Buddhist Worship Flashcards
Where can Buddhists worship?
Buddhists can worms up either in a communal space such as temple, or at home.
What is a temple?
A place where Buddhists come together to practise. It is often at the heart of a Buddhist community, and can be found in different shapes and sizes.
What is the importance of the temple in Buddhist worship?
Temples are important centre for religious life in Buddhism. They are a place where Buddhists can study, meditate and practise together. Buddhists may listen to talks given by members of the monastic community, and lay people may take offerings (e.g food) to the shrines and to the monks within the temples, to support them.
What is the Main Hall?
With a shrine dedicated to the Buddha or a Bodhisattva.
The focus is a statue (a Buddharupa).
What is a Meditation Hall (Gompa)?
Where lay and monks can focus on practising different techniques.
What is a Study Hall?
A study hall for meetings and lectures.
What is a Shrine?
Here Buddhists make offerings to Buddha and express gratitude for his techniques and example.
What is a Stupa?
Tiered tower that is sometimes used to contain holy relics.
Designed to symbolise the 5 Buddhist elements; wisdom, air, fire, water and earth.
Why are stupas an important part of monasteries?
Sight of pilgrimage, contains holy relics from Buddha or other important Buddhist figures (Arhat).
What is a monastery (Vihara)?
A building where a community of Buddhist monks or nuns live.
Live a simple lifestyle - monasteries fulfil they basic needs.
What objects to Buddhists offer during Puja to the Shrine?
Incense for purity - in our thoughts and actions as written in the Eightfold Path.
Candle for wisdom - because light drives away the darkness of ignorance.
Flowers for impermanence - Anicca.
What mudras is the teaching Buddha in?
- Right hand at shoulder level with tips of thumb and index touching forming a circle. Palm of right hand faces inward.
- Left hand has its palm facing up, positioned near lap.
What mudras is the Protection Buddha in?
- Sits with right hand raised facing outward.
- Left hand extended out or palm in lap.
What mudras is the Enlightened Buddha in?
- Legs crossed
- Left hand in lap
- Right hand pointing to ground with palm facing inward.
What is the difference between a Theravada and Mahayana Shrine?
- Theravada shrines normally have an image of the Buddha only.
- Mahayana shrines have the focus of a statue of a Bodhisattva.
