Mission

Windows into Buddhism brings together in one place trusted, original and interesting resources on Buddhism from all traditions in a lively and engaging way. It especially aims to serve those who are teaching and studying Buddhism in schools. The website is freely accessible from around the world both to the education sector and the general public.

 

Over the last thirty years more and more countries include the teaching of Buddhism within their national curriculum on World Faiths, Philosophy or Ethics. Despite this development, reliable teaching resources remain scarce, limited, scattered and difficult for busy teachers to locate. It is hoped that Windows into Buddhism will contribute to better teaching and understanding of Buddhism at a basic level of general knowledge. As a site dedicated to educational needs Windows into Buddhism will become the go-to site for anyone teaching Buddhism to children and teenagers.

Detailed description

Four guiding principles make this website distinctive and unique.

  1. Understanding Buddhism requires more than textual information. Buddhism is a vast subject. Most existing websites offer documents on Buddhist history and teachings, and they may discuss Buddhist ideas but they do not explore more broadly than this. Windows into Buddhism aims to convey the spirit, atmosphere, attitude and mental space of Buddhism through the way it is visually designed.

  2. All content can be accessed either by topic or by age group thus serving a wide spectrum of needs. Every topic is presented in terms of subject knowledge and in terms of practical teaching aids for use in physical or virtual classrooms.

  3. This site features content on, and from, the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions of Buddhism (as required by many school curricula). The entire range of Buddhist thought and practice is therefore presented here without sectarian bias. The site not only contains information about these traditions but it also draws directly on living experts who are able to share their personal experience of what it means to be a Buddhist in the modern world. In this way each tradition comes alive and has a voice.

  4. Everything that is uploaded to the site is checked for accuracy to ensure that Windows into Buddhism is recognized as an authentic, trustworthy and reliable source of information. Rather than include an overwhelming number of items on the site, content is selected with a view to covering main points and main viewpoints without unnecessary repetition or frills.

Windows into Buddhism can be distinguished by the way it combines academic knowledge with the personal understanding and experience of those inside the tradition. A small survey of school teachers in the UK, Netherlands and Germany carried out as preparation for this site clearly showed a strong appetite for personal testimonies from within the tradition to complement basic subject knowledge. The site therefore aims to offer an appropriate balance between the two while always safeguarding high standards of scholarship.

The site features critical discussions of the more controversial ideas in the Buddhist teachings and highlights the connections between Buddhist wisdom and modern thought, particularly in the fields of science, philosophy and ethics. Buddhism is not presented as an ancient system of anthropological interest but as a living and vibrant spiritual path.

The team

Dominique Side

Dominique has been studying and practising Tibetan Buddhism since her early twenties. She has a Diploma in Religious Studies from Cambridge University, UK, an M.A. in Indian Religions from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University, and a Ph.D. in Buddhist philosophy from Bristol University. She taught Buddhism in London schools for eight years and authored a popular textbook for 17 to 18 year-olds covering the AS and A2 UK syllabus: Buddhism (Philip Allan Updates, now out of print). She edited two books by H.H. the Dalai Lama, The Four Noble Truths and Transforming the Mind, and her latest book Discovering Buddhism was published by Matador in March 2022. Dominique is responsible for content development for 16-19 year-olds on this site, and for quality control of the site in general.

Daniela Dalal

Daniela is a school teacher in Heidelberg, Germany. She has been a practitioner in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition for more than 20 years. Daniela has been developing a Buddhist curriculum for children, teenagers and parents and regularly holds Buddhist courses for children and adults.

Jesse van Delft

Jesse teaches Theatre and Buddhism in primary school in The Netherlands. She has been a practitioner in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition for ten years. Jesse creates educational materials on mindfulness for youth theatre groups and has many years’ experience helping to hold retreats for children.

Amalee Rycroft

Amalée has been following the Tibetan Buddhist tradition since she was young. She has experience as an activity and programme holder of summer camps for teenagers and has received the French training and qualification ‘brevet d’aptitude aux fonctions d’animateur’ (BAFA). Amalée has studied classical Buddhist philosophy texts in depth. She received a 2:1 for her BSc Social Sciences from University College London and completed her PGCE at the University of Exeter to become a Religious Education (RE) teacher. Amalee is currently teaching in London. Amalee has developed content for 11 to 16 year olds and helps with webinars and communication.

Munisha

Munisha (Catherine Hopper) is currently vice president of the EBU and a qualified classroom teacher for secondary schools. A Buddhist since 1993, she was ordained a member of the Triratna Buddhist Order in 2003. From 1998 to 2012 she worked for The Clear Vision Trust, a former Buddhist video project specialising in classroom materials on Buddhism for Religious Education in the UK. During this time she taught thousands of young people visiting the Manchester Buddhist Centre in school groups. Munisha is a co-author of the textbook GCSE Religious Studies for AQA A: Buddhism, Oxford University Press, 2016. She develops content for this website.

Claire Zimmermann

Claire Zimmerman has been a word person since she can remember. She spent five years working as an editor for Mindful magazine, and four years managing the website for Middle Way Education. She is currently pursuing an MFA in jewellery, and now enjoys working with and polishing metal as well as words. She manages this website.

Andreas Schulz

Andreas is a graphic designer and traditional Irish singer based in Berlin, Germany. He has been a Dharma student for over 30 years.

Our team of content developers is supported by other people contributing a range of skills including video editing, making illustrations and website creation and management.