Buddhist worship
Places of worship
In Buddhism there is no single place of worship. This is because Buddhists can worship in the home or in the A Buddhist monastery, literally 'dwelling place' which is open to the community for study, meditation and worship. temple. Although Buddhists show devotion at home, they also use the temple as this is the heart of the community. Another place of Buddhist worship is the A burial mound or shrine built to house relics of the Buddha or an important disciple or teacher., which is a building containing special artefacts linked to the Buddha.
Temples
Temples are important as they bring Buddhists together. Within the temple there is a main room where Buddhists meet to show devotion. Within this room there is a An statue or image of the Buddha., which is an image of the Buddha. There is also a A hall or building where Buddhists meditate., which is a space where Buddhists can Thinking quietly as a spiritual or religious exercise. Connection of the mind and soul with the Divine using breathing and other techniques. In Buddhism, using one of a set of techniques or exercises for calming the mind, developing positive emotions and understanding the way things are.. There is also a space where Buddhists can learn more about Buddhism.
Buddhist temples are built so that they represent the five elements of wisdom, water, fire, wind and earth. Temples are vital for Buddhist life as they allow Buddhists to meet with likeminded people and study the religion.
Shrines
Shrines can be found within Buddhist temples. Shrines are important as they contain a statue or image of the Buddha or a Someone who has attained enlightenment but will not rest until the end of suffering of all sentient beings. To become a Bodhisattva is the goal of many Mahayana Buddhists.. These statues and images help Buddhists to focus their devotion and meditation. The statues and images are not worshipped, but they do assist Buddhists in their search for The realisation of the truth about life. In Buddhism it releases a person from the cycle of rebirth..
Whereas Meaning ‘teachings of the elders'. It is primarily focused on the Arhat path to enlightenment. This branch of Buddhism can be found in Sri Lanka and South East Asia. Buddhist shrines will always contain a statue or image of the Buddha, One of the major schools of Buddhism, it includes Tibetan and Zen Buddhism. Buddhist shrines may instead contain a statue or image of a Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva is an enlightened person who helps others to reach enlightenment. Mahayana Buddhists believe in Bodhisattvas but Theravada Buddhists do not.
Shrines are also spaces where Buddhists can make offerings. These offerings demonstrate special appreciation to the Buddha for the lessons he has given people. Common offerings include:
- flowers, to symbolise that things don’t stay the same – they are always changing
- incense, to represent the idea of purity of speech and behaviour
- candles, which are lit to represent the idea of light triumphing over darkness and knowledge triumphing over ignorance
Monasteries
Buddhists monks are very important people within Buddhism and they live in monasteries. These are places where many monks live in order to get away from distractions in the world. This enables them to show complete devotion to the Buddhist way of life.
In monasteries, monks can spend time practising their spirituality and meditating upon the teachings of the Buddha in the hope that they will reach enlightenment. Monks live a simple life as they focus their time on studying.
Puja
Ceremonies that involve meditation, prayer and offerings. Also known as devotional ritual. is the Buddhist term for worship. It enables Buddhists to show their thanks and respect to the Buddha for the lessons he has given them. Puja is important as it enables Buddhists to show that the Buddha is important to them. It also helps them to realise that it is vital for them to follow his teachings if they are to reach enlightenment.
Theravada Buddhists perform puja by putting flowers and candles in front of an image of the Buddha as an offering. In Mahayana Buddhism, puja ceremonies take place over a longer period of time.
Through prayer, Buddhists request blessings from the Buddha and sometimes ask for help. They may also perform puja in the hope of removing certain obstacles in life. These may be obstacles such as money worries or health worries. They may even be obstacles that are getting in the way of the person’s spiritual development.