1.2.3

Puja

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Puja

Puja refers to honour, worship and devotion.

Puja

Puja

  • Puja is seen as the way to prepare for the path to enlightenment.
  • Puja can be expressed through body, speech and mind, it is a giving in order to help others and ourselves.
  • It is an example of inner devotion as more important than any ritual for Buddhists.
Puja in different forms

Puja in different forms

  • In Theravada Buddhism, the people's puja is focused on gaining merit and a personal benefit from it.
  • In Mahayana Buddhism, the focus is more on the merit of other people and asking Buddhas to keep teaching for the good of the world.

Forms of Puja

Blessing, merit-making, prostration, offering, recitation, meditation and pilgrimage are the forms of Puja.

Blessing, merit-making, prostration

Blessing, merit-making, prostration

  • Ceremonies are meant to provide a blessing, asking Buddha for a blessing or for repentance to be freed from kamma.
  • Merit is a gained form of energy, through certain merit-making practices, targeted at a goal, another person or deity.
  • Prostration is an expression of humility to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, usually done three times.
Offering, Recitation and Meditation

Offering, Recitation and Meditation

  • Offerings can be made to a Buddha image.
  • The end of the darkness of ignorance is represented by Candles and Lights offered.
  • Mahayana Buddhism practice giving seven offerings, two are for hospitality and five for the senses.
  • Traditional texts, such as the Three Refuges, are often recited.
  • There is meditation and visualisation of the Buddha Amitabha.
Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage

  • The pinnacle of all devotion is seen as puja in the form of pilgrimage.
  • The Buddha recommended a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya to his followers.
  • There are many Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Asia.

Mantra Recitation

A mantra is a sacred sound which Buddhists believe to have a spiritual power.

Mantra

Mantra

  • Theravada tradition's best known mantra is 'Namo Buddhaya', which means homage to Buddha.
  • Mantras guard the spiritual life and also developed to include some Mahayana sutras such as 'White Lotus Sutra' and the 'Lankavatara Sutra'.
  • The 'Om ah hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum' is the mantra of the Vajraguru Gurur Padma Sambhava, the group who established the Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet.
Mala beads

Mala beads

  • Mala beads keep count while chanting or silently repeating a mantra.
  • Made of usually 18, 27, 54 or 108 beads, they remind people that it is possible to break the cycle of birth and death.
  • Tibetan Buddhism use 108 beads.
  • They are made from either the wood of the bodhi tree or from rattan seeds.
  • Mala beads are made from different materials depending on the mantra being recited.
Offerings

Offerings

  • Offerings are given as a form of preparation for meditation.
  • Symbolic offerings are made to the Three Jewels, typically incense, flowers, candles and food and drink.
  • Offerings are made in hope of accumulating merit for a better rebirth.
  • In Thai culture, offerings are places on phan trays by the shrines.
Jump to other topics
1

Buddhism

1.1

Key Beliefs

1.1.1The Dhamma1.1.2The Five Skandhas1.1.3Aspects of Human Life1.1.4The Buddha1.1.5The Ascetic & Enlightened Life1.1.6Dhukka1.1.7Samudaya1.1.8Nirodha1.1.9Magga1.1.10The Wheel of Life1.1.11End of Topic Test - Buddhism Key Beliefs
1.2

Practices

1.2.1Places of Worship1.2.2Objects of Worship1.2.3Puja1.2.4Meditation1.2.5Death1.2.6Festivals1.2.7End of Topic Test - Buddhism Practices
1.3

Ethics

1.3.1Kamma1.3.2Five Moral Precepts1.3.3End of Topic Test - Buddhism Ethics
2

Christianity

2.1

Key Beliefs

2.1.1The Nature of God2.1.2The Problem of Evil2.1.3Monotheism2.1.4Creation2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation2.1.6The Trinity and Creation2.1.7Afterlife2.1.8Heaven and Hell2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs
2.2

Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.2.1The Incarnation2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human2.2.3The Crucifixion2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension2.2.6Sin2.2.7Original Sin2.2.8Punishment2.2.9The Means of Salvation2.2.10Achieving Salvation2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation2.2.13Theories of Salvation2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation
2.3

Worship & Festivals

2.3.1Different Forms of Worship2.3.2Prayer2.3.3Sacrament2.3.4Baptism2.3.5Other Sacraments2.3.6Eucharist2.3.7Pilgrimage & Celebrations2.3.8Christmas & Easter2.3.9End of Topic Test - Worship and Festivals
2.4

Community

2.4.1Local Community2.4.2Mission, Evangelism & Church Growth2.4.3Worldwide Church2.4.4Reconciliation2.4.5Persecution2.4.6Caring for Those in Need2.4.7End of Topic Test - Community2.4.8Exam-Style Questions - Christian Practices
3

Catholicism (Christianity)

3.1

Key Beliefs

3.1.1The Trinity3.1.2Creation3.1.3Incarnation3.1.4Redemption3.1.5Life After Death3.1.6Heaven and Hell3.1.7End of Topic Test - Catholic Key Beliefs
3.2

The Seven Sacraments

3.2.1Meaning & Significance3.2.2Baptism3.2.3Confirmation3.2.4Reconciliation3.2.5Anointing of the Sick3.2.6Marriage3.2.7Holy Orders3.2.8The Eucharist3.2.9End of Topic Test - The Seven Sacraments
3.3

Practices

3.3.1Prayer3.3.2Popular Piety3.3.3Pilgrimage3.3.4Pilgrimages HyperLearning3.3.5Funeral Rites3.3.6The Duty to Love Our Neighbour3.3.7Catholic Agencies3.3.8Catholic Social Teaching3.3.9Justice3.3.10War3.3.11Mission & Evangelism3.3.12End of Topic Test - Catholic Practices
4

Islam

4.1

Key Beliefs

4.1.1Oneness of God4.1.2Six Articles of Faith4.1.3Five Roots of Usul4.1.4The Nature of God4.1.5Angels4.1.6Freedom4.1.7Life After Death4.1.8Human Responsibility4.1.9End of Topic Test - Muslim Key Beliefs
4.2

Authority

4.2.1Prophethood4.2.2The Holy Books4.2.3The Imamate4.2.4End of Topic Test - Muslim Authority
4.3

Practices

4.3.1Worship4.3.2Ten Obligatory Acts4.3.3Shahadah4.3.4Salah & Its Significance4.3.5Mosques4.3.6Rak'ahs4.3.7Sawm4.3.8Zakah4.3.9Hajj4.3.10Jihad4.3.11Festivals & Commemorations4.3.12End of Topic Test - Muslim Practices4.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Muslim Practices
5

Judaism

5.1

Key Beliefs

5.1.1The Nature of God5.1.2God as One5.1.3God's Name5.1.4God as Creator5.1.5Free Will5.1.6God as Law Giver and Judge5.1.7The Divine Presence & Beliefs5.1.8Role of the Messiah5.1.9End of Topic Test - Jewish Key Beliefs5.1.10Exam-Style Questions - Jewish Beliefs
5.2

Covenant & The Mitzvot

5.2.1The Promised Land5.2.2Abraham5.2.3The Covenant5.2.4The Covenant at Sinai5.2.5The Covenant at Sinai 25.2.6Key Moral Principles5.2.7End of Topic Test - Covenant & The Mitzvot
5.3

The Synagogue & Worship

5.3.1The Synagogue & Its Importance5.3.2Public Acts of Worship5.3.3Shabbat5.3.4Worship & Law5.3.5End of Topic Test - Synagogue & Worship

Practice questions on Puja

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What does Puja refer to?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What is Puja an example of?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What is 'Merit'?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Where did the Buddha recommend his followers make a pilgrimage to?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    What is the best known mantra in the Theravada tradition?Multiple choice
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Objects of Worship

Meditation