Question : (Unedited)
hi there what day of the week to buddhist pray. i could really use your help as iam writing about this for school thanx regards
My comment:
Hi L,
Thanks for asking me.
In the context of Christian prayer, Buddhists do not pray as we do not believe that there is any higher being to be prayed to. Prayer usually means an act to solicit, petition, or supplicate a favour from a higher being usually "God". However we recite the "suttas" which are the discourses of the Buddha. This is what we call chanting, and after that we may make an aspiration whereby the other beings existing in other planes of existence may assist us in our worldly problems.
Thanks for asking me.
In the context of Christian prayer, Buddhists do not pray as we do not believe that there is any higher being to be prayed to. Prayer usually means an act to solicit, petition, or supplicate a favour from a higher being usually "God". However we recite the "suttas" which are the discourses of the Buddha. This is what we call chanting, and after that we may make an aspiration whereby the other beings existing in other planes of existence may assist us in our worldly problems.
We do not pray to the Buddha for he is dead and gone. But his teachings which are more important, are here for us to live by. It's just like we know Faraday discovered electricity, but we don't need him around to use electricity. His discovery is more important than his personality. So is the Buddha; who advised us to practise his teachings and not to worship him.
1 comment:
this is definately the most correct answer,and very Buddhistic at that ;)
If I may add,Buddhists do not have a fixed session for devotional services.
It's a good daily routine though to recite Suttas for reflection, and that's one of the learning tools mentioned by the Buddha. To recite, to memorize, to reflect on it, to realize something from it.
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