Prayer? How does Buddhist prayer work?

[Padmist]

n00b question sorry.

How does this work? To whom should I pray to? Who's listening? Is anyone really listening?

What can I pray about? Can I say whatever I want?

What can I ask for? Can I ask for some money?

or are these mostly rote / memorized texts I should recite as a part of my practice?

[GrapeLover]

In general you pray to Buddhas and bodhisattvas, who indeed have the capacity to hear you and respond. As a particular example, (Green) Tārā is reputed as being quite an active responder, as well as one who is amenable to fulfilling mundane needs.

You can say whatever you want.

You can ask for anything including money if that’s your inclination. There are particular practices related to money:

The Mahashri sutra for recitation https://www.saraswatipublications.org/p ... hri-sutra/

Ju Mipham’s tashi tsigpa—the colophon mentions prosperity as one benefit https://www.saraswatipublications.org/p ... gpamedium/

Etc

So you don’t really have to be shy about your mundane needs, though generally speaking it would be best to also pray for help progressing towards awakening, as this will solve (or dissolve) your mundane problems too.

In terms of how it works mechanistically, I couldn’t really say, but with wealth for instance it’s said that relevant practices/prayers help the relevant merit to ripen for you now as opposed to just basically sitting in your big karmic bank. So you need the karmic causes for wealth to begin with (eg through generosity, offerings) and the practices/deities can help this to ripen.

Some deities (eg the four kings or their retinues), being a bit more ‘materially’ present, can also directly take action to help you. For instance, in Manibhadra’s dharani, he says he will follow you, source things for you, provide for you and so on. https://fpmt.org/wp-content/uploads/tea ... sangpo.pdf

[kirtu]

n00b question sorry.

How does this work? To whom should I pray to? Who's listening? Is anyone really listening?

What can I pray about? Can I say whatever I want?

What can I ask for? Can I ask for some money?

or are these mostly rote / memorized texts I should recite as a part of my practice?

It's really classified as an aspiration. As such it has a karmic effect (because a thought has formed in the mind - if the prayer is also physical then this is intensified [like through pilgrimage or prostrations or some other wholesome physical action]).

However I cannot direct you to an Abhidharma text or commentary that would clarify this.

As for "who's listening" : one of my Sakya lamas would always use the imagery of the Buddhas and Arya Bodhisattvas sending out rings and our prayers and aspirations act as hooks to pull in the blessings and activities.

Things like asking for money (and then getting it) are said to burn up a great deal of positive karma and are consequently discouraged at least in the Vajrayana traditions. Even in some Nichiren traditions were this is claimed to be a thing they would say you might have to recite a great deal until this occurs (they also would say getting the money would be a karmic occurrence).

Kirt

[GrapeLover]

n00b question sorry.

How does this work? To whom should I pray to? Who's listening? Is anyone really listening?

What can I pray about? Can I say whatever I want?

What can I ask for? Can I ask for some money?

or are these mostly rote / memorized texts I should recite as a part of my practice?

Things like asking for money (and then getting it) are said to burn up a great deal of positive karma and are consequently discouraged at least in the Vajrayana traditions.

I’m not precisely sure what you mean by this—certain wealth practices like wealth hooking, treasure vases and wealth deity sang exist solely within Vajrayana. The zung-du is also full of wealth dharanis and there are wealth pujas for eg Orgyen Norlha. Are you saying these are discouraged or treating them separately from prayer?

[karmanyingpo]

Any of this could be wrong so please correct if so.

My understanding is this. You can dedicate the merit from doing meditation or practice at the end of the session or end of the day. In doing so you can recite or make up an aspiration prayer to send the merit to various causes and people. For example you can dedicate it to the benefit of all sentient beings and to the realization of enlightenment by all. So this is one form of prayer.

Other forms of prayer seem to be stand alone practices. Such as the 7 line prayer of Nyingma tradition.
Yet other prayers seem to be parts of sadhanas where other meditations/practices happen.

Others here have mentioned simply praying to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, similarly to how Christians pray to Jesus or God. I do not know much about this style because I have not really been taught it or how to do it.

KN

[Soma999]

Generating money is neutral. But it is a power, a potential. If you use it for bad activity you generate bad karma. If it’s just for your pleasure you waste opportunities.

If it generates good things it creates good karma.

If you have light in you, « gold » will be of benefits in your life.

You can pray for whatever you want, but you can also offer yourself in prayer. You become a cup that is being filled from above. A cup of nectar, which radiates from your three doors.

I suggest you ask for wisdom and loving kindness. The two combined can bring you everything.

Prayer is more powerful when it synchronise with a loving frequency. That’s why when people pray for others, very good results can come.

Your karma is in this « me, my ». Switch to a wider perspective where many things become possible. Widen your attention, be inclusive and you will find more results.

For material success, it depends a lot on our work and motivation.

[kirtu]

n00b question sorry.

How does this work? To whom should I pray to? Who's listening? Is anyone really listening?

What can I pray about? Can I say whatever I want?

What can I ask for? Can I ask for some money?

or are these mostly rote / memorized texts I should recite as a part of my practice?

Things like asking for money (and then getting it) are said to burn up a great deal of positive karma and are consequently discouraged at least in the Vajrayana traditions.

I’m not precisely sure what you mean by this—certain wealth practices like wealth hooking, treasure vases and wealth deity sang exist solely within Vajrayana. The zung-du is also full of wealth dharanis and there are wealth pujas for eg Orgyen Norlha. Are you saying these are discouraged or treating them separately from prayer?

You are correct.

But these practices are more like blessings. And we probably shouldn't do wealth practices and then rush to the casino.

Kirt

[karmanyingpo]

Things like asking for money (and then getting it) are said to burn up a great deal of positive karma and are consequently discouraged at least in the Vajrayana traditions.

I’m not precisely sure what you mean by this—certain wealth practices like wealth hooking, treasure vases and wealth deity sang exist solely within Vajrayana. The zung-du is also full of wealth dharanis and there are wealth pujas for eg Orgyen Norlha. Are you saying these are discouraged or treating them separately from prayer?

You are correct.

But these practices are more like blessings. And we probably shouldn't do wealth practices and then rush to the casino.

Kirt

I am not trying to be difficult, genuinely unclear on this, do you mean "correct" on them being discouraged or them being separate from prayer?

KN

[kirtu]

I’m not precisely sure what you mean by this—certain wealth practices like wealth hooking, treasure vases and wealth deity sang exist solely within Vajrayana. The zung-du is also full of wealth dharanis and there are wealth pujas for eg Orgyen Norlha. Are you saying these are discouraged or treating them separately from prayer?

You are correct.

But these practices are more like blessings. And we probably shouldn't do wealth practices and then rush to the casino.

Kirt

I am not trying to be difficult, genuinely unclear on this, do you mean "correct" on them being discouraged or them being separate from prayer?

KN

It is correct that Vajrayana has lots of wealth practices.

Kirt

[karmanyingpo]

You are correct.

But these practices are more like blessings. And we probably shouldn't do wealth practices and then rush to the casino.

Kirt

I am not trying to be difficult, genuinely unclear on this, do you mean "correct" on them being discouraged or them being separate from prayer?

KN

It is correct that Vajrayana has lots of wealth practices.

Kirt

Ah ok, thanks for clarifying

KN

[Schrödinger’s Yidam]

As a particular example, (Green) Tārā is reputed as being quite an active responder, as well as one who is amenable to fulfilling mundane needs.

Bokar Rin. also makes this point in his book on Tara, “Tara the Feminine Divine”. He says that she will help you learn to trust that way and then you will want to go beyond the mundane.

Good luck with that. Hope you’ve got the right karma for it.

[Padmist]

As a particular example, (Green) Tārā is reputed as being quite an active responder, as well as one who is amenable to fulfilling mundane needs.

Bokar Rin. also makes this point in his book on Tara, “Tara the Feminine Divine”. He says that she will help you learn to trust that way and then you will want to go beyond the mundane.

Good luck with that. Hope you’ve got the right karma for it.

hello friend. what does "bokar rin" mean?

and what does "have the right karma for it" mean? what happens if i don't have the right karma? is that like a fuel tank? if i got no juice, i got nothing and tara can't do anything for me? haha

[Schrödinger’s Yidam]

hello friend. what does "bokar rin" mean?

“Rinpoche” is an honorific title given to some lamas. “Bokar” was the lama’s name.

and what does "have the right karma for it" mean? what happens if i don't have the right karma? is that like a fuel tank? if i got no juice, i got nothing and tara can't do anything for me?

I believe there are two elements to this kind of prayer. One is your own karma. The more good karma you have the more opportunities Tara has to help you with. The second is your cultivation of a relationship with Tara.

Does that answer your question?

[Padmist]

hello friend. what does "bokar rin" mean?

“Rinpoche” is an honorific title given to some lamas. “Bokar” was the lama’s name.

and what does "have the right karma for it" mean? what happens if i don't have the right karma? is that like a fuel tank? if i got no juice, i got nothing and tara can't do anything for me?

I believe there are two elements to this kind of prayer. One is your own karma. The more good karma you have the more opportunities Tara has to help you with. The second is your cultivation of a relationship with Tara.

Does that answer your question?

indeed it does. how does one cultivate relationship with Tara?

[Schrödinger’s Yidam]

The formal steps in sadhana practice are

1. Refuge (& renunciation)
2. Aspire to enlightenment for the sake of others.
3. Create a visualization in your mind of the deity and invite the real deity into it.
4. Say prayers, recite mantras.
5. Dissolve the visualization and meditate on Emptiness
6. Dedicate the merit towards the benefit of all.

However that formality isn’t what I think you’re after. A folk level approach is to:

1. Sincerely pray to Tara as is your inclination
2. visualize her and say her mantra,
(Om Taray Tu Taray Turay Soha)
3. Then let your mind rest for however long suits you.

[Aemilius]

Buddha speaks about prayers and wishes in the Ittha sutta:What is Welcome thus:

"Long life
Beauty
Happiness
Status
Rebirth in heaven
Now, I tell you, these five things are not to be obtained by reason of prayers or wishes. If they were to be obtained by reason of prayers or wishes, who here would lack them? It's not fitting for the disciple of the noble ones who desires long life to pray for it or to delight in doing so. Instead, the disciple of the noble ones who desires long life should follow the path of practice leading to long life. In so doing, he will attain long life, either human or divine." etc...

the complete sutta https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

[neander]

Buddha speaks about prayers and wishes in the Ittha sutta:What is Welcome thus:

"Long life
Beauty
Happiness
Status
Rebirth in heaven
Now, I tell you, these five things are not to be obtained by reason of prayers or wishes. If they were to be obtained by reason of prayers or wishes, who here would lack them? It's not fitting for the disciple of the noble ones who desires long life to pray for it or to delight in doing so. Instead, the disciple of the noble ones who desires long life should follow the path of practice leading to long life. In so doing, he will attain long life, either human or divine." etc...

the complete sutta https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

That was extraordinary at the time as most of the Veda with the exception of the Upanisad required prayers and animal sacrifice

[Aemilius]

I know a little about the sacrifice of animals in Veda. But the Sramana schools have also existed in India, and they were atheistic/nontheistic, agnostic or different varieties of it:

"Several śramaṇa movements are known to have existed in India before the 6th century BCE (pre-Buddha, pre-Mahavira), and these influenced both the āstika and nāstika traditions of Indian philosophy. Martin Wiltshire states that the Śramaṇa tradition evolved in India over two phases, namely Paccekabuddha and Savaka phases, the former being the tradition of individual ascetic and latter of disciples, and that Buddhism and Jainism ultimately emerged from these as sectarian manifestations. These traditions drew upon already established Brahmanical concepts, states Wiltshire, to formulate their own doctrines. Reginald Ray concurs that Śramaṇa movements already existed and were established traditions in pre-6th century BCE India, but disagrees with Wiltshire that they were nonsectarian before the arrival of Buddha.
According to the Jain Agamas and the Buddhist Pāli Canon, there were other śramaṇa leaders at the time of Buddha."

[neander]

Indeed Sramana movements were numerous and widespread at the times as described also in Buddhist literature sometimes.

But were they popular? We know that Ashoka's son got 18,000 Ajivikas killed in Pundravardhana but were they widespread with the masses?

I know very little about India's religious history and its demographic, when I studied early Japanese religion and the arrival of Buddhism I learned that all religiosity was centered around agriculture, so some bits and piece on the afterlife but the core were magic spells as pesticides, insect repellents, favorable weather conditions, fertility prayers and incantations for good crops, so I assume that in India was the same considering 99,99% of the population was illiterate and had to deal with agriculture for survival, a Braminh promising that butchering a horse with the correct Vedic prescribed ritual would result in good crops must have been more appealing than Purana Kassapa theories on free will...

Moreover, I think Ittha sutta is extraordinary even in today's religious world and in certain sense is extraordinary even within some contemporary way of living Buddhism..

[neander]

My bad ..actually was Ashoka himself that allegedly enraged at a picture that depicted Buddha in negative light.. ordered the execution of 18,000 followers of the Ajivika..