Expert: Justin Choo - 12/23/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi my name is devendran an I am a hindu.i would appreciate it if you can help me.my granny  Recieved a small buddha statue as a gift and she did not want it as she believed in her gods.i felt soory for it and I took him home with me I give him a bath dressed him put him on a clean tray and I have been automatically worshipping him.i light a inscent stick every morning and afternoon and pray to him ever since theres been alot of luck that came my way.i would like to know what is the correct way to pray to him and how to bath him and so on.we do not have any buddhist temples around.could you please post me print copy of the information for me as I can keep it. I am using my phone to email you.what do I do to keep my luck following.

My address is:

24 sunnyhill
Sunnypark
Stanger
Kwa zulu natal
South africa

ANSWER: Hi Devendran,

It is very noble of you to respect the statue of the Buddha.  To be honest, the statue of the Buddha is just a statue, nothing else.  Intelligent Buddhists pay homage to the statue of the Buddha not because of some "power" in the statue, but just as a mark of respect and reverence to their teacher.  However it is believed that one who performs noble and wholesome actions may benefit from those actions.  It is a natural law of good actions beget good results.  It is also believed that there are good spirits or angels who may help those who practise noble and wholesome deeds.  

Perhaps your culture has taught you the traditional rituals of paying respect to religious statues.  There is no harm you continue to do what you are doing now, so long as you feel comfortable with it.

For your request, I think a very simple Buddhist recitation in Pali will suffice.  After each recitation with the palms together, you bow to the Buddha.  If you want, you may kneel down to recite, and then lower your head to touch the floor.  

Below is the simple recitation:

Namô Tassa Bhagavatô Arahatô Sammâ-Sambuddhassa (Repeat 3 times)

Homage to the Buddha, the Blessed One, the Exalted One, the Fully Enlightened One.


If you wish to know the full version, you can go to this link:

http://www.buddhanet.net/pali_chant.htm


Hope this helps.

Take care.




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you justine for your response i am truely grateful.justine i was said by a lady who also believes in buddha said that i sould face the buddha statue toward direct sunlight and i must fill a bowl full of money and place the bhudda in it.i would like to know more about the teaching of buddhaism.i with also like to know what i should do daily.

Thank you
God bless
Devendran

Answer
Hi Devendran,

The Buddha spent all his life teaching people not to become slaves to rites and rituals.  Just think; if just by placing money and facing the sun could bring you whatever, then I would have done that and be very rich by now.  If you do that it will be an insult to the Buddha.

It is funny.  We can use our intelligence to do a lot of mundane things, but when it comes to so-called "religion" we forget that we still have human intelligence and common sense to decide on what is right and what borders on plain stupidity.   

I hope you are not offended by my comment.  My apology if you do.

As I suggest earlier, it is good enough if you just recite the simple homage to the Buddha.  

If you wish to know more about Buddhism, may I recommend you read this book by my revered teacher:  http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf

Take care.

Justin Choo