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2 Questions - Regarding Paryer and Karma

Muslim_YouthMuslim_Youth
edited May 2006 in Buddhism Basics
Hello,
When the Tsunami occured, and unforunately there was a great loss of life, I saw on TV that Buddhists were praying. My question is, who were they praying to, since they do not believe in God?
Also, I want to ask something about Karma. Do Buddhists believe, if someone is born mentally or physically disabled (e.g. blind, autistic, etc), it is because of his/her past bad deeds in his/her previous life?

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2006
    Buddhists, as you rightly say, do not pray in the conventional sense.... I suspect that the word is used as a general sense to describe the votive actions of those practising Compassion....They were possibly making offerings of Mantras and incense to wish a good karmic re-birth for those devastated by the disaster... when a life is taken so suddenly, few involved are mindful and serene...there is therefore great unrest in the person dying, at the moment of their death... It is full of panic, and distress....terrible, just terrible....
    So a transformation and re-birth with a desire for good karma for them, is probably what Buddhists were "praying" for...

    Karma accompanies us throughout our lives... and it's not the karma we have, it's what we do with it....
    I cannot even begin to hypothesise on the answer to your second question, though I have read discourses on this subject, but I don't remember where...I think in one of HH the DL's books...So I can't give reference or quotation....
    But the Karma of the carers is also in play here.... if a child is born handicapped, it is not only their karma that has to be considered, but the Karma of all those connected with that child too.... hence personal Karma, and collective karma....

    I hope others may be able to shed more light on this for you....
  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    edited May 2006
    Buddhists from certain countries still practice their "native" religion as well. For example, this month's National Geographic details the Buddhists of Myanmar and the native religion that they have mixed with Buddhism. They pray to river spirits, etc. and perform rituals with spirit guides - that sort of thing.

    Tibetans have their oracles and spirits - their native religion called "bon" is still intermingled with their Buddhism.

    I know a Jewish Buddhist who says prayers all the time. :)
  • angulimalaangulimala Veteran
    edited May 2006
    muslim_youth,
    karma is not just about good deed or bad deed,it's about cause and effect.so there must be a cause for someone to be physically disabled,it could be their bad deeds in the previous life or in the present life,or it could be other causes.with our limited knowledge we could not know all of the cause and effect.the rule of karma is so delicate,wallahu alam(only god knows).
    that's my understanding on karma,maybe other karma experts here may explain it better,thank you
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