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The most devoted followers of the Buddha were organized into a sangha. Its
members were identified by their shaved heads and robes made of un-sewn orange
cloth. The early Buddhist monks, or bhikkus, wandered from place to place, settling
down in communities only during the rainy season when travel was difficult.
Theravadan monks and nuns were humble and obtained their food in the form of
offering on a daily round of the homes of ‘Lay’ devotees. Among the traditional
functions of the Buddhist monks are the performance of funerals and memorial
services in honor of the dead. Major elements of such services include the chanting of
scripture and transfer of merit for the benefit of the deceased. (1, 3)
Lay worship in Buddhism is primarily done individual rather than
congregational. Although technically the Buddha is not worshipped through
Theravada, worship is done through the stupa. A stupa is a dome-like structure
containing a relic. Devotees walk around the dome in a clockwise direction, carrying
flowers and incense as a sign of respect. The relic is the Buddha’s tooth in Sri Lanka. It
is the focus of a popular festival on the Buddha’s birthday. The Buddha’s birthday is
celebrated in every Buddhist country. In Theravada this celebration is known as
Vaisakha, the month after the Buddha was born. Popular in Theravada cultures is a
ceremony known as pirit, or protection, in which readings from a collection of
protective charms from the Pali canon are conducted to exorcise evil spirits, cure
illness, bless new buildings, and achieve other benefits. This was a popular practice
that practitioners of Buddhism, monks, did to help them reach Nirvana. (1, 3, 4, 5)
In Mahayana cultures, ritual is more important than in Theravada cultures.
Images of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas on temple altars and in the homes of
devotees serve as a focus for worship. Prayer and chanting are common acts of
devotion, as are offerings of fruit, flowers, and incense. One of the most popular
festivals in China and Japan is the Ullambana Festival, in which offerings are made to
the spirits of the dead and to ghosts. It is said that during this celebration the gates to
the other world are open so that departed spirits can return to earth for a brief time.
(1, 3, 4, 5)
In the Christian faith, people may practice several methods to bring them
closer to God or ‘Heaven. One way has been around for many centuries, called
baptisms. Baptism is an initiation into the religion. Jesus was among the first to be
baptized. He was baptized by John at the beginning of his public ministry (Mark
1:9-11). Another practice that is used among the Christian religion would be prayer. A
Prayer may be individual or done as a group, formal or spontaneous, silent or spoken.
Christian prayer normally includes gospel, praise, thanksgiving, confession, and an
appeal for forgiveness. Another ritual that is very similar to ‘Lay Worship’ would be
Christmas. People often celebrate this holiday as Jesus Christ’s birth-date, even
though it was not because of many biblical references, but despite that, People
celebrate this with carols. The carols could be the equivalent of chanting holy scripts
in Buddhism. (1, 2, 4)
The Christian religion is not that similar to Buddhism for many reasons. One
reason is that Buddhism does not have a God. In Buddhism, people do not worship
anybody, since that divine being was also just human. The goal is to achieve Nirvana,
like the Buddha did. Christianity has a God and Jesus as his son. We worship God and
Jesus. People strive to be noble and good. In Christianity, there is pursuit of happiness
and morality, but not through greed. Although the goal is not Nirvana, one goal is
through prayer is to be truthful with yourself and God. Achieving Nirvana is very
similar to achieving Heaven. In Christianity, there is one god, and in Buddhism there is
no God. (1, 3, 4)
To me, Christianity is more appealing to me, just because I have lived as a
Christian, my whole life. If I had not, I believe I still would find Christianity more
appealing, since there is a God to worship. There is also a story of how the much of the
world began. Also it is more comforting, since in Buddhism, one should sacrifice them
self, like everything else is more important than you. Logically Christianity is better to
me since people can about their daily lives with out having to chant everyday. In
Christianity, it is more logical that there is someone watching over you at all times. In
Buddhism, no-one watches you, it is your conscience that knows what you do. (3, 4)
In General, I believe that Christianity has some similar aspects but the
path/direction is not the same. God the Father, Jesus Christ the son, and the holy spirit
are essentially one Gold. This is very different from Buddhism, since there is no God at
all, just models to be like. In Christianity, there are many goals in life, for example,
follow the ten commandments. Be truthful to yourself and God. Also in the Christian
religion, there is no concept of reincarnation, there is incarnation of Jesus but no
reincarnation. In Buddhism, followers want to become enlightened and become a
Buddha. The goal in Christianity is to be truthful with yourself and one day you will go
to Heaven. (1, 3, 4, 5)
Buddhism Sources:
World Religions: A Voyage of Discovery (1)
The Bible (2)
Encarta Encyclopedia 99 (3)
Compton’s Encyclopedia Deluxe (4)
Buddhist Cultures in America (5)
Word Count: 931
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