Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
sentinel
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by sentinel »

No_Mind wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 6:23 am
James Tan wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:57 am I knew a nuns which had 4th stage cancer , terminally ill and doctors said she could not survive more than few months . Not only that , her body has several type of cancers . However , she prays and prostrate to the Buddha everyday and decided to dedicate her life to spread dhamma until she dies .
And you know what ? It has been passed more than 10 years since the doctors told her that and she is still alive .
That is the kind of story that fills one with joy. I wish we would have more of these.

But one question .. was she a nun before she became afflicted by cancer or did she become one after being diagnosed?

:namaste:
Well , she was a very successful business women , multimillionaire and still young about 30 something . She was very reluctant to be a nun actually . She made a vow if she recovered from cancer she would become a nun and she got recovered , but , she regretted and lied to the Lord Buddha and she became a temporary nun and disrobed eventually .
However , not long after disrobing she became very ill again . This time she knew she could not lies to the Buddha anymore . Thereafter she really made up her mind to renounce worldly life because if doesn't she would not live long anyway . The last time I seen her was last year . And she still active in spreading dhamma .
sentinel
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by sentinel »

SarathW wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 7:31 am
James Tan wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:40 am
SarathW wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:25 am People recite "Itipiso Bhagava" etc in prayer position.
But I do not consider it is prayer it is a recollection.
For people don't know dhamma is a kind of prayer .
I think it is a form of meditation not a prayer.
In prayer, you ask something or some help from God.
Not necessarily , anyone can pray to God or even from the Lord Buddha , whether you being granted your wish or not is another matter .
User1249x
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by User1249x »

Some Sutta, can't go wrong with that:)
SN 11.3
Dhajagga Sutta: The Top of the Standard

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he addressed the monks, "Monks!"

"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.

The Blessed One said, "Monks, once the devas & asuras were arrayed for battle. Then Sakka, the chief of the devas, addressed the devas of the Thirty-three: 'If, dear sirs, when the devas have gone into battle, there should arise fear, terror, or horripilation, then on that occasion you should catch sight of the top of my standard. For when you have caught sight of the top of my standard, whatever fear, terror, or horripilation there is will be abandoned.
...
"But, monks, when the top of the deva-chief Sakka's standard is caught sight of, or when the top of the deva-king Pajapati's standard is caught sight of, or when the top of the deva-king Varuna's standard is caught sight of, or when the top of the deva-king Isana's standard is caught sight of, whatever fear, terror, or horripilation there is may be abandoned or may not be abandoned. Why is that? Because Sakka the chief of the devas is not devoid of passion, not devoid of aversion, not devoid of delusion. He feels fear, feels terror, feels dread. He runs away.

"But I tell you this: If — when you have gone into the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — there should arise fear, terror, or horripilation, then on that occasion you should recollect me: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' For when you have recollected me, whatever fear, terror, or horripilation there is will be abandoned.
...
Why is that? Because the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — is devoid of passion, devoid of aversion, devoid of delusion. He feels no fear, feels no terror, feels no dread. He doesn't run away."
...
AN 11.12
Mahanama Sutta: To Mahanama (1)
...
[1] "There is the case where you recollect the Tathagata: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' At any time when a disciple of the noble ones is recollecting the Tathagata, his mind is not overcome with passion, not overcome with aversion, not overcome with delusion. His mind heads straight, based on the Tathagata. And when the mind is headed straight, the disciple of the noble ones gains a sense of the goal, gains a sense of the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. In one who is joyful, rapture arises. In one who is rapturous, the body grows calm. One whose body is calmed experiences ease. In one at ease, the mind becomes concentrated.
...
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mikenz66
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by mikenz66 »

User1249x wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 9:27 am Some Sutta, can't go wrong with that:)
SN 11.3
Dhajagga Sutta: The Top of the Standard
...
Yes, that's a popular chant. See: viewtopic.php?t=26134

:heart:
Mike
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Sam Vara
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by Sam Vara »

SarathW wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 7:31 am I think it is a form of meditation not a prayer.
In prayer, you ask something or some help from God.
Not necessarily. The type of prayer in which one asks for something is called petitionary prayer, but that's not the only type of prayer there is in Christian (and presumably other theistic) traditions. Often, people talk about praying in order to be present with God, or to open oneself up to him, which sounds rather more like meditation than simply asking for one's wants to be fulfilled.
thepea
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by thepea »

Praying to Buddha is the root cause of the entirety of universal suffering.
It is the opposite of the noble 8-fold path.
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Sam Vara
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by Sam Vara »

thepea wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 11:50 am Praying to Buddha is the root cause of the entirety of universal suffering.
It is the opposite of the noble 8-fold path.
So if someone has never heard of the Buddha, and therefore can't pray to him, they can't suffer? Or did some poor misguided person once pray to the Buddha, therefore unleashing suffering upon the rest of the otherwise blameless universe as if by original sin?
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Lucas Oliveira
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by Lucas Oliveira »

JamesTheGiant wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:15 am The Buddha is dead and gone, parinibbana'd. But maybe someone else might hear your prayers, and could help you. There are many many powerful beings in higher realms.
I still do Catholic prayers.

I like it very much, I feel that it makes me very well.

I live in Brazil, a country with a Catholic majority, so I think that influences me a lot.

:namaste:
I participate in this forum using Google Translator. http://translate.google.com.br

http://www.acessoaoinsight.net/
User1249x
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by User1249x »

This is from the commentary on the Satipatthana Sutta, the part on arousing energy and i edited it slightly https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/aut ... ml#factors;
...
There is reflection on the greatness of the heritage when one thinks thus:
"Great, indeed, is the heritage of the Teacher, namely the Seven Real Treasures [Sutta Ariya Dhanani]. These are not to be got by the slothful. The indolent man is like a son disowned by his parents. He does not get this parents' wealth when they pass away. So too it is with the Seven Real Treasures. Only the man of energy gets these."

Reflection on the greatness of the Master consists in recalling the great events in the teacher's life, and admonishing oneself thus:
"Does it befit you to be slack after entering the Dispensation of such a Teacher?"

Reflection on the greatness of race is carried out by way of the fact that in entering the Buddha's Dispensation one has become the Conqueror's son, and that for such a one slacking is not fit.

Reflection on the greatness of fellows in the holy life consists of admonishing oneself thus:
"Sariputta, Maha Moggallana, and the great disciples penetrated the supramundane after much endeavor. Are you following their way of life?"
What need is there for divine intervention...
Dhammapada;
“Oneself, indeed, is one's own protector.
One does, indeed [make] one's own destiny.
Therefore, control yourself
As a merchant does a fine horse.”
alfa
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by alfa »

Sam Vara wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 10:40 am
SarathW wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 7:31 am I think it is a form of meditation not a prayer.
In prayer, you ask something or some help from God.
Not necessarily. The type of prayer in which one asks for something is called petitionary prayer, but that's not the only type of prayer there is in Christian (and presumably other theistic) traditions. Often, people talk about praying in order to be present with God, or to open oneself up to him, which sounds rather more like meditation than simply asking for one's wants to be fulfilled.
Would the Buddha approve of such a prayer? of course not.
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Sam Vara
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by Sam Vara »

alfa wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:56 pm
Sam Vara wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 10:40 am
SarathW wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 7:31 am I think it is a form of meditation not a prayer.
In prayer, you ask something or some help from God.
Not necessarily. The type of prayer in which one asks for something is called petitionary prayer, but that's not the only type of prayer there is in Christian (and presumably other theistic) traditions. Often, people talk about praying in order to be present with God, or to open oneself up to him, which sounds rather more like meditation than simply asking for one's wants to be fulfilled.
Would the Buddha approve of such a prayer? of course not.
I've no idea whether the Buddha would have approved of it, but my point was about different types of prayer, rather than the Buddha's approval.
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Virgo
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by Virgo »

No_Mind wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:20 am
JamesTheGiant wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:15 am The Buddha is dead and gone, parinibbana'd. But maybe someone else might hear your prayers, and could help you. There are many many powerful beings in higher realms.

I know but sometimes I like to believe in Dhammakaya and .. that Buddha(s) still exists somewhere .. not as we know of them but their essence.


:namaste:
No_Mind, that is not what the Buddha taught.

Kevin
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No_Mind
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by No_Mind »

Virgo wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:29 pm
No_Mind wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:20 am
JamesTheGiant wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:15 am The Buddha is dead and gone, parinibbana'd. But maybe someone else might hear your prayers, and could help you. There are many many powerful beings in higher realms.

I know but sometimes I like to believe in Dhammakaya and .. that Buddha(s) still exists somewhere .. not as we know of them but their essence.


:namaste:
No_Mind, that is not what the Buddha taught.

Kevin
No but a vast number of Buddhists believe in it albeit from a different sect

Trikaya

:namaste:
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
alfa
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by alfa »

Sam Vara wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:08 pm
alfa wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:56 pm
Sam Vara wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 10:40 am

Not necessarily. The type of prayer in which one asks for something is called petitionary prayer, but that's not the only type of prayer there is in Christian (and presumably other theistic) traditions. Often, people talk about praying in order to be present with God, or to open oneself up to him, which sounds rather more like meditation than simply asking for one's wants to be fulfilled.
Would the Buddha approve of such a prayer? of course not.
I've no idea whether the Buddha would have approved of it, but my point was about different types of prayer, rather than the Buddha's approval.
I thought this was a Buddhist form. My bad.
Disciple
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Re: Is it wrong to pray to the Buddha?

Post by Disciple »

Virgo wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:29 pm
No_Mind wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:20 am
JamesTheGiant wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:15 am The Buddha is dead and gone, parinibbana'd. But maybe someone else might hear your prayers, and could help you. There are many many powerful beings in higher realms.

I know but sometimes I like to believe in Dhammakaya and .. that Buddha(s) still exists somewhere .. not as we know of them but their essence.


:namaste:
No_Mind, that is not what the Buddha taught.

Kevin
Malcolm won't be happy with you Virgo.
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