Monday, 25 August 2014

ReligionFacts: Buddhist Rituals and Practices

http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/practices.htm

What are Buddhist Rituals and Practices?

Thai Buddhists at a temple in Chiang Mai
Buddhism incorporates a variety of rituals and practices, which are intended to aid in the journey to enlightenment and bring blessings on oneself and others. While some activities are unique to certain expressions of Buddhism, there are others that are found in most of the popular forms of the belief system.
For example, the practice of meditation is central to nearly all forms of Buddhism, and it derives directly from the Buddha’s experiences and teachings. Meditation is is the central focus of Zen Buddhism and the only way to liberation in Theravada Buddhism. (Comparison Chart: Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism)
In addition to meditation, the Mahayana schools of Buddhism have developed a variety of other ritual and devotional practices, many of which were inspired or influenced by the existing religious cultures of India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Tibet. (Also see Chinese Religion, Taoism, and Confucianism)

Common Buddhist practices

The articles in this section provide an overview of some of the main Buddhist sacred rituals and practices. Please click on a link to learn more about the practice and scroll below for more articles on Buddhism.

Meditation

Meditation in Buddhism refers to mental concentration and mindfulness.

Mantras

Mantras refers to sacred sounds.

Mudras

Mudras are symbolic hand gestures.

Prayer Wheels

Prayer wheels assist in reciting mantras with the turn of a wheel.

Buddhism Symbols

These are used in nearly all expressions of Buddhism.

No comments:

Post a Comment