AboutAlex Wilding Expertise I have practiced and studied Tibetan Buddhism in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions since the early 1970s, and have a good knowledge of theory, history and of the struggles of trying to practice the teachings, including meditation, while leading a normal, modern life.
I am also available to provide background information for journalists.
Experience I have been a practitioner since the early 1970s; have run a small Buddhist centre in the English Midlands and was vice-president of Kagyu Benchen Ling e.V. in Germany, for whom I managed three large Buddhist summer-camps. More importantly, I maintain a habit of personal practice.
I am the "owner" of the Kagyu list at Yahoo.
Education/Credentials My first degree was an M.A. from Oxford. I later obtained a Master of Philosophy degree for a research thesis in "Initiation in Tibetan Buddhism" from Leicester University. I also have engineering and educational qualifications.
What is the right way to pray when you are visiting a Buddhist Gompa or a monstary eg in places like Ladhak (India)
for example in Hinduism
we first go directly to the main idol and after praying we do a reveloution around the idol's chamber (clockwise) then proceed to other idols repeat the same processs and finally sit down at a quite place listening to the hyms and prayers performed by the priest.
How does this translate to Buddhism, I tend to get confused what to do when I see a big prayer wheel inside a small room 1) Is it okay to go in if someone is already inside the room spinning the gaint wheel or should I wait for my turn ( am I supposed to take off my shoes incase I have not done so due to the chamber being located outside )
2) Is it ok to sit on one of those long red clothed seats on the floor or is reserved for lama's
Presume you got the jest of my query
Thanks
ANSWER: Dear Vinod,
Well as you obviously realize, these things vary from place to place, so it is always important to watch and fit in. But as a rule:
* Those big wheels are meant for joint operation, so as long as it's not too crowded, joining in should be fine.
* Some people do a prostration to the main image as soon as they come in.
* In most cases, taking off your shoes is not taken as seriously in Buddhist places as in Hindu ones. (Sometimes that has caused trouble, when quite "high-ranking" Buddhist figures have forgotten to do this in a place that might be shared with Hindus!) But is is done, so you'll just have to look and see what the local practice is.
* Those seats are _probably_ not reserved - again I'm afraid you'd have to see what the local practice is.
Good luck!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks Alex just a few follow up questions
1) Is there any specific praying process when it comes to Buddhism
and
2) I am a bit confused about modern Buddhism - As far as I have learnt Gautham Buddha was the first Buddha and he was the one who started Buddhism - however when ever I look at buddhist work or related - his name never appears. even a linage into Gautham is not evident - this confuses me a little - it seems as if the buddhism that I studied in school is not the budhhism that is being practiced.
Could you enlighten me on this aspect please
Answer Hi Vinod,
1) There certainly are "standard" prayers, BUT on the one hand they vary from one tradition to the next, and on the other hand the whole question of "what is a prayer" is complex.
2) There are a number of reasons why you might have felt this, and this time I'd name three in particular.
Firstly, the kind of Buddhism I have seen taught in schools (not that I have made an extensive study) tends to be both sanitized and accommodated to the Christian model, as if the Buddha were an "equivalent" to Jesus. In Christianity as we now have it, the *person* of Jesus is central, whereas in Buddhism the *teachings* of the Buddha are what is central. The writers of those textbooks tend to feel relatively happy with a historical personage, and give him more emphasis than actual Buddhism does.
Secondly, as a consequence, we often talk of "the Buddha" rather than use a personal name. This is also to do with the fact that "the Buddha" is a bigger idea than that of one historical person. The assumption is that there are, have been and will be innumerable Buddhas, some here, some in worlds to the east, south, north, west, perhaps nearby, perhaps in other galaxies, perhaps on other planes of existence.
Thirdly, for much of Buddhism "Gautham", "Gotama" or whatever is seen as a personal name associated with his life before he became enlightened, so even when the historical person is being referred to, the language tends to avoid that name and to say things like the "Lord", the "Blessed One", the "Thus-Gone", the "Conqueror", the "Lion of the Shakyas", the "Sage of the Shakyas". It would appear dismissive to call him "Gautama".
Does that help at all?
