In Japan, kids should clean their own class room by themselves. School children cleaning their classrooms is a tradition passed down from generations ago. It was such a normal activity that until today i didn't even think why. Actually, it comes from the Buddhism practice. Buddha had a pupil who had a poor memory and he couldn't read or write any letters. So, Buddha ordered him just clean all day every day. The slow but innocent and diligent boy tried as hard as he could but no matter how hard he cleaned, people still dirtied the rooms. However he kept cleaning day after day. Finally, one day,he had reached enlightenment. He found that he himself had dirt and dust in his mind and cleaned them away. In old days, people had no school like now, so temples were places they could get knowledge and manners. Since then, cleaning is the basic practice for people who wanted to learn. I heard it today for the first time in my life, and I thought "really?! Does it have such a deep meaning?? Wow! " Teachers and parents should tell their kids about this story more! You know that how hard it is to keep rooms, toilets, bathrooms, and kitchens clean and how frustrating it is when kids or your partner dirty these areas? The Japanese kids leaned nothing in cleaning time in school! The pupil, why you could sweep away your frustration when you clean other's mess? I would never reach enlightenment as you.

Japanese kids should clean their own classroom by themselves. It's quite a normal thing in our lives and has continued from generation to generation. It’s too normal for me to think of the reason why until I found out today. Actually, it comes from a Buddhist practice. Buddha had a pupil who had poor memory and he couldn't read or write any letters. So, Buddha ordered him to just clean all day long every day. The slow but innocent and diligent boy tried as hard as he could. But no matter how hard he cleaned, people got the rooms dirty and tiny dust piled on shelves and desks. Still, he kept cleaning day after day. Finally, one day, he had reached enlightenment. He found that he himself had dirt and dust in his mind and he cleaned them away. In the old days, people had no school like now, so temples were the place where they could get knowledge and learn manners. Since then, cleaning has been the basic practice for people who want to learn. I heard it today for the first time in my life, and I thought "Really?! Does it have such a deep meaning?? Wow! " Teachers and parents should tell their kids about this story more! You know how hard it is to keep rooms, the toilet, bathrooms, and the kitchen clean and how frustrated you get when your kids or partner get them dirty? Japanese kids leaned nothing from cleaning time in school! I want to ask the pupil, "Why could you sweep away your frustration when you cleaned up other's messes? I would never reach enlightenment as you did."