What Did the Buddha Say About Prayer?

Many contemporary Buddhists make prayer part of their practice. We will look at the early texts to see what the Buddha seems to have thought about such activities.
Ken McLeod's article on Buddhist prayer in Tricycle magazine (may be paywalled): tricycle.org/magazine/where-t...
Suttas mentioned:
Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.43: suttacentral.net/en/an5.43
Saṃyutta Nikāya 42.6: suttacentral.net/en/sn42.6
Check out my Patreon page: / dougsseculardharma
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Please visit the Secular Buddhist Association webpage!
secularbuddhism.org/
My material can be found here:
secularbuddhism.org/author/doug/

[@ellen8039]

There’s nothing in the world that’s more interesting than Buddhism. I’ve always been surrounded by people who are christians and I’ve identified as a christian but I never actually believed in it. I’m so happy I found the way to buddhism, something I actually believe in ❤️

[@DougsDharma]

That's nice to hear Ellen, thanks!

[@andrewtom8407]

@PODCAST - SørenCast Z it's the people that make and run the religion. if the people who run the religion is weird, then the religion they run can't be anything but.

[@KJAlways]

Hey Ellen, I am a Progressive Christian with no attachment to any denomination. I grew up Evangelical. I learned Progressive and many Liberal Christians embraces Buddha's teachings and meditations. Congratulations on embracing Buddhism. I don't feel being a Progressive Christian and Buddhism conflicts with each other.

[@KJAlways]

@PODCAST - SørenCast Z If you look at the History of Christianity from the first century. They were originally Jews until they start following the Romans. Christians believe in things that Jewish Jesus did not. If you under it historically and compare Orthodox Jewish with Roman Christianity, you will probably see why it is weird. 😄 Jews don't believe in hell or Satan (the devil) and stuff like that.

[@nickscurvy8635]

@@KJAlways yes I have as well met christian buddhists. If one is able to sorta put aside the more supernatural and paranormal ideas of buddhism(which are not necessarily integral or necessary to the philosophy, but more an outgrowth of the religious and cultural context the buddha lived in), and you belong to a particular denomination or sect of christianity which emphasizes the gospels primarily over the other scriptures in the bible, the two philosophies can be consistent with each other and in fact the practices of buddhism can greatly deepen a christian lifestyle and make one much more skilled at following the various precepts, since buddhism has a long tradition of practices that have proven very effective at "purifying" the mind, so to speak.

[@NutnRoll]

You have the best English Buddhism channel on youtube.

[@DougsDharma]

Thank you!

[@CocoaBeachLiving]

Even when I no longer believed in a god, I found myself still in the habit of praying.. So once I became aware of this, I changed my process, instead of supplication, I asked 'myself', the Universe, to think clearly about my issues of the moment and ask that I be able to be positive and effective in my decisions. This method has produced greater results.

[@DougsDharma]

Good practice Bill, thanks for letting us know. I know some people consider prayer to have the same general function as you mention: that it clarifies our own thoughts and intentions.

[@KJAlways]

Am I understanding you correctly, you asked the Universe? If this is correct, my New Thought church would agree with you. You would probably fit in better than I do. I still talk to God because I experienced God to be true to my experiences. I am not religious about it, of course.

[@isurusampath8756]

@@KJAlways what are the experiences your about god's

[@enterthevoidIi]

So you substituted god with universe by giving a different name to the same belief.

[@stuffs6335]

Spot on!!! Praying is the most common misunderstood practice in many Buddhist countries. Many traditional Buddhists like to pray their personal needs directly to Buddha whom can't be reached out anymore. One needs to study the suttas to understand Buddha's view on praying. Great talk!

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks a lot Stuffs, glad you liked it!

[@pilotcyborg.gaming]

That is the most stupidest and ignorant thing about Buddhism

[@prasha7399]

@@pilotcyborg.gaming hey. Believe me. A lot of things don't make sense. But Buddhism is the most closet thing to the truth. @dougsseculardharma. Would it be possible Buddha had a bias of reincarnation because eastern religions believed it at the time Buddha was alive? How did gowtham siddartha come to that conclusion. Rebirth, heaven or hell or nothing at all.

[@amyshoemaker8430]

@@pilotcyborg.gaming kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIHMo6mQr6x5eKc

[@nealamesbury1480]

According to a sri lankan monk,in florida,tampa,Florida,,you can pray to the white light.thanks go out to him for putting up with me.

[@DipayanPyne94]

At 5.39, when you said 'Dancing around in a circle and so on around the object of a prayer', I cracked up. I have been laughing for the past few minutes and I can't stop. I think it's become one of my favorite comedy bits 🤣 Buddha was a LEGEND ! He wasn't just a rational and practical man. He had a great sense of humour too. Don't you think ? Again, I can't hold my laughter 😂😂 It's just EPIC ! Thanks a Ton, Doug !!! 😄

[@DougsDharma]

Glad you enjoyed it Dipayan!

[@DipayanPyne94]

Thanks a lot, Doug ! 😄

[@tharparoberts1139]

In the Tipitika, there's a few suttas which maybe have humorous elements, but it's not common and usually it's fairly subtle. When you hear things like the quote you gave, that's not actually a direct quote from a sutta, it's more a characterization of a reader.

[@DipayanPyne94]

@@tharparoberts1139 I wasn't quoting any sutta. I was laughing at what Doug said in the video above ...

[@grafinvonhohenembs]

This is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks for the great information!

[@DougsDharma]

Glad it was helpful!

[@acatssoftnose3940]

I'm not a Buddhist, but I love Buddhist prayers, especially the ones that encourage you to visualize something, like this one: Blessing the Speech I take refuge in the Three Jewels (3x) May I become a buddha to benefit all. (3x) I arise as the deity. On my tongue, the syllable AH transforms into a moon disc. On top of that appears a white OM syllable surrounded by white ALI (vowels) circling clockwise, red KALI (consonants) circling counterclockwise, and the blue dependent-related heart mantra circling clockwise. Light beams radiate out from the syllables and the garland of mantras and hook the blessings and power of both mundane and supramundane speech in the form of the three mantras, the sublime seven precious royal symbols, and the eight auspicious signs. I feel great after reciting them. There's a sensual quality to it. Mediation, on the other hand, I only like the chanting styles. I'd make for an awful Zen Buddhist.

[@VIJENDRAKUMAR-ur1fd]

Thanks, mate! for making things easier for us and spreading beautiful words.

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure!

[@antkin608]

Thanks for this talk, Doug. Much appreciated.😊🙏

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure, Anant. 🙏

[@stevevest7206]

Thank you. This is a question I had about Buddhism in the past. The way I resolved it was to think of Buddhist prayer as praying to oneself, basically reinforcing positive thoughts. There is a subject I recently ran across that I can't recall seeing in one of your videos, the concept of the lay arahant. It is a subject worth considering.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, I think that reinforcing positive thoughts does make sense. That's kind of what we're doing with Brahmavihāra meditations.

[@manderson7341]

Doug thank you for being a source of credible and accurate information on early Buddhism. My friends in Asia speak English but not academically well enough to debate me or inform me on such topics. Not even in the monastery could I explore some of these topics. I appreciate you. Sadhu

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure! Glad you are getting something out of the videos. 😊🙏

[@seea3516]

love this channel, thank u!

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure!

[@JordanBuddha]

Beautifully explained, thank you 🙏🏻

[@DougsDharma]

You're very welcome Jordan!

[@snehakasabe3130]

Thank you for this information

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure Sneha. 🙂

[@ConexionHumanaOficial]

Thank you very much. Lotus for you. Evangelina Cortes.

[@DougsDharma]

You’re very welcome Evangelina!

[@YandryPozo]

wow! thanks a lot for this video, that same question was bugging me for a while, now it's super clear, thanks for your videos are the best and thanks Buddha!

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks a lot Yandry, glad you liked it!

[@cassvanessa5]

I like this, it made sense to me. I’m new to Buddhism and it really resonates with me. I’m a recovering catholic lol but I have to say, I do believe in a supreme being , not at all like what’s been rammed down our throats , and I do pray but have come to pray only for others and not for myself, for healing and peace etc, nothing ephemeral that we can acquire through work and a good disposition. I have a long way to go , working my way through this journey.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks for your comment, Vanessa. All the best on your journey!

[@cassvanessa5]

@@DougsDharma thank you 🙏😊

[@thekratommanbigsmoketheawo5783]

Very useful video! Thanks

[@DougsDharma]

🙏😊

[@peaceful_warrior3479]

Thank you for the Dharma on prayer ( I even know how to spell prayer now) lol Very very clear. I will book mark this video thank you again . Happy New Year stay safe. w/ Metta , Robert

[@DougsDharma]

Wonderful! Have a happy new year Robert and a great 2021.

[@chiacheeseng538]

Thanks you. Learn a lot . 🙏

[@DougsDharma]

🙏😊

[@EvenStarMN]

thanks for videos

[@DougsDharma]

You're very welcome!

[@tunaung8639]

Since I have more and more deep faith in Kamma (Karma), there is almost no prayer in my older age if I can say well wish for everyone is a kind of prayer.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes mettā (lovingkindness) practice is sort of like prayer, but it's intended to help redirect our own minds rather than external beings.

[@anujakumari4497]

Thank you 🙏🙏🙏

[@DougsDharma]

You're most welcome anuja. 🙏🙂

[@nordmende73]

Thank you!

[@schleyguy5118]

This is another good talk and I need to listen to it again to make sure I understand and comprehend but, I am still very confident in the power of manifestation and commanding a desired reality into the now. I am confident in the method of prayer described in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas. None the less, I do love and agree with the point the Buddha makes about doing and being.

[@yashodhara2630]

well said sir

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks Yasho.

[@adamstewart276]

Doug I live in Laos primarily. But have lived in Japan and Thailand. I can assure you the locals do pray and taught me how to do it. They often pray and ask for things when they visit temples I am taught.

[@DougsDharma]

For sure, prayer is a part of many contemporary Buddhist practices.

[@EinfachLogischVideos]

channel name . just great

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks! 🙂

[@archangelyoonah2198]

buddha is the bloomed flower in my life💖

[@DougsDharma]

🙏

[@laurenpickles287]

I’m new to this and seemed very interested. I love the way you worded things but I was just wondering what sort of main things do I remember or have to do to become a Buddhist?

[@DougsDharma]

Hi Lauren, I did an earlier video on becoming Buddhist that might interest you. But in general, if you practice that's what's most important. Here's the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnzCpIeZq5WXnZI

[@rajchamar8641]

Thanks 😊

[@DougsDharma]

🙏😊

[@sompong2482]

Brilliant well presented hope seekers watch this

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks a lot Alfred, I hope so too!

[@akhihitochakma1285]

Beautufully explained !! 👏👏

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks Akhihito. 🙏

[@buddhism8312]

Namo Buddhaya May Buddha bless you❤🙏🏻

[@DougsDharma]

🙏😊

[@sompong2482]

A good introduction for seekers of the path

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks for the kind words, Alfred.

[@iainhughes2998]

Doug my temple is my mind and my prayers are my deeds

[@shuttybila990]

Thats exactly true. Lot of Tibetan prayers books contents are to improve your positive thoughts.

[@DougsDharma]

🙏

[@ARMY_RUGS]

If you are into rationality , critical thinking and reality. Bhuddism is the way for you. Being born a Christian after years of questioning my beliefs, Buddhism gave me clear answers to the realities of life.

[@DougsDharma]

I'm glad to hear it ebenezer! 🙏🙂

[@ARMY_RUGS]

@@DougsDharma Thank you for your works . Do you have any group or community you teach ?

[@sonamtshering194]

Personally I do not like prayer; in the past I tried to generate interest by doing early morning prayer for several weeks, but I just couldn't integrate it as a practice like meditation. This video has changed my attitudes towards prayer in the Buddhist context. On a side note people praying for good things in life is just like wishing for things to be granted by magical genies

[@DougsDharma]

Yes. Though I think we can perhaps reframe prayer as Brahmavihāra practice. That is, we can perhaps see prayer less about trying to influence "magical genies" as about trying to turn our own minds towards wishing kindness and compassion for others.

[@jerclarkedotorg]

Okay, as I go through all these videos, I just want to say: What an amazing gift you are giving!!! These are so thoughtful and sincere and hopeful and informative. I only wish I had found them sooner. Great work and thank you so much! This is the first place i'll send anyone looking for info about Buddhism from now on! (FWIW I was searching youtube for "theravada" because I wanted "early buddhism", not realizing that "secular buddhism" and "early buddhism" were the right keywords. In case you haven't, you should do a "Theravada v. secular buddhism" video where you go through the differences, just so that I might have found it :P).

[@DougsDharma]

Hey thanks Jer! I understand what you're saying about Theravāda and secular Buddhism, but I prefer as much as possible to stay positive and not get too deep into who's wrong about what. So question is if I can do it in a way that is positive to the message and not a turn-off. For the record, I have a lot of respect for many Theravadin teachers. There is a separate issue of the difference between Theravāda and early Buddhism, which I may do a video on eventually. (Some contemporary western Theravadin teachers actually seem to see themselves as teachers of early Buddhism).

[@jerclarkedotorg]

Yes, that's exactly what I meant by "v.", not that it would be a "showdown" but rather a comparison and analysis. The video I would have loved to see would show the similarities between secular buddhism and Theravada e.g. how much closer to secular buddhism Theravada is than other traditions in many ways. I see what you mean though, a delicate topic for sure. It's wonderful how your videos take a brave stance while also avoiding any unnecessary divisiveness and drama. Thanks for the wise speech 🙏

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks again Jer! I'll give it a think and see if there's something I can come up with. It would be an interesting thing to discuss, if done right. 🙂

[@DougsDharma]

Ah! I do have one video you might be interested in: a comparison between early Buddhism and secular Buddhism. If you haven't seen it already, let me know if this covers the kind of territory you were looking for. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6eQmoGbZtyJkJI

[@benniethai7829]

Please come to the Temple, everyone is welcome. Buddhism is about your life purity, no pressure for religion so please come in.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks Bennie!

[@manuga2001]

Secular Dharma should become a new school of Buddhism.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks Manu, yes many of us think it sort of is! 🙂

[@latopbhutia5642]

Vipassana meditation as taught by S N Goyanka is a new secular Buddhism school.

[@KJAlways]

@@latopbhutia5642 No wonder I am comfortable with them, except when they chant about god. I don't participate. I don't bother with god in other religions. I prefer to talk to God whenever I feel like talking and listening. I love Vipassana. 💜A friend gave me a book on their Discourse. And I downloaded all ten days of their meditation. I am going to attempt to do it at home part-time.

[@KJAlways]

I wish there were Secular Buddhism sangha we could build community and have a membership to a Sangha that does not require for me to be religious.

[@latopbhutia5642]

@@KJAlways hi. If you are doing the 10 days vpassana course as taught by Guruji s n goyanka for the first time i would suggest you to do in a organise course with a teacher rather than yourself. It's much safer and right way to do it. :)

[@xfunktion]

So, what is the meaning (according to Sutras of course) of offerings e.g. in Sōtō Zen during the morning and evening service, when you offer recitation of Sutras and other texts and pray e.g. for peace, being healthy and so on for other people?

[@DougsDharma]

Well it could very well be understood as a Brahmavihāra practice: a practice of extending kindness and compassion to others. That is a practice that goes back to the Buddha, and indeed is pre-Buddhist. There is a subtle difference between prayer and Brahmavihāra practice.

[@andrewtom8407]

It makes sense that the Buddha didn't think prayers serves any purposes. When one believes in karma, does praying for a better life or anything for that matter make any sense? To me, it seems praying is to defying karma by asking someone to help one to undo the negative karma or to boost positive karma. Karma states that one cannot escape from one's accountability and responsibility. Praying is indeed asking someone to take the accountability and responsibility off from the individual. It's like putting one's burden on someone else. Last but not the least, whom does one pray to anyway?

[@DougsDharma]

Right. Well the Buddha seems to have accepted that prayer to devas and the like could provide one worldly benefits, but it couldn't gain one liberation.

[@andrewtom8407]

@@DougsDharma Thanks Doug! However, I don't see how devas in the Buddhist context have any authority or power in changing one's life. They are beings still under the control of karma just like human beings. In the worldly sense, .what one gains maybe someone else's loss. That seems to me anything the devas do will have certain karmic effect on themselves as well as on others.

[@GHS999]

hello, what's your opinion about praying for victims of a natural catastrophe, is worthy? thanks

[@anujrathod604]

In Marathi ,a language from India we have prayer in which we say that let all humans behave with each other like the human Such a nice prayer.

[@DougsDharma]

There are aspects of metta bhavana that sound like prayers but I think really are intended to transform our minds.

[@andrewtom8407]

This sounds like a very nice quote of wisdom!

[@rajendramenon6610]

Buddha probably emphasised the importance of doing good deeds instead of praying to unknown entities. However Buddhist history does acknowledge the existence of beings in higher planes called Gods, some of whom do have powers to help humans. Affirmations and use of speech and thoughts for positive good does improve one's karma. Intention is to focus on action instead of supplication alone.

[@DougsDharma]

🙏

[@harshiniratwatte7432]

I have to agree that prayer isn’t effective. Yes dancing around in a circle was funny 😂. However, making merit, then sharing that, Can be effective, providing the recipient wants to accept.I believe that Brahma vihara practices are highly effective in positively changing our habitual tendencies. Bringing many positive side benefits even in this lifetime.The wholesome mental development being the main event😊.it should eliminate the need for prayer.These are only my experiences from personal practice, as I understand the practice of dhamma to be a DIY affair. One needs to rely on one’s own consistent, balanced, well intended, non harmful behavior to see you through. Making a power of truth (If the truth is 100% pure) is i suppose the closest one gets to preyer, though perhaps not entirely in the scope of secular Buddhism(?). Thank you for your talks 🙏🏼 live long & prosper in the dhamma.🖖🏼

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks so much Harshini. Yes, brahmavihāra practices are similar to prayer but they work on our own minds first and foremost, training us to see the world in a more skillful manner. Then that ripples out in our behavior.

[@harshiniratwatte7432]

@@DougsDharma Indeed Doug! I want to be clear that I don’t prescribe to the Brahma Viharas as a replacement Prayer. In my experience it’s simply the most effective way to positive behavioral change/a mental “paradigm shift” if you like. A crucial element, if one is convinced of the 4 noble truths.I am not a traditional Budhist. I don’t believe in rights/rituals. With that said, I don’t think I am a strict secular Budhist either. I see Buddhism less as a religion, more as a way to comprehend cause & effect. Not unlike physics. I’m a Buddha dhamma practitioner based on the earliest sutta texts -Vimukthi mugga. Without blind faith but rather, gradual confidence arising when facts are confirmed via actual, personal, practice. Thank you for your vedios on 4 noble truths. It helped me absorb a holistic understanding of the first 3, even if I focus more on the 4th. Absolutely agree with your video on attachment vs love.😊 I wish you good health, may you have all success in your meditation practice.🖖🏼, 🙏🏼.

[@grndragon7777777]

This is like if you get a cut and pray for it to heal rather than putting a bandaid on it.

[@DougsDharma]

Exactly.

[@englishmanbo]

Right on Doug, agree with the proposition that prayer (and much of Buddhist practice ) is psychological reconditioning. However I do wonder if overemphasizing the psychological and ethical may diminish the significance of non-physical reality as a component of practice. Emptiness in form, form in emptiness. It goes beyond. No doubt you have experienced increased sensitivity to energy and felt it in yourself and around places and people in devotional or meditative states. Is this not akin to a subtle influence on objective reality resulting from prayer (or something close to it). I am not a great believer in the power of prayer but on an interpersonal level, for example in a teacher student relationship, or a group with the same belief system, this may be a potent force. If that is so, who truly knows the limits of energetic influence.

[@DougsDharma]

Certainly meditating in a group gives a greater sense of energy and purpose than doing it individually!

[@mirandazohran]

Does praying for someones health for eg. lets say someone is sick. Does it actually change/influence their health when i have such aspirations or it is only for me to become hopeful about their situation and encourage them or for me to quell my anxieties about them? Is it a mind trick?

[@DougsDharma]

Well I can only say that my own opinion is that you cannot influence another person's health by prayer. You can however perhaps make yourself more tranquil and happier which can help the sick person indirectly. The Buddha's view seems to have been rather similar in this regard.

[@andrewtom8407]

I believe many people resolve to praying when they feel desperate and helpless. It's like having an invisible shoulder to lean on. it's simply psychological instead of practical. It at least gives people some kind of make-believe hope. if it helps, why not?

[@AverageBuddhist88]

The bodhisattvas have transcendant powers. So yes, they can help. Obviously praying will not fully heal anyone instantly, but there are deities that can influence people's health and reduce people's suffering. Namo Buddhaya ☸️🙏

[@KJAlways]

If I were to join a sangha, do I have to pray or chat with them as a member? I am a Progressive Christian with no particular church. I know Buddhism can be embraced without conflicts. I already have a connection to God from my Christian background. I am actually a Panenteist of some sort. I don't view myself as religious because I don't do anything beyond talking and listening to God, sometimes. I agree with this Tibetan Monk and Taoism about the mystery of God that words cannot express. I hope that makes sense. Now, I am trying to listen to Buddhist teachers and see if they continue to speak the truth of my experiences that actually speaks to me. I am more into Vipassana. I also like Tibetan Buddhism that embraces Dalai Lama. Those who don't embrace him, I prefer to avoid the conflicts between them. I love the Dalai Lama! He is so silly when he is around Desmond Tutu. Hahaha. 😄

[@DougsDharma]

Yes he is, it's fun to watch them together. As for joining a sangha, it totally depends on the sangha, and most ones I'm familiar with aren't very pushy so if you don't want to chant along, you can just sit silently. (Prayer doesn't play a part in many Buddhist sanghas, though chanting can). There is less chanting in Vipassana than in say Zen but mostly it's meditation in both. Tibetan practices are more ritualistic. I'd say if you have questions just go to the sangha you are interested in and ask. I'm sure they will be happy to answer, and it probably won't be the first time they've been asked such things.

[@KJAlways]

@@DougsDharma Thank you very much. I am just going to observe, listen and learn. I ask questions online, but I am a little shy about showing up to a Temple at this time. I just learned that Tibetan has a Vipassana too. I am still trying to understand who are praying to, is it like how some Catholics pray to saints? I am learning about more schools of Buddhism, plus Christian Buddhists, Secular Buddhists, etc... At this point, I think I need to explore more after seeing all these new names. If God don't exist, who have been with me all of my life and respond to my prayers? Guiding me and teaching me things? When I attempted to become an atheist, it went through a lot of trouble to stop that! I decided not to repeat that experience.

[@ShatteredRippleBooks]

I come from a christian background but my ex wife was Theravada Buddhist so I am familiar with the chants of that tradition and how simple worship (for want of a better word) is in that tradition. What I am curious about is can Buddhism be ecclectic? Can you take elements from different traditions? For example I haven't known the loving kindness meditation used in this tradition but could I use it? I'm very interested in learning more, love your videos.

[@DougsDharma]

Sure! Most Buddhists I know are eclectic to one degree or another. If a practice works for you, why not? The only pitfall can be if it confuses you, since each tradition comes from a slightly different place, and therefore there may be real or apparent contradictions or disagreements between the ways they frame the dharma.

[@ShatteredRippleBooks]

Yes that makes sense, thankyou for answering.

[@TheNeighborhoodZenPriest]

Thank you for a well-constructed and informative video. A question if I may; In the Ratana Sutta, Shakyamuni Buddha tells Ananda to sprinkle water and recite a verse asking divine beings to bless those who makes offerings to said beings. Though not a prayer in name within the Sutta, would this not constitute as a prayer from an academic standpoint?

[@DougsDharma]

It’s a great question, DR. The verses in the Ratana Sutta (Snp. 2.1) can be seen as a kind of prayer I think. Basically it is a request that the divine beings have metta for humans, since humans give them offerings. It is also I think an attempt to convince divine beings to be kind to humans based on the value and importance of the Triple Gem. I would suppose that the Sutta stems from a later, more devotional period of Buddhist history, but who knows?

[@TheNeighborhoodZenPriest]

Thank you for your reply and insightful answer. As I understand it the Ratana Sutta is part of the Sutta Nipata, which in turn is part of the Khuddaka Nikaya. This Nikaya contains both early and relatively late Suttas, thought the Sutta Nipana is seen as a early one according to scholars and teachers such as Bhikkhu Bodhi and Oliver Abeynayake. Since I have not studied this particular Sutta for myself I can only rely on their academic authority though, so like you said, who knows?

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks again for your response, DR. As to the Sutta Nipāta, as they say, it’s complicated. The text as such does not exist outside the Pāli tradition. It appears to contain some early material, in particular the Atthakavagga and the Pārāyanavagga, as well as the Rhinoceros Horn Sutta, although it also contains other, later material. So take that FWIW! 🙂

[@udayangadananjaya7914]

@@TheNeighborhoodZenPriest according to my understanding about ratana suttra it is more a like a determination or like a kindly demanding. Cz there buddha describe the values of triplegems and telling to gods to help humen and be kind to them because without humens good karmas gods can not servive for long time.its more like a friendly demand. And when we say in english may tripple gems bless you is wrong. Cz in pali bless is only for gods and devine beings . But to buddha and triple gems don't bless. In pali ( saranam) means more like a following and seeking advices in english . Thats why use ( buddhan saranam gachchami) so there is some language barriers there also.

[@rastafah2263]

สาธุ 🙏🏽

[@DougsDharma]

🙏

[@isurusampath8756]

please sir kindly request from you, please can you add english subtitles for your videos because i am not a veteran for english language but i can understand.you had better add the subtitles.please please please please🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@DougsDharma]

KZbin supposedly makes English subtitles for the videos, they are auto-generated but generally pretty decent I think ...

[@Raj-sc8qs]

Venerable doug ....can we share our good deeds with someone who is dead.....plz make a video on it sir

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks for the question Raj. My personal opinion is that we cannot. I also don't believe that such sharing was part of the early tradition; one's good karma was one's alone. But if you find such a sharing practice to be beneficial to you, then that's fine. It is rooted in compassion and kindness.

[@andrewtom8407]

I find this question very interesting! We can certainly share our good deeds with living beings like helping them in any way we can. We can pretty much find out if those we intend to help actually got the benefits. However, can we help dead ones with our good deeds? We have no way to find out since they are in different realms. It seems to me this is pretty much the same idea as praying. we will never know. In Mahayana Buddhism, it is believed that bodhisattvas can communicate with beings in other realms. There are stories in Mahayana Buddhism on these topics. However, not everyone can accept such ideas, Human beings usually can only accept things that they can experienced or proven by some kind of authority.

[@gsubham717]

However i do not understand why do the Buddhists pray, including HH Dalai Lama, given that Shakyamuni Buddha did not promote the act of praying and deemed it illogical

[@DougsDharma]

I'm not sure, but prayer does play a central role in most cultures.

[@garynaccarto8636]

As far as prayer goes I don't necessarily think that theres anything wrong with expressing your hopes/desires to God/The universe nor do I think theres anything wrongs with expressing your thanks to God/the universe however I also think that it is unskillful to be praying with the mentality that either anything is owed to you or to be praying with the mentality that you have the right to choose the terms in which the things that you pray for will be given to you.I also think that even while your expressing your desire for things or asking for things via prayer that the act of prayer in itself is more about having faith being hopeful and expressing thanks than it is about making demands.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, thanks Gary. There can be a lot of complexities to prayer that the Buddha really didn’t discuss. He was more discussing the ‘ordinary’ way people tend to think of prayer, perhaps from within a Vedic context.

[@stephenson19861]

In christianity, one usually begins to pray because he asks something, gradually he discovers the function of prayer is not in changing circumstances, but your reaction to them so that in everything you encounter, and especially in painful realities, you see more than simply - why did this happen to me. Especially in orthodox christianity, the purpose is to become the new being, to develop Christ like qualities and it is called theosis. In the end, who really took prayer seriously, comes to conclusion as Theresa of Lisieux - God always gives me what I want because I want all that he wants. There are some simmilarities here with the meditation as the function of prayer is, likewise, to stop the illusion that everything is about me, that I and my ego are most important characters in life... Unfortunately, the state of christianity today is that it became extremely shallow but, from what I've heard, that's what many eastern buddhists think about buddhism in the West, that's where the talks of McMindulness come in, because it's stripped out of it's context and turned into a simple anti-stress exercise. Likewise, in christianity, prayer is all to often taken as "when you wish upon a star"

[@leequan4246]

Like

[@dreamergirlz5178]

I'm Christian and I'm watching this more for research purposes but there's a question that I just can't find an answer to. When Christians pray we can pray about anything and some pray for favors like "God please watch over my mom while she gets this surgery" another thing we can pray about is the stuff that we want or need like "God please help my family out, we need money." "God I really want to get this new phone." Do Buddhists pray like this? Can you ask for a favor or pray about something you want or need? Basically, what can Buddhists pray about? If you can pray like this do you believe it will happen since you prayed about it? I know the way Christians pray and the way Buddhists pray might be a lot different but I'm trying to understand how different it really is. I've tried googling this question and I read so many websites but none of them even talked about what I'm looking for. Then I came across your video which answered my question a tiny bit but not enough for a definite answer to it.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks for the question Dreamer. Prayer isn't really part of the Buddhism I practice, but my understanding is that there are some schools of Buddhism in which prayer does occur: prayer to deities or to Buddhas or Bodhisattvas who can in some sense intercede for one in making things happen. But I don't think there will be a single, easy answer to your question since there will be many practice styles within Buddhism. That's to say, some Buddhists likely will pray as you suggest, while others will not.

[@dreamergirlz5178]

@@DougsDharma Oh okay so it just depends on the person and what branch of Buddism they follow. I had one more question but I think I already know the answer to it. Please excuse my lack of knowledge in this question. There are still things I don't really know the name of. I'm not trying to be rude. When Buddhist pray do they always do it in front of a statue or with a Monk or maybe some sort of offering? Or can they pray anywhere like on their way to work or at home?

[@DougsDharma]

@@dreamergirlz5178 To my knowledge they can pray anywhere, though I think often they will do so in front of images. There are also other videos on Buddhist prayer such as this one that might be helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYvYZ39tr5KUoqM

[@dreamergirlz5178]

@@DougsDharma Okay thank you so much!!

[@TruLight-Sujato-Damita]

I find prayer as a very nice way to show gratitude and gain merit. Not asking but wishing love for all beings. Also, it seems that our life is pre destined, so asking in prayer is somewhat non effective.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes it can be a good practice for ourselves even if it isn’t directly effective.

[@SoimulPatriei]

For many individuals, prayer comes from a psychological need. Many Buddhists pray and prostrate and make offers despite what Buddha taught. If you read Shantideva's Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva, you will be surprised to see how much he is prostrating and making offers. Those passages are so annoying for me because they obscure the meaning of the text. I prostrate to the bodies of those in whom This jewel, the sublime attitude, is born. Even harming them will lead to happiness. I go for refuge to the wellsprings of joy. I drape Samantabhadra, Lokeshvara, Manjushri, and the other noble beings With fabrics that are delicate and soft And hundreds of the finest ornaments. I offer the great beings I venerate, The lords of sages, every fragrant flower- Mandarava, lotus, jasmine, and so forth- And pleasing garlands strung attractively. I prostrate, bowing as many bodies As there are atoms in all realms, To all the buddhas of the three times, The dharma, and the sublime sangha. Boring!

[@DougsDharma]

Indeed some of us resonate with a more devotional approach to practice, while others of us find it not to our taste.

[@Peter-Godman]

Personally I feel my best prayer is meditative practice. That said, as just one example, there are countless testimonies of Padre Pio fulfilling peoples' prayers, typically regarding health, when he was alive and since he has been deceased.....we only need one white crow.

[@snehakasabe3130]

Where are you living sir , in a foreign country?that I want know I'm from india🙂🙂

[@DougsDharma]

I'm from the US ... someday I hope to visit India, we'll see. 😀

[@vitou8510]

100% right, Buddhism is not about praying, but about doing good deed, like giving alms to Buddhist Monks or poor people.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, it's about doing good deeds, practicing meditation, and working to attain wisdom.

[@michaelhanford8139]

It's just like Jim Morrison said, ''You *cannot* petition the Brahma with prayer!!!'' 😄

[@abdalrhmanajaj3026]

[1-30] Nay,1 I swear by the Day of Resurrection and nay, I swear by the reproaching self.2 Does man think that We shall not be able to put his bones together?3 Why not? We have even the power to shape and restore his very finger-tips.4 But man desires that he may go on doing evil in future as well.5 He asks, "When is the Day of Resurrection to be?"6 When the eyes are dazzled7 and the moon is darkened and the sun and the moon are brought together,8 then the same man will say, "Whither to escape?" No, by no means! There will be no refuge whatever. Only before your Lord that Day shall be the place of rest. That Day man shall be told all his former and latter deeds.9 Nay, man knows his own self best, even though he may offer many excuses.10 O Prophet,11 do not move your tongue to remember this Revelation hastily. It is for Us to have it remembered and read. Therefore, when We are reciting it,12 listen to its recital carefully. Again, it is for Us to explain its meaning.13 -No, by no means!14 The fact is that you (people) love that which is hastily attainable (i.e. the world) and neglect the Hereafter.15 On that Day some faces shall be fresh,16 looking towards their Lord,17 and some faces shall be gloomy, thinking that a back breaking calamity is about to befall them. No, by no means!18 When the soul reaches the throat, and it is said, "Is there an enchanter to help?"19 and man thinks that it is the time of his departure from the world, and the leg is joined to the leg,20 that will be the Day of driving towards your Lord. [31-35] But he neither affirmed (the Truth) nor prayed, but he belied turned away. Then he went to his kinsfolk, arrogantly.21 This sort of conduct behooves you and you alone. Yes, this sort of conduct behooves you and you alone!22 [36-40] Does man23 think that he will be left to himself to wander at will?24 Was he not a mere sperm-drop, which is emitted (in the mother's womb)? Then he became a blood-clot then Allah formed him and fashioned his limbs in proportion; then from it He made two kinds, male and female. Has He not then the power to give life to the dead?25

[@carlandre8610]

I would find talking to myself boring.

[@uliuli8997]

When I pray...I pray for MORE Love...MORE Kindness...MORE Compassion...MORE Joy. I tease my associates... I was praying to Lord Buddha for that $86,000 car down at Tony's Auto. 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🙏📿📿🙏📿🙏📿🙏📿📿

[@DougsDharma]

😄😄😄

[@Mumugen]

Hahahaha

[@lainfamia8949]

It's mandatory to a Buddhist to pray? I don't like to pray too much. I prefer act than wait for a miracle

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, that's what the Buddha said too, basically.

[@stevealkire6140]

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

[@kathreenfunaki6531]

Do Buddhism people pray during work Like Muslim’s?

[@DougsDharma]

I think that's liable to be a personal thing, as well as something that will depend on their particular branch of Buddhist practice. But I'd say ordinarily not.

[@roshanpreena271]

No..

[@kabalapati]

If millions of budhist do pray it means?maybe that A)they all didnt understand what budhisem is and how to be a budhist B)that praying is part of budhisem C)that praying to a greater power a deity or a bodhisatva even for earthly needs is maybe built in the human spirit and might be also a way to deal with suffering There are probebly more reasons they all might be wrong or right depending how or who is looking at it

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks for your thoughts, kabalapati. Yes, there are many different doors to practice, and Buddhism is both a religion and a philosophy.

[@rasabilly]

i think lot of people misunderstand the term prayer in buddhists, at least coming from a sri lankan perspective ... people do go to temples and keep buddha statues at home and do chantings in a form of recollecting the attributes of a buddha, dhamma and sanga... and remembers their ancestors and relatives, love ones etc, and wish them good ...more like loving kindness meditation ... for some one looking from outside, it looks more like a praying..

[@carlandre8610]

Everyone prays at some point it is natural to humans to do so. All cultures do it. The problem with effective prayer is a problem of understanding. Because one does not know the purpose of prayer they are not enlightened and prayer will be meaningless. Humans tend to give up on things that do not bring results. I will expound but in a response as this will get to long.

[@carlandre8610]

Few understand Christian Prayer. But if I explain you may understand but not agree but at least you will understand. 1st of all there is the belief that there is a creator God that comprises of 2 in one. 1. God is love. You need more than one to love. 2. It is the belief that God created humans in the seen world to reflect himself and to be part of his family. Humans are God's object of love. 3. We were created in God's image and his likeness. When we do not act like God we are malfunctioning. God ownes the world but gave management over to humans so we could share and understand loving power. We were to rule under God's partnership and in cooperation with God. We lost this ability when we decided to decide for ourselves what is good or not good. 4. Because God gave rulership on earth to spirits in a dirt body he took himself out of the direct equation. In otherworldly man can not without God and. God will not without man. Pray is essential to move the hand of God. God has designed the world this way so there will be a partnership with his children. Because humans forfeited rulership evil and supernatural forces rule through the hearts of rebellious man. God remedied this by sending a human that is 100 % man and 100% God to this earth. The life death and resurrection of Christ has paid the price for rebellion and being fully man has restored the Kingdom and rulership back to those who believe. Jesus did not bring a religion called Christianity he restored a Kingdom and he is a King. When you understand this you realize you can pray to the Ruler of all, you can go to God's throne and government and make petitions. Most of prayer is petitioning. The problem is one needs to learn what to pray for. There are things God wants us to ask for, and to line up with his will. We have the privilege of coming to the Father a loving Father who knows all our needs. God wants us to ask. So the purpose of prayer is to get more acquainted with our loving Father, and to bring about God's purpose by bringing his Kingdom in part to where we go until Jesus returns to set up his Kingdom fully. So how you measure effectiveness and what you think prayer is will shape what you think prayer is. If you do not believe in God how can you expect God to answer your prayers. God through Jesus has cleansed us from rebellion and Sin, so we can receive God the Holy Spirit to help guide us into truth. We grow in this truth by yielding to God not striving on our own. God living in our temple.e. body takes time to listen to. So we can understand the teachings of Jesus and so we can become more like the image and likeness we were meant to show. Meditation is not a higher form of prayer especially when there is no relationship to another being. Meditation on scripture is important but prayer is dynamic and fruitful and does change the world and oneself. It is not a form of psychological gymnastics or self betterment. It is getting in touch and being in a loving relationship. It is not cold. Or unloving. Change your mind and seek God's Kingdom and become part of the Royal family of God. God's way is paradoxically hard but does not require all that hard lifting and work, which is part of the paradox.

[@carlandre8610]

3 in one. Something that is a revelation that is not explainable. Not everything can be explained in life

[@marcelloleandro7537]

can i have ur emails? i wanna ask a lot about buddhism

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks but I prefer to keep discussions here online since they can be helpful to others with similar questions. Also I have limited time! 😀

[@marcelloleandro7537]

@@DougsDharma okay that is great too! i wanna ask, when buddhist people pray to seek answer. how do they know that the answer is a true answer?

[@DougsDharma]

@@marcelloleandro7537 Good question! I'm not sure. But if you watch the video you'll see it doesn't really matter, at least from an early Buddhist perspective.

[@marcelloleandro7537]

@@DougsDharma and if the situation is that the answer is given, can it changes?

[@DipayanPyne94]

@@marcelloleandro7537 Well, if I am not mistaken, as per Buddha himself, prayers don't work. Our lives are basically controlled by us, the people around us and nature. So, we should be wise enough to understand reality properly and make the best of our lives.

[@gabrielleangelica1977]

I disagree... I've seen great results with prayer. If you're mindful of the moment, it could be a prayer without ceasing. Besides, who do Atheists pray TO? 🎍

[@emilromanoagramonte9190]

The only case covered in your description of the Buddhas, position is the prayer to a higher entity, a god, or a God... or the Buddha or Buddhas for that matter? This is ineffective...But the call to our own self to direct our practice in this world is not part of Gautama's criticism... it seems... This will be self talking... There is also the case of saying the sutras outloud as in chanting, as music or as poetry, most enlightened poetry. As a rule, this is not done in Buddhist circles as a petition to any higher being but yourself, even when the prayer itself seem to said something else... The often chanted, chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra, for example...IN PRAISE of the Boddhisatva that answer the tears of all sentient beings, well look at , is to discover such compassion in our own selves... The chanting itself a way to discover such compassion, by being completely in the present moment, no the moment of your usual way of thinking always sagging behind, not of our sense of future just anticipation. STRANGELY ENOUGH, the message of the sutras, even when it is in a language foreign to our conscious mind, eventually reach us... it start as an odd practice and it finish, actually it may never finish, it poetically changes us into that Boddhisatva... Then hopefully into our practical regular, and compassionate self...

[@DougsDharma]

Right, many Buddhist practices are similar to prayer without really being prayers to a deity, such as metta practice. One may simply be repeating certain mantras in order to change one's own way of approaching the world, for example.

[@emilromanoagramonte9190]

@@DougsDharma Thank you for your gracious effort to clear subjects like this one... Deep Gassho!

[@rahult1518]

I think i disagree with buddha here.. and i suspect thats the reasom buddhism receded in india. While buddha is right prayer doesnt affect what you want it has a power of focusing your mind on what you want. It trains the subconscious in unclear ways to create pathways of action .

[@DougsDharma]

Well yes, there are practices in Buddhism analogous to prayer that focus the mind, such as the Brahmavihāras.

[@krunalbansod773]

the basic and original prayers in buddhism...doesnt demand anything from Buddha...but instead asks his followers to take oath to follow him and lead life in purest form the rituals and traditions and prayers to please supernatural gods by sacrificing animals is called "mimamsa" and buddha was against this vedic rituals

[@DougsDharma]

Right, he was against any kind of animal sacrifice.

[@joelebert9767]

He's saying these things as if, in Buddhism, any of it matters at all.

[@DougsDharma]

There are many Buddhisms.

[@joelebert9767]

And none of them has any basis for meaning of any kind. If everything is transient and illusory, there's no reason to bother about wisdom, compassion, love, beauty, or anything of the sort. What do you think? According to your Buddhism, what is the ground of meaning?@@DougsDharma

[@setonix9151]

@@joelebert9767 Meaning in Buddhism is very much grounded on the very real experience of suffering, and how to alleviate or extinguish said suffering.

[@setonix9151]

​@@joelebert9767And I would love to hear how in the Buddhism context "everything is illusory"

[@joelebert9767]

What is the solution in Buddhism to suffering?