Praying Aloud, Praying Allowed (Comment)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dhammasociety/2263608802/

This is my comment:

The Buddha's teachings are very straight forward. Actually during the Buddha's time there wasn't any rites and rituals. Whatever they performed were in accordance with their traditional practises. These practices were Indian (Indo-aryan)customary rituals. Nothing to do with Buddhism. The Buddha revealed the universal truths and the followers simply conduct their lives in accordance with these universal truths. Universal truths have no boundaries. They are beyond time and space and race and nationality. That is why followers can practise Buddhism without having to change their customs and traditions. That is why we have Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Japanese Buddhism and what have you. Of course, we do have deviant cults who also called themselves Buddhists.

As Theravada Buddhists, we follow a very simple "ritual" when we pay homage to the Buddha in the form of reciting "homage" to the Buddha, and taking the "3 Refuges" and the "5 Precepts". During the Buddha's time he encouraged his monks to recite certain discourses given by him, for protection as well as for radiating vibrations of goodwill. To-day we also recite a number of his discourses called suttas, for the same purpose. When we pay homage to the Buddha we need not have to say it aloud. Our mental vibrations are good enough.