Religious Identity Flashcards
What is devotion
Act of worship (puja) shows love commitment and loyalty to faith
What is the object of devotion
Object is three jewels (Buddha , dharma and sangha)
Buddhists take refuge in these so they are often referred to as three refuges
Why show devotion
Shows commitment
Help learn teachings
Better merit (punna), better rebirth
How do Buddhists show devotion
Shrine
Chanting
Bowing
How is Devotion shown at the shrine
-There is a shrine in both the Vihara and in most Buddhists homes.
-The shrine is the main place of devotion and devotion is shown around the shrine in the
following ways:
-Making an offering at a shrine, which includes the following: Flowers, candles and incense.
-Making an offering before the Buddha’s statue.
-Chanting
-Reciting pieces of scripture
-Listening to readings from the scriptures.
-Bow before the likeness of the Buddha three times.
What is Chanted for devotion
the Three Refuges
Mantras and in Mahayana: includes the Heart Sutra and om mani padme hum
Homage to Amitabha in Pure Land Buddhism.
Bowing
Bowing to images of the Buddha, (and in Mahayana also of other Buddhas and bodhisattvas)and to
religious superiors:
-a monk to a monk ordained earlier
-nun to a nun ordained earlier
-a nun to a monk, regardless of date of ordination
-lay person to a monk/nun
How does devotion generate better merit Theravada
-offerings to the shrine
-offering to the monks and nuns as Merit will help lead to a better re-birth-In Theravada tradition the lay Buddhists can not achieve enlightenment however by showing devotion to the 3 jewels and monks they can generate merit and gain a better re-birth.
Differences in Mahayana devotion
Devotion to heavenly bodhisatvas
More emphasis on chanting eg om mani padme hum
seven offerings
Devotion to heavenly bodhisatvas
In mahayana Buddhism universe is populated by heavenly bodhisatvas that have infancy greater power
Have ability to intervene and save people (as if they were gods)
Have passed through ten stages and achieved superhuman powers
Examples of heavenly bodhisatvas
Avolokitesvara
-call to connect to deity of compation
Maitreya
-worshiped as future Buddha, waiting o heaven till time is right to start the teachings of the Buddha from scratch
Chanting -mantra
In mahayana Buddhism heavy emphasis on chanting
- mantras- thought to have transformative power
Example of mantra
Om mani padme hum
- mantra associated with compation- associated with Tibetan Buddhism- chanting a mantra mindfully can be a form of meditation
Dharani
Simmular to mantra but longer, said to contain essence of a teaching, repetitive chanting may evoke beneficial healing such as protection or healing
Subtly effects the mind of the chanter
Amitabha
Practice found only in several forms of pure land Buddhism, chanting the name of amitabha while trusting they will be born into pure land where it’s much easier to work towards enlightenment
Problems with salvation through devotion
A main Buddhist doctrine is one can only reach enlightenment through one’s own effort
Asking a bodhisatva for help to reach enlightenment or a better rebirth could be seen as cheating and goes against ideas of karma
What are the seven offerings
Light, incense, water for drinking, water for washing, fruit, perfume, sound and music
What is a rupah
Image or statue of the Buddha found on shrine
Why are rupas important and how are they used
Constant reminder of enlightenment and the Buddha
Sign of respect
Represents quality of Buddha
Used as focus in meditation
Each rupa has different Mundra which can keep a Buddhist mindfull
Mundra
Hand gestures found on rupas or used in meditation
Why are Mundas important
Help express different quality’s that should be achieved
could copy them to keep them mindful of what they wish to achieve
Understood by everyone
Offerings and merit mahayana
Emphasis on transferring merit
7 offerings at shrine
