Devotional Practices

Question 1

What does Triratna mean?

Answer 1

Three Jewels

Question 2

What does the Triratna symbolise?

Answer 2

• The top jewel represents the Buddha
• The left hand jewel represents the dhamma
• The right hand jewel represents the Sangha (The Buddhist community)

Question 3

What is the Triratna compared to?

Answer 3

A three legged stool

-All three parts are needed for the chair to stand

Question 4

What does the Triratna form an integral part of?

Answer 4

The Puja

Question 5

What is Mantra recitation?

Answer 5

Repeating a phrase many times during Puja and meditation.

Question 6

Whos Mantra is extremely common in Mahayanan Buddhism?

Answer 6

Avalokittesvara’s

-It is believed that by hearing, saying, seeing this mantra great blessings will come from Avalokittesvara.

Question 7

What is a common device used in Mantra recitation?

Answer 7

Mala beads

-There are usually 108 of them

Question 8

Common prayer technique

Answer 8

Reciting mantra-counting with mala beads in right hand-spinning prayer wheel in left hand

Question 9

What is a Mudra?

Answer 9

A hand gesture

• Used in devotional practices
• Statues and images of Buddha and Bodhisattvas often display different Mudras as a symbol of an important teaching.
• In some aspects of Buddhism-mainly Tibetan- they will focus on their own hand gestures so that the mudra becomes a mantra for the body. In this case it becomes a physical focus for meditation.

Question 10

What can Puja involve?

Answer 10

• Mantras
• Mudras
• Prayer wheels
• Mala beads

Question 11

Give a description of a Mudra:

Answer 11

Mudra of warding off evil- The thumb holds down the two middle fingers whilst the thumb and index fingers stand straight.
-This symbolises the horns of a yak warding off an enemy, reminding Buddhists of the need to ward away the 3 poisons.