Is Buddhism devotional?

[Ozzie]

Do you give thanks to the Buddha in your practice? Is that any different to worship of the Buddha, as Christians worship their God? Or can you maintain that thanks directed to Buddha is directed to him as a man?

 

[zenzero]

Friend Ozzie,

With the limitation of my understanding can state that Gautama became a Buddha.
A Buddha is one who is no more there as a person or as an individual he has merged with that WHOLE.
Worshiping Buddha is therefore not worshiping any individual.
Love & rgds

 

[LuisDantas]

Do you give thanks to the Buddha in your practice?

For his teachings, yes. And those of some of his best disciples, such as Shinram Shonin and Nagarjuna.

Is that any different to worship of the Buddha, as Christians worship their God?

Very much so. Although I guess there may be some Christians who don't think of Jesus as a God.

Or can you maintain that thanks directed to Buddha is directed to him as a man?

They aren't. Buddha the man is dead. Buddha the God never existed. Gratitude for Buddha's teaching (Dharma) and other inheritances that we received from him don't really have much to do with the person itself.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Pure Land Buddhism believes that over the years Nirvana has become much more difficult to experience by meditative practices do to the fact that we are living in a degenerate time in history. Pure Land Buddhism teaches that if you have devotion to Amirabha Buddha you can one be reborn in the Pure Land ( e.g. Its a perfect heaven that enlightenment is guaranteed. ) Pure Land Buddhism is popular among average people who's see it as a straightforward manor of expressing faith as a Buddhist.

It seems like at least this sect of Buddhist is devotional.

 

[Phasmid]

I appreciate what the Buddha said... it's no different than if a friend of yours gave you some good advice that paid off. But I don't thank him... since he's dead and I'd have to shout really loud for him to hear me.

 

[Gaura Priya]

Buddha isn't dead! Buddha is alive in His Dharmakaya as Amitabha. After all, He has said in the Pure Land sutras that if one chants with entrusting faith the name Amitabha even once, can enter into the Pure Land.

Amitabha is considerably the Supreme Buddha, for all other Buddhas give obeisances to Him. He is the Dharmakaya manifestation of Gautama Buddha. And His revelation as shown in Pure Land Buddhism is His very compassion to us unfortunate wretches. If only we had any inclination to give gratitude to His Primal Vow, of entrusting ourselves to His Grace and Other Power (Tariki).

Namo Amituofo...

 

[Master Vigil]

If you come across the buddha while walking... kill him. I don't see that as devotional at all. But then again, my buddhist leanings are based in Zen.

 

[Willamena]

I appreciate what the Buddha said... it's no different than if a friend of yours gave you some good advice that paid off. But I don't thank him... since he's dead and I'd have to shout really loud for him to hear me.

He's not so far away as you might think.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Master Vigil,

If you come across the buddha while walking... kill him. I don't see that as devotional at all. But then again, my buddhist leanings are based in Zen.

Not only while walking, my dear friend even in thoughts.
The real purpose of Gautama was to state that any attachment even to the state of buddha hood is an attachment which should be killed / dropped.
Love & rgds

 

[Engyo]

Do you give thanks to the Buddha in your practice? Is that any different to worship of the Buddha, as Christians worship their God? Or can you maintain that thanks directed to Buddha is directed to him as a man?

Hi Ozzie -

Actually I find it to be a bit different; in my tradition we don't "thank" the Buddha per se, so much as offer homage to the Buddha's compassion in teaching others the method he had found to overcome suffering.

 

[Master Vigil]

Friend Master Vigil,


Not only while walking, my dear friend even in thoughts.
The real purpose of Gautama was to state that any attachment even to the state of buddha hood is an attachment which should be killed / dropped.
Love & rgds

You are right after all. That was just the way the koan was presented to me. But I figured the message was still the same. Buddha, no buddha. Mind, no mind. These are both attachments.

 

[Phasmid]

Buddha isn't dead! Buddha is alive in His Dharmakaya as Amitabha. After all, He has said in the Pure Land sutras that if one chants with entrusting faith the name Amitabha even once, can enter into the Pure Land.

Amitabha is considerably the Supreme Buddha, for all other Buddhas give obeisances to Him. He is the Dharmakaya manifestation of Gautama Buddha. And His revelation as shown in Pure Land Buddhism is His very compassion to us unfortunate wretches. If only we had any inclination to give gratitude to His Primal Vow, of entrusting ourselves to His Grace and Other Power (Tariki).

Namo Amituofo...

Gautama (SP?) was just a bloke with some good thoughts... he's dead and he ain't comming back. Yes there's the whole, "His teachings live on stuff" but that's not really a life now is it?

My point is, I'm grateful for the teachings he's passed on, but I see no point in personally saying thank you to a man that has lost the ability to hear me long ago.

 

[Phasmid]

He's not so far away as you might think.

Don't creep me out!

I know, we are all Buddhas etc. but I'm specifically refering to Gautama (SP?)

 

[Twilight Hue]

Do you give thanks to the Buddha in your practice? Is that any different to worship of the Buddha, as Christians worship their God? Or can you maintain that thanks directed to Buddha is directed to him as a man?

Buddha does indeed merit my thanks and is venerated throughout Buddhist traditions and schools in a somewhat similar manner as some Christian denominations regard and venerate their saints. Buddha was regarded very much as a man possessing no special qualities that would distinguish him to be different than any other human other than his enlightenment to which in turn he pointed out the path exemplified through his teachings to which others can follow and experience for themselves. Giving thanks in return is natural. -NM-

 

[Jethro Tull]

I think Pure Land Buddhism is devotional, as beings devote themselves to a particular Buddha (Amida, for example) as to be born into their Pure Land. Pure Land Buddhism drifts away from jiriki (self-effort) and more or less says that we are hopeless, so we should rely on tariki (help from others) to be saved from suffering.

As for traditional Buddhism, Sakyamuni is not as much a savior as a Venerable One who showed humans how they might attain enlightenment on their own accord. Devoting oneself to Sakyamuni Buddha is more recognizing his Dharma, and the example he set for us. It is more of a thanks, but not a dependence, like Pure Land Buddhism is.

 

[koan]

Jethro, Pure land is the pure mind. However many people who practice Pure Land, do so as devotion. I agree that this is not good practice. This though, is better than no practice.
PS
Abbey Road is still one of my favourite albums.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Jethro, Pure land is the pure mind. However many people who practice Pure Land, do so as devotion. I agree that this is not good practice. This though, is better than no practice.
PS

Why is It a bad practice ? From what I understand it has produced folks who are realized.

 

[Jethro Tull]

koan, yes I realize that Pure Land is Pure Mind, original mind. I think that because devotion and worship tends to appeal to the laity, and so Pure Land can be seen as devotion in that sense. I think it is only bad practice when the practitioner desires to be born in a Pure Land in the future, abandoning all hope of self-effort. We must realize that the Pure Land is here and now.

Namaste

 

[zenzero]

Friends,

Devotion according to dictionary is:

Definitions of devotion

1. [n] - feelings of ardent love

2. [n] - commitment to some purpose

3. [n] - (usually plural) religious observance or prayers (usually spoken silently)

Let us understand that the religion comes in here related to the first two points.
One needs to feel love within and committed to the way/path which automatically turns into a prayer.
Prayer is not only what one does in a place of worship but one can be prayerful even in his interaction in his behavior.
In that manner every individual of any path is devotional.

Love & rgds

 

[Jethro Tull]

In that manner every individual of any path is devotional.

:yes: Good points zenzero.
Pursuing wisdom beyond wisdom is devotion in itself.

with metta