Buddhism conveys the image of a religion of peace and non-violence and is linked to the manifestation of the existence of Shanga, that is to say the order of monks, of Buddha and his teaching, that is to say the Dharma. But how is Buddhist prayer beneficial for peace?
Buddhism, an optimistic prayer
The Buddhists are among the most optimistic pilgrims. They opt for the philosophy of their mastery: “Every morning we are reborn again. What we do today is what matters most.” The world we live in today is full of physical sufferings i.e. hunger, old age, thirst, disability, disease and many others and moral sufferings such as desires unsatisfied, separation from a loved one, unrealizable ambitions, etc.
The Buddhist prayer contributes to the reduction of daily suffering and optimizes the preservation of inner and outer peace. This is the particularity of Buddhist prayers. Furthermore, Buddhism is linked to the purpose of life by explaining the apparent inequality and injustice in the world. It also suggests a way of life that could ensure happiness and inner peace.
Buddhist, temple of peace
Buddhism is more of a philosophy than a religion because the concept goes far beyond the meaning of religion. Defined as a love of wisdom, philosophy corresponds more to its precepts, which are:
- Development of understanding and wisdom;
- Conducting a moral life;
- Attention and awareness of actions and thoughts.
Buddhist teachings are accompanied by the teaching of chanting. But beyond this basic instruction, the temple is the main place where pilgrims of all castes go to recite a prayer. In this temple, we can see the presence of colorful flags or other objects, each of which symbolizes a prayer.
Indeed, according to the great Buddhist masters, the construction of a Great Temple is considered a humanitarian activity that calls for peace and harmony. This type of project refers to obtaining the “Nobel Peace Prize” because the temple is a place of cultural, scientific and especially religious exchange.
Buddha, the meditating monk
The famous meditating monk was born in Lumbini, Nepal, two thousand five hundred years ago, Siddhārtha Gautama, known as Shakyamuni, was a young prince who, through deprivation and meditation, had achieved exceptional wisdom . He had retired alone into the forest and meditated under a tree before reaching the state of grace and becoming Buddha, that is to say the awakened being. But what exactly is meditation?
The general principle of meditation is to bring peace to the world. According to sacred texts and prophecies, meditation is an ancient practice. The famous sitting position of the Buddha during meditation allows us to store heat, the meditator eats air and his body produces water. From the outside he looks like a normal human being, but from the inside he is different. When it is hungry, it sucks in air and that is what it uses to feed itself.
Puja, the elementary mantras for a prayer for peace
The Buddhist prayers are different from other prayers because of the presence of mantras. The mantra is a phrase that is repeated frequently throughout the prayer. Let's take examples of the most frequently used watches:
- Om Mani Padme Hum which is pronounced “om mané pad mé houm” and which simply means “tribute to the jewel of the lotus”.
- Oṃ Amideva Hrīḥ which is pronounced “om ami-dehva ré” and means “overcoming all obstacles and hindrances”.
- Om A Ra Pa Ca Na Dhih (pronounced di): it is a liturgical chant used to acquire wisdom and to adjust sometimes critical reasoning.
At the beginning of the prayer, there are first the mantras used to pay homage to Buddha and to call upon the presence of God. This verse can be repeated two or three times. Then there are the complementary watches used to finalize the prayer.
Puja chant, prayer for peace part one
Homage to the blessed, the Perfect and Completely Awakened Meritor
First recitation of mantras:
Towards the Awakened, the refuge, I go…
Towards the Teaching, the refuge, I go…
Towards the community, the refuge, I go….
Second recitation of mantras:
For the second time: Towards the Awakened, the refuge I go...
For the second time: Towards the Teaching, the refuge, I go…
For the second time: Towards the community, the refuge, I go….
Third recitation of mantras:
For the third time: Towards the Awakened, the refuge I go…
For the third time: Towards the Teaching, the refuge, I go…
For the third time: Towards the community, the refuge, I go….
Puja chant, prayer for peace second part
Here is the most essential part of a prayer done by chanting Puja
In any violence towards a living being, I will no longer take any pleasure. I dedicate myself to this fundamental training!
To any excess in the pleasure of the senses, I will no longer take any pleasure. I dedicate myself to this fundamental training!
From any thoughtless word, I will no longer take any pleasure. I dedicate myself to this fundamental training!
I will no longer take any pleasure in any substance that disturbs vigilance. I dedicate myself to this fundamental training!
In fact, these mantras are a French translation of the prayer in Pali. The prayer takes place at the same time, the first and second parts of this Puja song are complementary. It should be noted that each Buddhist prayer always refers to the establishment of peace and provides an answer to several problems of contemporary society.
