In short
Themes: Sikhism; generosity; giving; receiving; sharing.
Summary: This assembly, which is suitable for an act of collective worship, focuses on a story from Sikhism called ‘The Rich Man and The Needle’ which can be used to explore the theme of generosity.
Resources: The framework to download / print (pdf); an image of the word ‘Generosity’ to display; you could also source a picture of a chest full of treasure to display as children come into assembly.
The video
OMAR: Hello, I'm Omar and this is the amazing story of The Rich Man and the Needle.
A long time ago, there was a man called Duni Chand. Duni Chand was very rich.
He had more money than he knew what to do with.
STORY NARRATOR: These people were hungry and pleaded for some of Duni's money.
OMAR: But he wasn't generous with it at all.
Duni Chand didn't share his money with people, he just kept it all for himself. But one day, he had a very special visitor – a man called Guru Nanak.
STORY NARRATOR: Guru Nanak was a very good teacher, giving his wise words, care, and time to those who needed them.
DUNI: Oh, Namaste. You're very welcome here, Guru Nanak. Please—oh, sorry. Sit. [NERVOUS LAUGH] I am honoured by your visit here today.
OMAR: Guru Nanak noticed all the flags that were outside the house and he wondered why they were there. Duni proudly replied…
DUNI: There are a lot of flags as I have a lot of money. [LAUGHS]
OMAR: Guru Nanak didn't say anything. He was thinking of a clever way to explain to Duni that it's more important to be generous than to be rich.
Guru Nanak pulled out a small wooden needle and gave it to Duni Chand. Guru Nanak asked Duni Chand if he believed he would go to heaven after he died. Duni replied, "Well, yes, of course, Guru Nanak, I hope."
Guru Nanak asked him to take the needle, to look after it for all his life, and then to give it back to him when they'd both died and gone to heaven.
Duni agreed.
Duni felt very puzzled. Why was this needle so important to Guru Nanak? How could you take a needle with you after you die? Duni told his wife about it. She was very wise and told him that there's only one answer: it was impossible. He wouldn't be able to take the needle with him to heaven after he died. He must give it back to Guru Nanak.
DUNI: Please, take this needle back. I now realise that I can't take the needle with me and I also know that I can't take any money with me either. All I can take with me are my good deeds.
OMAR: From that day, Duni Chand decided to be really generous and give lots to people who really needed it. Who wants some fruit?
That is an old Sikh story from the life of Guru Nanak. Thank you so much for helping tell today's story. See you soon, bye!
The story is called The Rich Man and The Needle and is a story from the Sikh faith. The story tells how Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, meets Duni Chand, a very wealthy man, and how Guru Nanak teaches him to be generous.
Guru Nanak gives Duni Chand a needle to keep with him all his life and to return to Guru Nanak after they had both died. Duni Chand seeks the counsel of his wife and realises that this is not possible - he cannot take the needle with him when he dies. He realises he cannot take his money with him when he dies either and this leads to him becoming more generous.
This can help us to reflect on the value of generosity and what can happen if we share what we have.
Video questions
- Who is Guru Nanak? (The founder of the Sikh religion)
- What does Guru Nanak give Duni Chand? (A needle)
- What does Guru Nanak ask Duni Chand to do? (He asks him to give him the needle back when he and his wife die)
- What does Duni Chand realise? (That he cannot take anything with him when he dies)
- What does Duni Chand decide to do? (He decides to become more generous)
Key links
Assembly framework (pdf) document
Download / print the assembly framework ready for use
Generosity. image
Click for the full size image.
Suggested framework
1. Entry
Play your chosen music and display the image of the chest full of treasure.
2. Introduction
Ask children to look at the picture of the treasure chest. Ask them what they would do with it if all the treasure were theirs? Gather some ideas about what it means to be ‘generous’. Ask everyone if they can think of a time where someone was generous to them. Explain that in the story they are about to watch there is a character called Duni Chand who is not very generous…but that Duni Chand will learn that it is important to change.
3. Play the video
The duration is 3’ 51” and the final words are: ‘See you soon! Bye!’
4. After the video - Time to talk
You could ask some or all of the Video questions above to aid children’s recall of the story. Then lead a discussion about the story and the theme of generosity as follows:
- How did Duni Chand feel at the beginning of the story about being so rich?
- How did you feel when you heard the poor, hungry people pleading with Duni for a little of his money?
- Why did Duni have a lot of flags?
- How would you describe what Duni was like at this point in the story, when he told Guru Nanak why he had a lot of flags?
- What important lesson did Guru Nanak want Duni Chand to learn?
- When Duni realised he couldn’t take the needle with him to heaven, what else did he realise?
- What did Duni decide to do after he had realised he couldn’t take the needle to heaven with him?
- How did Duni change throughout the story?
5. Opportunity to sing
Suggestions from BBC collections below.
6. Opportunity for reflection
Close your eyes for a moment…
In the story Duni Chand had lots of money…but Guru Nanak had wise words, care and time to share with others…
Think about all that you have to share. Imagine sharing your gifts, your skills or your possessions with those around you. Can you imagine their faces?
I wonder how you feel knowing you can be generous with what you have and make a difference to others…
Next time you are given something, think how generous that person has been to you and think how you might carry that on by sharing with others…
7. Opportunity for prayer
Begin with your usual form of address (‘Dear God’, ‘Let us pray’, etc) and:
Thank you for the story of ‘The Rich Man and The Needle’ teaching us the value of generosity.
Thank you for all the things that are given to us and all the times when people share with us.
Help us to be generous with all we are given. May we not take more than we really need and may we always be ready to share what we can with others.
Amen.
Suggested songs
Song: 'While we live we learn' (All about our school, no 3. Vocal version)
While we live we learn, (while we live we learn,)
While we learn we grow, (while we learn we grow,)
And the more we grow, (and the more we grow,)
So the more we know, (so the more we know,)
And the more we know, (and the more we know,)
Then the readier we will be
For all life's big adventures
And all life's mysteries.
While we live we learn, (while we live we learn,)
While we learn we grow, (while we learn we grow,)
And the more we grow, (and the more we grow,)
So the more we know, (so the more we know,)
And the more we know, (and the more we know,)
Then the readier we will be
For all life's big adventures
And all life's mysteries.
For all life's big adventures
And all life's mysteries.
Song: 'We will grow' (All about our school, no 10)
(Chorus)
We will grow
And share with each other,
We will show
That we care for one another,
‘Cos we know
We are sisters and brothers in the eyes of God above.
We are growing together in love.
- Some things grow very quickly,
Sometimes they’re very slow.
Sometimes you can see What they’re going to be,
Sometimes you just don’t know.
(Chorus)
We will grow
And share with each other,
We will show
That we care for one another,
‘Cos we know
We are sisters and brothers in the eyes of God above.
We are growing together in love.
- Sometimes it seems like magic
That happens every day.
But it’s all been planned,
Made by God’s own hand,
‘Cos creation it works that way.
(Chorus)
We will grow
And share with each other,
We will show
That we care for one another,
‘Cos we know
We are sisters and brothers in the eyes of God above.
We are growing together in love.
We are growing together in love.
We are growing together in love.
See also...
Sikhism: Values for living - KS1 assembly from BBC Teach about the values of Sikhism, featuring the story of Guru Nanak and Duni Chand
Sikhism - KS2 assembly from BBC Teach about the values of Sikhism
