Lahartara

Selfless and Compassionates - Shubhangi Kashyap

Selflessness and Compassion words are somewhat connected. Selflessness means caring more for what others need and thinking less about oneself, while compassion is all about showing sympathy and emotions or having an eagerness to help others. 

Having compassion is a genuine emotion for others. It's a powerful force that can help individuals overcome feelings of isolation and despair and can promote growth. By cultivating both compassion and selflessness, individuals can create a stronger connection with others 

Shubhangi Kashyap
Sunbeam Hostel Lahartara

Being Grateful- Monika Singh Pundir

In my words, be grateful for a thing, no matter how small or big, we should appreciate it and make the best use of it. 

When somebody is in very need of something, we can help that person in need, it would be a very big thing for the person and can even change a person's life. The person may remember the thing done for him or her. The person will be thankful as well as grateful for the help.

But being grateful for someone doesn't mean one should always bow before the person to whom the person is grateful and do everything, wrong or right, for that person who is providing the things to you. 

Monika Pundir
Class 10
PCVS

Creating Opportunity For Yourself - Divyanshu Agrawal

The best way to create opportunities for yourself is to keep learning. Always be in the learning stage. Learning does not require any age or background. You have to create opportunities and set goals for yourself. 

You should pay attention when something is happening or when someone is teaching. You should be disciplined in your work and come out of your comfort zone. 

Always be in the habit of reading and be an ardent reader. Do not be afraid to make mistakes. 

"Failure is only the opportunity more intelligently to begin again". - Henry Ford

Divyansu Agrawal 
Grade- 9
Sunbeam School Lahartara

My Contributions To Change The World - Nishan Karki

“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.” – Booker T. Washington.

Picture Courtesy: https://www.freepik.com

Today's world needs a change. There are many disparities among people. One hates others on grounds of caste, religion, colour, gender, etc. To end all these disparities, people's support and contributions are required. If these disparities end, the world will become peaceful. There will be no chaos.

Even one person can make a great impact. Many people contribute to changing the world. I also want to be one of these people. I want to see the world changing. For this, I want to make all the possible contributions.

I would like to make the following contributions to change the world:- 

• It is correctly said by someone that education is the most powerful weapon to change the world. So, take and give education. 

• We should do small acts of kindness. Even a tiny kind word can warm three winter months. Similarly, even small acts of kindness can have an everlasting impact on people. I want that impact to start with me. 

• Protection of the Environment has been a matter of great concern in today's world. Environmentalists strive to protect ecosystems from harmful human activities. We can live peacefully only if there is a safe and conducive environment. I would like to contribute to this field. I also want to tell people about the effects of pollution and the ways to reduce it. 

• Instead of spending money on unnecessary things, I would like to donate money to charity. Many people donate a large amount of money to charity. For example, Bill Gates, Ratan Tata, Warren Buffett, Shiv Nadar, etc. It is a good way of helping poor and needy people. 

• I would like to spend more time with people and talk with them about changing the world. It will also help me utilise my time instead of wasting time unnecessarily.

I have mentioned above that even one person can make a great impact. Don’t wait for a very long time; start the things to change the world. Make your contributions. Give your 100%. It starts with you. If you do not start now, you will never be ahead.

Nishan Karki

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

Vist to SchoolEducation.com - Aria Gupta

I’ve loved reading for a long time, so I chose to join the Sunday school. We read every week, every Sunday, which might sound boring, but it’s actually quite fun. Schooleducation.com is My Good School’s website meant to tell more people about it and its programs. Scroll down, and you’ll see what affordable education is to My Good School.

Then, as you scroll down, see the Happy Teachers section. This section is for all the teachers. Last but not least comes the Joy of Learning fund. You can donate there to ensure good quality education for more children. 

Click here if you want to visit too.

As a bookworm, I recommend you join it. You can think of it as a ‘special book club’ where we discuss the story and its hidden meaning.

Aria Gupta
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Meet and Greet with Karan Madhok

‘ A Beautiful Decay’ by Mr Karan Madhok is a remarkable novel that looks at the barbarity beneath the surface in countries like India and America and the toll it takes on the lives of innocents. Visceral and intense, this book dives into the dimensions of oppression we face daily. It resonates with our strength and resilience to get up whenever we fall. Tune into this podcast where the author of ‘ A Beautiful Decay’, Mr Karan Madhok, spills the beans on his novel.

Anvesha Rana - Host from Gyanshree School
Mr Karan Madhok - Author of ‘ A Beautiful Decay’ 
The album is covered by Rishona Chopra!