Download Place of Worship - Religion for Living

Place of Worship/
Worship
A temple is a Buddhist place of worship. It is
where Buddhists go to pray and to make offerings.
Buddhist temples in some countries are very plain, in
other countries they are more elaborate. The central
feature of every temple is a statue of the Buddha. The
statue itself is not worshipped. People go to the temple
to honour what the statue represents.
Buddhists believe that Siddhartha Gautama Buddha
was a holy man who achieved Enlightenment, or
Nirvana, a state of total peace and perfect truth. The
Buddha, the most Enlightened of all human beings,
taught others the way of peace and truth. Since then,
the goal of all Buddhists is to achieve Nirvana.
There is very little worship of God or gods in
Buddhism. It is not required that people gather
together as a community to worship in a temple. There
is no holy day of the week or any set time for daily
prayer.
Worship in the home
Most Buddhists worship before a shrine in their own
homes. The shrine will have a statue of the Buddha,
vases of flowers, and bowls of water. Incense, candles
and a tray for offerings of food are placed in front of
the image. Rosaries or rows of beads are often used as
an aid to prayer.
Buddhist worship involves lighting candles and burning
incense in front of an image of the Buddha. Flowers
and food are presented as offerings. Time is spent
kneeling before the image in silent meditation. Parts of
the sacred texts may be recited.
Worship in the Temple
The elements of Buddhist worship in the home and in
the temple are very similar. The main
part of a Buddhist temple is the shrine to the Buddha.
It reminds the worshipper of the Buddha and his
teachings.
Everyone entering the temple takes off their shoes as
a sign of respect. They join both hands together, and
bow in front of the shrine. Around the statue of the
Buddha are candles, flowers and incense. People place
their offerings near the image and then kneel on the
floor to pray.
Section C: Foundations of Religion - Buddhism
At worship in a Buddhist temple.
During worship people chant, meditate in silence, and
bow low several times to honour the Buddha and his
teaching. Buddhist monks are present in the temple to
chant from the sacred texts, and to give a lesson on the
Buddhist way of life.
Outside, there may be another sacred building close to
the temple. It will contain a relic of the Buddha (part of
his body or clothing) or something else associated with
him. In China and Japan such a building is called a
pagoda. In India it is called a stupa. A pagoda or stupa
is a tall narrow building that is sealed like a monument.
People show respect for the holy relic within by
making offerings and walking around the building in
processions.
Questions
1. Name two places where Buddhist worship
takes place.
2. What offerings are made in front of a statue of
the Buddha?
3. List the important features of either:
a. a household shrine OR
b. a Buddhist temple.
4. What is the function of a pagoda or stupa beside
a Buddhist temple?
5. Describe the different elements of worship in
a Buddhist temple.
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