Buddhism rituals and practices
comprise of very intricate and detailed prayers. Prayer or Puja in
Buddhism is mainly a way of expressing dedication towards God and making
offerings to Him. Meditation also forms a part of the rituals &
practices in Buddhism. Following of the rituals moves a person forward,
on the path to enlightenment. The prayers are initiated with the evoking
of a sangha. After the Sangha has been evoked, sadhaka or dharma student
performs three prostrations, also known as three gates or three
aggregates.
They consist of the body, the speech and the mind. They also indicate
that the student has acknowledged the three bodies of Buddha, namely the
Dharmakaya, the Smbhogakaya and the Nirmanakaya. In the prostrations,
five parts of the body touch the ground. These five body parts include
the two palms, the two knees and the forehead, signifying the five
elements of earth, water, fire, air and space. The other interpretations
of the protestations symbolize the five wisdoms emanating from the five
Buddha families and the five Buddha energies.
As a student performs these protestations, he surrenders himself to the
Buddhas of past, present, and future and ten directions. The folded
hands also connote a deeper meaning as a part of the Buddhist rituals.
The touching of the ten fingers with each other symbolizes the ten
directions. The right hand represents the male, active, yang energy,
while the left hand represents the female, receptive, yin energy. When
both of them join, they epitomize the Buddha's enlightening activity of
upayakaushalya.
A number of other rituals also, follow these offerings to the deities
and the three Jewels. These rituals include Bodhisattva vows, the
100-syllable Vajrasattva mantra, mandala offerings and the seven-line
prayer of Guru Rinpoche and mon-lam prayers. After these rituals have
been performed, the student practices meditation on shunyata or
emptiness. The prayers come to an end with a ritual in which people
express joy over the good deed and merit of others. They also request
Buddha to teach them and not enter in parinirvana.
