I congratulate Ambassador Data' Dr. Ananda Kumarasiri for his significant scholarship on a topic of great global concern. His latest book would contribute appreciably towards the much needed mutual understanding, respect, goodwill, unconditional benevolence, tolerance and moderation in life that are desperately needed to soothe the troubled world we live in. As he pinpoints, leaders themselves must lead by example. Further, as he stresses, the cultivation of a wholesome mental culture from the time of conception of a child in the mother's womb and constant reinforcement of this enculturation through 'home education' and a holistic system of education in school is paramount.
H. E. President Maithripala Sirisena
This immensely insightful and thought-provoking book would go a long way to dismiss superstitions, prejudices, misinformation and bigoted teachings about symbols and symbolism. I feel sure that it will also greatly encourage peoples from around the world to embrace diversity, pluralism, multiculturalism and inter-religious understanding that would most certainly lead to harmony and peace. I highly recommend this book as a must-read guidebook and for it to be included as a prescribed text in schools.
B. Saranankara, Nayaka Maha Thera, Malaysia
This is a most timely book that takes the readers on a vast journey of knowledge and historical understanding of symbols and symbolism, especially of religious orientation. Ananda Kumarasiri is a prolific writer whose depth of knowledge and storytelling prowess keeps the readers glued from one page to the next as they revel in human's inter-connectivity and celebrate multiculturalism, inter-religious understanding, peace and harmony.
Toyin Ajao, Research Fellow, University of Pretoria
Symbols matter. Symbols speak to the life of a culture and community. By writing this comprehensive book about Buddhist symbols and symbolism, Dr. Kumarasiri is inviting us to re-engage with the motifs and archetypes that shape Buddhist consciousness and values, and bring them back to the forefront of individual and national life. In a world of violent and divisive dimes, we need more than ever, people who are willing to share these symbols and what they represent to the world.
Su Shan Lam Hong Kong (Raymond), Senior Writer, Buddhistdoor Global

Children all over the world love riddles. From as early as age 7 years, riddles can easily and quickly be a favourite form of verbal amusement and an effective way of developing communication and language skills. Since children enjoy riddles, this invariably becomes a contagious fun-filled learning activity. Simultaneously, their young curious minds are simulated and their ability to articulate thoughts and ideas are sharpened. Further, their vocabulary expands effortlessly while they gleefully exchange riddles with family and friends. An interesting fun aspect of riddles is that often the expected answer does not turn out right as in words that can be cast to give an interesting twist to its meaning such as in puns and idioms.
The pleasure children derive from riddles is an invaluable gift that parents and teachers should provide. Their little ones would get inspired and create their own riddles in the process. Among other positive spin-offs, this greatly boosts their innate creativity and understanding of logical relationship of words, that in turn, enhances their overall intellectual prowess.
Beyond question, riddles present a most powerful learning educational tool in respect to developing proficiency in language in a fun-filled way.

Emperor Ch'eng Tang of the ancient Chinese King¬dom of Ch'u was a very powerful ruler. The Emper¬or was also famous for his wisdom and compassion¬ate character. Under his able rule Ch'u expanded in all directions and progressed rapidly. As a policy, the Emperor toured his kingdom regularly in order to find out for himself the security of the kingdom's boundaries and the welfare of his subjects. The Emperor also loved to hunt wild animals while he toured the countryside.
On one of his royal tours the Emperor came across a very strange behaviour of a mischievous monkey. It had humiliated the Emperor's generals so much so that the he was compelled to order his expert marks¬man, General Yang Youchi to kill the monkey. But when the monkey began to cry like a baby, Emperor Ch'eng Tang was curious to know the cause of its sudden sad attitude.
General Yang Youchi explained to Emperor Ch'eng Tang the monkey's profound sadness on knowing that it was about to be killed by him because of his superb marksmanship. The Emperor ordered that the monkey's life be spared. Further, he ruled that there would be no more hunting during his tours of the country. To this day, Emperor Ch'eng Tang is venerated for his wisdom and deep compassion.

From ancient China comes a story of a young farmer
named Tan Ah Chong who was taught a most important lesson in life by his compassionate young son. It
reveals the deep rooted Chinese culture of close family
life. This is based on living as an extended family where
parents live with their children and grandchildren under
one roof. The story also highlights the deeply entrenched
Chinese trait of honouring their filial duty parents.
The story revolves around a young Chinese farmer who
is persuaded by his wife to carry his frail old father in a
rattan basket into the forest to abandon him there to perish. Fortunately, he is prevented from carrying out this
unpardonable scheme by his compassionate young son.
Both parents realise their folly upon understanding their
son’s explanation.
This story has been passed on from one generation to
another to inculcate the Chinese cultural trait of practicing filial piety from a young age.
Though the moral and ethical lessons are based on an old
Chinese story, it should be read by all children around
the world. Its moral lesson should be followed by everyone, regardless of their race, religion, culture, social
status, gender, station in life or any other difference.

The Smiths were an ordinary farming family who lived
in the district of Devon in England. They did not own
a large farm. However, they worked hard and managed
to live a happy family life. Everyone in the family cooperated and worked as a team and helped each other
out in the farm. Each one in the family gave her or his
best shot. This was the secret of their success in building a high reputation for their organic farm products.
The family experienced a grave misfortune when Mr.
Smith died after a serious illness. Mrs. Smith courageously managed the farm with the help of her three
young children. No sooner the Smiths were able to run
the farm successfully, a second tragedy struck. One
night a fierce storm swept across Devon and damaged
their rather old house. The roof began to leak badly.
Mrs. Smith decided to build a new house. Each evening the Smiths would carry buckets of sand from the
nearby stream and pile them up at the site where they
intended to build their new home.
Most unexpectedly, a severe storm broke out and it
rained right through the night till the next morning. As
soon as the storm stopped, the Smiths ran out to see
that the piles of sand had been swept away. Little Jack,
however, ran ahead and spotted a glittering precious
stone amongst the washed away sand. The Smiths were
able to sell it for a good price. They then had enough
money to contract a company to build their new home.
The story teaches us to be spirited and work hard and
we will be duly rewarded.

The epic life-story of Prince Siddhartha is a superb guide for actualizing our success, well-being, real lasting happiness and peace, here and now in this very life. The Prince was destined to be a Cakravati Raja (King of Kings or Emperor). He chose instead to realise his aspiration to be a Cakravati Dhamma — Turner of the Wheel of Righteousness or Universal Teacher of the Ultimate Truth. By unravelling the path to sukha or real lasting happiness, he created a Universal Kingdom of Righteousness for the benefit of all humankind.
Siddhartha chose to think laterally, that is, to think out of the box and strive beyond conventional methods to attain Bodhi, or, Supreme Self-Enlightenment. Instead of depending on an External Being or Power to find the path to sukha, he relied totally on his shraddha (confidence), adhitthana (resolute determination) and viraya (positive energy). Thus, he demonstrated by his own life-example that we can all overcome problems and challenges in life, that are significantly far more mundane, through self-reliance and self-effort.
As a role model of kindness, compassion, altruism, peace and numerous other fine humane qualities that he perfected, Siddhartha is truly a Glorious Noble Prince of Righteousness to be revered. His thinking, attitude and character are worthy of emulation, regardless of one's ethnicity, culture, social status, gender or religious persuasion.
This presentation of Siddhartha is designed for a wide readership. Parents can spend enjoyable quality time bonding with their child by following the captions of the graphic illustrations and narrating the significant events. Adolescents, youth and adults can relish the story as a classic and benefit from the invaluable lesson that it holds. Schools can use the text for staging a drama, encouraging the reading habit, promoting proficiency in English and sharpening reading and comprehension skills.

ANGULIMALA REAL-LIFE STORY
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
ANGULIMALA: NGULIMALA:
Transforming Life
By
G.K. Ananda Kumarasiri
The real life-story of Angulimala’s dual transformation from being a
diligent, virtuous student to a notorious serial killer, and subsequently,
to a Saint has been retold for over two thousand six hundred years. It
has never failed to evoke powerful emotions in the reader or listener.
This presentation is crafted to cater to a wide readership, ranging
from young children to teenagers and adults.
Parents can introduce the moral lessons of the historic Angulimala
episode to their children as young as three years old, by reading in
sequence the captions of the illustrations. A picture is worth a
thousand words. A child can grasp the essence of the story through
these graphic illustrations. Parents can use them to narrate to their
young ones in simple language the sequence of events and
happenings of the legendary story and the moral lessons to be drawn
from it. Teenagers and youths would find the story a classic that
makes for enjoyable reading. Simultaneously, they can benefit from
understanding the underlying life-principles such as the Universal
Law of Karma. Further, the story would inspire them to actualize their
individual goals in life.
Parents are encouraged to bring up their child with metta
(unconditional friendliness or benevolence or goodwill) and karuna
(compassion). Expectant mothers and their immediate families can
draw deep shraddha (confidence) so essential for motherhood from
Arahanth Angulimala – the Patron Saint of Mothers. They would
better appreciate the inherent power of the protective blessings
evoked from reciting or listening to the Angulimala Paritta regularly.
In addition, they would benefit profoundly from observing gabbha
parihara (protection and the psychological, emotional and spiritual
development of the foetus), based on ancient wisdom for ensuring a
holistic development and growth of their unborn baby and for a
successful birth. The book can be also used as a text for English
comprehension and for staging a drama in school

Children love stories, especially those that carry a moral ring. Parents, caregivers and teachers should make a deliberate effort to cultivate their inborn interest to probe and learn by developing the reading habit through moving holistic stories.

This book is designed to stimulate curiosity, imagination, oratory skills and other important learning traits in a child by ingraining a holistic learning approach that would become second nature in adult life. The child would naturally become a life-long learner as well. It is also crafted as an inspiring guide for personal self-development among the young. It can be used to stage a play in school as well.

Discussion and reflection time encourages the child to have a clearer understanding of the text as well as trigger interactive learning and to apply the story line in real life. Finally, the colourful illustrations that animate the major happenings and portray the principal characters help to promote creativity. The holistic education books make excellent bed-time stories for children. Parents can spend enjoyable quality time with their child as young as three years by using them to narrate the story.

Children love stories, especially those that carry a moral ring. Parents, caregivers and teachers should make a deliberate effort to cultivate their inborn interest to probe and learn by developing the reading habit through moving holistic stories.

This book is designed to stimulate curiosity, imagination, oratory skills and other important learning traits in a child by ingraining a holistic learning approach that would become second nature in adult life. The child would naturally become a life-long learner as well. It is also crafted as an inspiring guide for personal self-development among the young. It can be used to stage a play in school as well.

Discussion and reflection time encourages the child to have a clearer understanding of the text as well as trigger interactive learning and to apply the story line in real life. Finally, the colourful illustrations that animate the major happenings and portray the principal characters help to promote creativity. The holistic education books make excellent bed-time stories for children. Parents can spend enjoyable quality time with their child as young as three years by using them to narrate the story.

For centuries the English alphabet has been taught by associating the letter A with apple and so on to millions of children who never even saw an apple, let alone an apple tree! To continue with the conventional, cognitive-based methodology in teaching the alphabet is to deny the child affective and psycho-motor modes of leaming. This novel alphabet book based on holistic education enables a child to master the alphabet and develop vocabulary in an interesting, enjoyable and fun-way of learning. Simultaneously, the child can learn human values and imbue noble life-ideals. In addition, the lessons enable the child to internalise knowledge through experiential learning. For example, the letter A is associated with altar. The significance of the altar is reinforced through the family’s daily religious activities such as offering flowers and incense. Also, by observing virtuous practices daily as a family, human values get inter-nalised. For instance, the child is encouraged to be as fragrant as the flowers and incense offered. The seed for the child to grow up as a respected, responsible human being is thus planted. Such underlying human values can be simulated in the classroom as well as at home.

Furthermore, direct parental involvement with the child’s learning experience is greatly facilitated. With this objective in mind simple action-oriented sentences connected with individual letters are introduced. They serve as ‘ques’ or ‘openers’ for parents and teachers to internalise human values, morals, ethics and civic-mindedness in the child from a young age. Parents and teachers are able to inter-act with the child after initiating discussion on specific human values and life-ideals introduced. Children love colours and pictures. Thus the child is introduced to the world of colours along with instructional illustrations which stimulate the imagination and encourage creativity.

The aim of the writing overdoes incorporated into the lessons is to enable the child to develop fine motor skills from the outset. Guidance is therefore provided on the:

i) correct way to hold the pencil;
ii) correct sitting deportment for writing;
iii) correct way to place the book or paper for writing; and
iv) recognition of colours.

The alphabet book is designed for children from ages 3 to 7, depending on the learning curve of the individual child, and, the degree of ‘home education’ he or she receives from parents, elders, caregivers and teachers.

Easily one of the greatest and most enduring life-stories, it is bound to lift the spirits and touch the reader’s inner being. Powerful emotions and profound thoughts unfold as the glorious Prince Siddhartha is brought to life from the mists of history.

Siddhartha was deliberately shielded from the Imperfections and sufferings of life by his father, King Suddhodana. The King strove to ensure that his son became the prophesied Cakkavatti Raja (Universal King). Siddhartha chose instead to be a Dhamma Acariya (Universal Teacher of Truth) and profoundly changed the course of human history. What he achieved was not worldly power but immense power over his thoughts, speech and actions. His life-story classically illustrates that the cultivation of a wholesome mental self-culture is key to achieving that elusive inner peace and happiness all of us so earnestly seek.

The Siddhartha epic offers other invaluable lessons in life. It was through right aspiration, unyielding resolve and relentless perseverance that he realised his Supreme Attainment. He demonstrated that our goals in life rest within us and are to be actualised through self-reliance and self-effort. The challenges he surmounted, stirs the reader’s inspiration and shraddha to realise his or her innate talents and skills.

Children all over the world love riddles. From as early as age 7 years, riddles can easily and quickly be a favourite form of verbal amusement and an effective way of developing communication and language skills. Since children enjoy riddles, this invariably becomes a contagious fun-filled learning activity. Simultaneously, their young curious minds are simulated and their ability to articulate thoughts and ideas are sharpened. Further, their vocabulary expands effortlessly while they gleefully exchange riddles with family and friends. An interesting fun aspect of riddles is that often the expected answer does not tum out right as in words that can be cast to give an interesting twist to its meaning such as in puns and idioms.

The pleasure children derive from riddles is an invaluable gift that parents and teachers should provide. Their little ones would get inspired and create their own riddles in the process. Among other positive spin-offs, this greatly boosts their innate creativity and understanding of logical relationship of words, that in turn, enhances their overall intellectual prowess.

Beyond question, riddles present a most powerful learning educational tool in respect to developing proficiency in language in a fun-filled way.

Children love stories, especially those that carry a moral ring around it. Parents, caregivers and teachers should make a deliberate effort to cultivate the innate interest in a child to read and develop this into a well-grounded reading habit. This book is designed, in addition, to stimulate the curiosity, imagination and communication skills of a child from a young age. When these holistic learning ingredients are ingrained, they become second nature in adult life. In the process, the child becomes a life-long learner.
Discussion and reflection time introduced at the conclusion of the story encourages the child to sharpen her or his understanding of the text. His also helps the child to apply the story line in real life. The colourful illustrations are aimed at animating the major happenings in the story. They also graphically portray the profile of the principal characters. In addition, the book can be used as a text in school to stage a play.
The holistic education series make excellent bed-time stories for children. Parents can spend enjoyable quality time with their child, from as young as three years, by narrating the story through the illustrations and accompanying captions.

Matu-Posaka is an edifying parable highlighting the supreme joy a young elephant experienced in caring after its blind mother that has touched the hearts of millions through the centuries. This moving story is 3 more relevant today than ever before. It inspires the younger generation to follow the noble example of Matu-Posaka. It also touches on a number of other important life-ideals, in particular the importance of nurturing a wholesome family life and fostering peaceful and harmonious societies.

The joy of honouring parents in their living years forms the central theme. This age-old moral principle which stood as a pillar ofAsian culture has suffered serious erosion in the fast-paced modern world. In some countries, the situation has reached a point where governments had to enact laws compelling children to look after their aged parents. The way Matu-Posaka nursed his blind mother should move us humans who are far more intelligent, to honour and care for our parents in their twilight years.

The book is designed to cater for a wide readership. Parents can spend enjoyable time bonding with their child by reading the captions of the illustrations and narrating the events depicted. The illustrations by themselves graphically capture the essence of the parable. Adolescents, youth and adults can enjoy reading the story as a classic and at the same time benefit from the gems of wisdom it holds. Schools can use the text for staging a drama, encouraging the reading habit and simultaneously promoting proficiency in English.

The life story of Prince Siddhartha is presented ina simple, yet interesting and fun way to encourage the reading habit among children. The narration is intentionally spared an overload of details and elaboration of events and happenings that normally appear in a historical epic. The aim of the narration is to arouse the child’s innate curiosity. Simultaneously, the child would appreciate the gentle, kind and compassionate nature of Siddhartha. Parents, teachers and caregivers are to kindle the innate interest in the child to inquire and probe into many of the events and happenings in Siddhartha’s life-story. The child would naturally be motivated to read in greater detail about the Prince’s nobleness, compassion, love, courage and wisdom as he or she grows up in life.

The child would hence develop a keen interest to read more about Siddhartha’s great conquest over evil through his righteousness. This would encourage the child to be a self-directed learner. Such a positive outcome would most certainly prove an invaluable asset in his or her life. In turn, this would help to promote an interest to read and learn more of the Buddha’s Noble Teachings. As the renowned Chinese Sage, Confucius, had stressed, “a picture is worth a hundred words”. Children would find the colourful illustrations in the book fascinating. They help to capture the emotions, drama and the glory that adorn Siddhartha’s life-story.

The Story King Bimbisara and unparalled father's love.

Children all over the world love riddles. From as early as age 7 years, riddles can easily and quickly be a favourite form of verbal amusement and an effective way of developing communication and language skills. Since children enjoy riddles, this invariably becomes a contagious fun-filled learning activity Simultaneously, their young curious minds are simulated and their ability to articulate thoughts and ideas are sharpened. Further, their vocabulary expands effortlessly while they gleefully exchange riddles with family and friends. An interesting fun aspect °Middles is that often the expected ansvmr does note urn out right as in words that can be cast to give an interesting twist to its meaning such as in puns and idioms.

The pleasure children derive from riddles is an invaluable gift that parents and teachers should provide. Their hole ones would get inspired and create their own riddles in the process. Among other positive spin-offs, this greatly boosts their innate creativity and understanding of logical relationship of words, that in tum, enhances their overall intellectual prowess. Beyond question, riddles present a most powerful teaming educational tool in respect to developing proficiency in language in a fim-filled way.