Ways in which Buddhists Worship and Meditate
The act of worship is a very critical aspect of any religion. Generally speaking, worship is considered an act of religious devotion often directed towards a deity. This act differs significantly in the various religious groups depending on the teachings of each group. For Buddhist worship takes different forms founded on the doctrine of skillful means, ranging from activities such as mandala, guru yoga, thanka, panchamrita, yantra yoga and ganacakra. Worship in Buddhism involves a commitment to piece the triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha). In pursuit of one’s spiritual aspiration in Buddhism, the concept of meditation comes with respecting Buddha, learning the Dharma and following the advice …show more content…
According to Faelli (123) Buddhist generally have a shrine in their homes containing a Buddha statue, candles, and incense. Buddhists also worship in temples which varies in appearances of all shapes and sizes. The one thing that Buddhist temple have in common is statue of Buddha. All Buddhist temples have at least one statue of Buddha somewhere in the temple and are designed and build to represent the five elements of life: fire, air, earth, water and wisdom. To a Buddhist, what is referred to as puja forms the act of worship. Puja involves chanting and offering of purified water, incense, flowers, and candles at the shrine. The purpose of puja is to thank Buddha for sharing his knowledge with the world, and thanking him for his …show more content…
Meditation can be done both in groups and in solitude. Individual meditation usually takes place in the home. The person meditating might burn incense, light candles, and repeat portions of the Buddhist holly books. While meditating, Buddhists assume any number of meditating postures. First there is the lotus position. This is the position in which Buddha is represented in images. In this position, the meditator sits crossed legged and places each foot on the opposite thigh. For those not physically able to master this posture, there is the half lotus position. Here, only one foot is place on the opposite thigh. However, it is not necessary to assume such yoga like position to meditate. Some Buddhists simply assume a kneeling position in which they sit back on their legs. Other might meditate while standing or even walking slowly. Regardless of the postures, Buddhists focus on important things and attempt to ride the mind of worry, hatred, anger, and desire. Through meditation, they hope to make themselves calm and more aware of everything. Their ultimate goal of course is to become enlightened. When meditating in groups, Buddhists do so in rooms of a temple. Here, the meditators will offer gifts to the statue of Buddha. While everyone in attendance assumes the proper posture, monks might lead the group in various chants
The act of worship is a very critical aspect of any religion. Generally speaking, worship is considered an act of religious devotion often directed towards a deity. This act differs significantly in the various religious groups depending on the teachings of each group. For Buddhist worship takes different forms founded on the doctrine of skillful means, ranging from activities such as mandala, guru yoga, thanka, panchamrita, yantra yoga and ganacakra. Worship in Buddhism involves a commitment to piece the triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha). In pursuit of one’s spiritual aspiration in Buddhism, the concept of meditation comes with respecting Buddha, learning the Dharma and following the advice …show more content…
According to Faelli (123) Buddhist generally have a shrine in their homes containing a Buddha statue, candles, and incense. Buddhists also worship in temples which varies in appearances of all shapes and sizes. The one thing that Buddhist temple have in common is statue of Buddha. All Buddhist temples have at least one statue of Buddha somewhere in the temple and are designed and build to represent the five elements of life: fire, air, earth, water and wisdom. To a Buddhist, what is referred to as puja forms the act of worship. Puja involves chanting and offering of purified water, incense, flowers, and candles at the shrine. The purpose of puja is to thank Buddha for sharing his knowledge with the world, and thanking him for his …show more content…
Meditation can be done both in groups and in solitude. Individual meditation usually takes place in the home. The person meditating might burn incense, light candles, and repeat portions of the Buddhist holly books. While meditating, Buddhists assume any number of meditating postures. First there is the lotus position. This is the position in which Buddha is represented in images. In this position, the meditator sits crossed legged and places each foot on the opposite thigh. For those not physically able to master this posture, there is the half lotus position. Here, only one foot is place on the opposite thigh. However, it is not necessary to assume such yoga like position to meditate. Some Buddhists simply assume a kneeling position in which they sit back on their legs. Other might meditate while standing or even walking slowly. Regardless of the postures, Buddhists focus on important things and attempt to ride the mind of worry, hatred, anger, and desire. Through meditation, they hope to make themselves calm and more aware of everything. Their ultimate goal of course is to become enlightened. When meditating in groups, Buddhists do so in rooms of a temple. Here, the meditators will offer gifts to the statue of Buddha. While everyone in attendance assumes the proper posture, monks might lead the group in various chants