1.2.3

Puja

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Puja

Puja refers to honour, worship and devotion.

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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.
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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.

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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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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.
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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

1Buddhism

1.1Key Beliefs

1.1.1The Dhamma

1.1.2The Five Skandhas

1.1.3Aspects of Human Life

1.1.4The Buddha

1.1.5The Ascetic & Enlightened Life

1.1.6Dhukka

1.1.7Samudaya

1.1.8Nirodha

1.1.9Magga

1.1.10The Wheel of Life

1.1.11End of Topic Test - Buddhism Key Beliefs

1.2Practices

1.2.1Places of Worship

1.2.2Objects of Worship

1.2.3Puja

1.2.4Meditation

1.2.5Death

1.2.6Festivals

1.2.7End of Topic Test - Buddhism Practices

1.3Ethics

1.3.1Kamma

1.3.2Five Moral Precepts

1.3.3End of Topic Test - Buddhism Ethics

2Christianity

2.1Key Beliefs

2.1.1The Nature of God

2.1.2The Problem of Evil

2.1.3Monotheism

2.1.4Creation

2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation

2.1.6The Trinity and Creation

2.1.7Afterlife

2.1.8Heaven and Hell

2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life

2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs

2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs

2.2Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.2.1The Incarnation

2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human

2.2.3The Crucifixion

2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal

2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension

2.2.6Sin

2.2.7Original Sin

2.2.8Punishment

2.2.9The Means of Salvation

2.2.10Achieving Salvation

2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation

2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation

2.2.13Theories of Salvation

2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.3Worship & Festivals

2.3.1Different Forms of Worship

2.3.2Prayer

2.3.3Sacrament

2.3.4Baptism

2.3.5Other Sacraments

2.3.6Eucharist

2.3.7Pilgrimage & Celebrations

2.3.8Christmas & Easter

2.3.9End of Topic Test - Worship and Festivals

2.4Community

2.4.1Local Community

2.4.2Mission, Evangelism & Church Growth

2.4.3Worldwide Church

2.4.4Reconciliation

2.4.5Persecution

2.4.6Caring for Those in Need

2.4.7End of Topic Test - Community

2.4.8Exam-Style Questions - Christian Practices

3Catholicism (Christianity)

3.1Key Beliefs

3.1.1The Trinity

3.1.2Creation

3.1.3Incarnation

3.1.4Redemption

3.1.5Life After Death

3.1.6Heaven and Hell

3.1.7End of Topic Test - Catholic Key Beliefs

3.2The Seven Sacraments

3.2.1Meaning & Significance

3.2.2Baptism

3.2.3Confirmation

3.2.4Reconciliation

3.2.5Anointing of the Sick

3.2.6Marriage

3.2.7Holy Orders

3.2.8The Eucharist

3.2.9End of Topic Test - The Seven Sacraments

3.3Practices

3.3.1Prayer

3.3.2Popular Piety

3.3.3Pilgrimage

3.3.4Pilgrimages HyperLearning

3.3.5Funeral Rites

3.3.6The Duty to Love Our Neighbour

3.3.7Catholic Agencies

3.3.8Catholic Social Teaching

3.3.9Justice

3.3.10War

3.3.11Mission & Evangelism

3.3.12End of Topic Test - Catholic Practices

4Islam

4.1Key Beliefs

4.1.1Oneness of God

4.1.2Six Articles of Faith

4.1.3Five Roots of Usul

4.1.4The Nature of God

4.1.5Angels

4.1.6Freedom

4.1.7Life After Death

4.1.8Human Responsibility

4.1.9End of Topic Test - Muslim Key Beliefs

4.2Authority

4.2.1Prophethood

4.2.2The Holy Books

4.2.3The Imamate

4.2.4End of Topic Test - Muslim Authority

4.3Practices

4.3.1Worship

4.3.2Ten Obligatory Acts

4.3.3Shahadah

4.3.4Salah & Its Significance

4.3.5Mosques

4.3.6Rak'ahs

4.3.7Sawm

4.3.8Zakah

4.3.9Hajj

4.3.10Jihad

4.3.11Festivals & Commemorations

4.3.12End of Topic Test - Muslim Practices

4.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Muslim Practices

5Judaism

5.1Key Beliefs

5.1.1The Nature of God

5.1.2God as One

5.1.3God's Name

5.1.4God as Creator

5.1.5Free Will

5.1.6God as Law Giver and Judge

5.1.7The Divine Presence & Beliefs

5.1.8Role of the Messiah

5.1.9End of Topic Test - Jewish Key Beliefs

5.1.10Exam-Style Questions - Jewish Beliefs

5.2Covenant & The Mitzvot

5.2.1The Promised Land

5.2.2Abraham

5.2.3The Covenant

5.2.4The Covenant at Sinai

5.2.5The Covenant at Sinai 2

5.2.6Key Moral Principles

5.2.7End of Topic Test - Covenant & The Mitzvot

5.3The Synagogue & Worship

5.3.1The Synagogue & Its Importance

5.3.2Public Acts of Worship

5.3.3Shabbat

5.3.4Worship & Law

5.3.5End of Topic Test - Synagogue & Worship

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Objects of Worship

Meditation