praying to devas

[dudette]

By my understanding in theravada buddhism there is no brahman/allah.
Ok, but there are devas from hindu religion which include vishnu, siva,etc who are not brahman/allah.
Then is it possible in theravada buddhism to pray to a deva just for protection (not as brahman/allah, but like to a spirit)?

[mettafuture]

There are paritta (protective) recitations that one can do, but, if I recall, these are usually directed to the Buddha. There's also devanussati (recollection of the devas) where one meditates on the qualities of the devas. This practice is outlined in AN 11.12, and deconstructed in 15.13 of Piya Tan's Sutta Discovery series.

[dharmacorps]

Based on the suttas, the ability of devas to intercede in worldly affairs is limited, and usually incidental, not something you can control so there is no use in praying to them. It is usually spoken of as a misguided thing to do by the Buddha-- this is how Buddhism is called nontheistic rather than atheistic.
You could pray to spirits but it wouldn't be Buddhism/Dhamma.

[santa100]

Then is it possible in theravada buddhism to pray to a deva just for protection (not as brahman/allah, but like to a spirit)?

And the best way to keep one safe from harms is to cultivate Metta:

Monks, eleven advantages are to be expected from the release (deliverance) of heart by familiarizing oneself with thoughts of loving-kindness (metta), by the cultivation of loving-kindness, by constantly increasing these thoughts, by regarding loving-kindness as a vehicle (of expression), and also as something to be treasured, by living in conformity with these thoughts, by putting these ideas into practice, and by establishing them. What are the eleven?

1. "He sleeps in comfort. 2. He awakes in comfort. 3. He sees no evil dreams. 4. He is dear to human beings. 5. He is dear to non-human beings. 6. Devas (gods) protect him. 7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him. 8. His mind can concentrate quickly. 9. His countenance is serene. 10. He dies without being confused in mind. 11. If he fails to attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world."

[JamesTheGiant]

Then is it possible in theravada buddhism to pray to a deva just for protection (not as brahman/allah, but like to a spirit)?

I remember some Ajahn saying we shouldn't bother praying to devas, because "it's like an ant praying to a human for help."
He also said devas don't like the human world because they perceive it as foul and disgusting, and so they try to avoid coming here.
So don't bother.

[Dhammarakkhito]

'buddha vs god (brahmā)' https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

In whatever place a wise person makes his dwelling, — there providing food for the virtuous, the restrained, leaders of the holy life — he should dedicate that offering to the devas there. They, receiving honor, will honor him; being respected, will show him respect. As a result, they will feel sympathy for him, like that of a mother for her child, her son. A person with whom the devas sympathize always meets with auspicious things.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

i have also heard of offering food to devas, then after a while throwing it away or feeding it to animals
not sure if that ritual comes from a sutta

[ShineeSeoul]

why not pray to Bodhisattvas if you believe in Hindu gods, I don't think praying to Hindu gods is what Lord Buddha has teached us

[Ritter]

I remember some Ajahn saying we shouldn't bother praying to devas, because "it's like an ant praying to a human for help."
He also said devas don't like the human world because they perceive it as foul and disgusting, and so they try to avoid coming here.
So don't bother.
[/quote]

It's likely devas from Tavatimsa heaven and above are behave like that. The lowest Catumaharajika devas called Bhummata devas mostly not so different to human and their life pleasure are not so great. Basically same like human only with long age. Also, some kind higher peta/preta are just like human in physical appearence and doesn't heavy suffered.

So i believe devas who often help human are mostly came from Catumaharajika level because they are dwelling nearest to human realm and their behaviour are not so different than human. The most abroad is Brahma.

[Dhammavamsa]

Buddhism can be practised with or without the deities.


With deities: Constantly sharing merits to them and ask them rejoicing your good deeds, in turn, ask them to provide lawful protection. Common deities that mentioned in Suttas are: Vessavana Maharaja, Sakka Devaraja, Brahma Sahampati, Brahma Sanankumara, Suriya Devaputta, Canda Devaputta, etc.

Without deities: Just practice the Buddhism faithfully, observe precepts and meditate, reaching the Magga phala as soon as possible, without concern about deities. But even so, as showed in Suttas and commentaries, the deities loved those people who upheld precepts, practice loving kindness, and faithful towards Triple Gems.

[DooDoot]

faithful towards Triple Gems.

How do the sutta define the Triple Gem? For example, how is the Dhamma defined in the suttas as one of the Triple Gem? Thanks

[sakka]

Buddhism can be practised with or without the deities.


With deities: Constantly sharing merits to them and ask them rejoicing your good deeds, in turn, ask them to provide lawful protection. Common deities that mentioned in Suttas are: Vessavana Maharaja, Sakka Devaraja, Brahma Sahampati, Brahma Sanankumara, Suriya Devaputta, Canda Devaputta, etc.

Without deities: Just practice the Buddhism faithfully, observe precepts and meditate, reaching the Magga phala as soon as possible, without concern about deities. But even so, as showed in Suttas and commentaries, the deities loved those people who upheld precepts, practice loving kindness, and faithful towards Triple Gems.

Brahma Sahampati pleaded to the Buddha and said there are beings ”With little dust in their eyes” and The Buddha decided to teach. At that time in India during the Buddha all with knowledge were probably already familiar with the planets influences. Suriya is obvoiusly the sun. Canda is the moon. Yama is Pluto. Mangala in sanskrit is the name for Mars (the planet of war) - So following the advice in the Mangala Sutta (the highest blessings) is very well spoken words…

Budha in Sanskrit is Mercury (The planet of wisdom)!

So every planet has a ruler and it influences in certain ways, monks/nuns are of course forbidden to have anything to do with astrology because then you're really caught up in a gigantic universal energy trap…

(From DIGHA NIKAYA - SAMANNAPHALA SUTTA (The Fruits of the Life of a Samana)

And then there are certain respected samanas and brahmanas who, living on the food offered out of faith (in kamma and its results), make a wrongful living by means of low arts contrary to correct practice conducive to the attainment of deva realms and Nibbana. And what are they? They are: making predictions about the eclipse of the moon, or of the sun; about the conjunction of a group of stars with a planet; about the correct or incorrect course of the moon, the sun and the planets; about meteors, comets, earthquakes and thunder; about the rising and setting of the moon, the sun and the planets; about the phenomena of darkness and brightness following such rising and setting; about the effects of the eclipse of the moon, or of the sun, or of the planets; about the effects of the moon or the sun taking the right course; about the effects of the moon or the sun taking the wrong course; about the effects of the planets taking the right course; about the effects of the planets taking the wrong course; about the effects of meteors, comets, earthquakes and thunder; about the effects of the rising and setting of the moon, or of the sun, or of the planets; and about the effects of the phenomena of darkness or brightness following such rising and setting. A bhikkhu abstains from making a wrongful living by such means. This also is one of the precepts of his morality.

But all in all it is not too hard to realize who the devaputta ruler of this planet earth is…..

[Dhammavamsa]

Buddhism can be practised with or without the deities.


With deities: Constantly sharing merits to them and ask them rejoicing your good deeds, in turn, ask them to provide lawful protection. Common deities that mentioned in Suttas are: Vessavana Maharaja, Sakka Devaraja, Brahma Sahampati, Brahma Sanankumara, Suriya Devaputta, Canda Devaputta, etc.

Without deities: Just practice the Buddhism faithfully, observe precepts and meditate, reaching the Magga phala as soon as possible, without concern about deities. But even so, as showed in Suttas and commentaries, the deities loved those people who upheld precepts, practice loving kindness, and faithful towards Triple Gems.

Brahma Sahampati pleaded to the Buddha and said there are beings ”With little dust in their eyes” and The Buddha decided to teach. At that time in India during the Buddha all with knowledge were probably already familiar with the planets influences. Suriya is obvoiusly the sun. Canda is the moon. Yama is Pluto. Mangala in sanskrit is the name for Mars (the planet of war) - So following the advice in the Mangala Sutta (the highest blessings) is very well spoken words…

Budha in Sanskrit is Mercury (The planet of wisdom)!

So every planet has a ruler and it influences in certain ways, monks/nuns are of course forbidden to have anything to do with astrology because then you're really caught up in a gigantic universal energy trap…

(From DIGHA NIKAYA - SAMANNAPHALA SUTTA (The Fruits of the Life of a Samana)

And then there are certain respected samanas and brahmanas who, living on the food offered out of faith (in kamma and its results), make a wrongful living by means of low arts contrary to correct practice conducive to the attainment of deva realms and Nibbana. And what are they? They are: making predictions about the eclipse of the moon, or of the sun; about the conjunction of a group of stars with a planet; about the correct or incorrect course of the moon, the sun and the planets; about meteors, comets, earthquakes and thunder; about the rising and setting of the moon, the sun and the planets; about the phenomena of darkness and brightness following such rising and setting; about the effects of the eclipse of the moon, or of the sun, or of the planets; about the effects of the moon or the sun taking the right course; about the effects of the moon or the sun taking the wrong course; about the effects of the planets taking the right course; about the effects of the planets taking the wrong course; about the effects of meteors, comets, earthquakes and thunder; about the effects of the rising and setting of the moon, or of the sun, or of the planets; and about the effects of the phenomena of darkness or brightness following such rising and setting. A bhikkhu abstains from making a wrongful living by such means. This also is one of the precepts of his morality.

But all in all it is not too hard to realize who the devaputta ruler of this planet earth is…..

Buddha and Budha are two different entities.
I think your approach here is from Hinduism. No one can compared to the Buddha as He is the "Anuttaro" and Teacher of Gods and Men.

The Navagraha system did not appeared in the Buddha's description of the Deva ranks.

We can say Suriya, Canda and Rahu Asurindo are there because of Suriyaparitta and Candaparitta discourses. But the rest are not mentioned at all. Possibly just from Hinduism belief, which has nothing to do with Buddhism.

[48vows]

Brahma Sahampati, Brahma Sanankumara

who are these two ?

[Dhammavamsa]

Brahma Sahampati, Brahma Sanankumara

who are these two ?

They were mentioned by the Buddha in Majjhima Nikaya. Some prominent Brahma disciples of Buddha...

[bodom]

It's interesting that in the first two verses of the Jewels Sutta Paritta the Buddha instructs the devas and heavenly beings to protect and radiate loving kindness to the human beings who pray and give offerings to them:

1. "Whatever beings (non-humans) are assembled here, terrestrial or celestial, may they all have peace of mind, and may they listen attentively to these words:

2. "O beings, listen closely. May you all radiate loving-kindness to those human beings who, by day and night, bring offerings to you (offer merit to you). Wherefore, protect them with diligence.

https://accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors ... ml#fn-s3-1

Maybe the prayers are not in vain after all. Just a thought.