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Prayer
So...I've noticed that alot of Buddhist writings, etc. talk about prayer...well, if, by and large, Buddhism is a non-theistic religion then who is it that Buddhist pray to?
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The action is backed by the intention. We fervently desire something to manifest. usually it's a fundamental desire for beings to be happy and free from suffering.
Tibetan Buddhism calls upon certain Buddhas, but in many ways, these are figurative manifestations of a specific characteristic...
It's complicated, and not being a Tibetan Buddhist myself, I would hope I am not speaking out of turn.
But 'prayer' in Buddhism although misunderstood and generallya cdepted to be a misnomer, is a fervent desire on the part of the 'pray-er' for the cessation of Pain and the manifestation of non-pain. usually.
I would like to add that, even in Christian or Muslim prayer, 'intercessory' prayer, asking for things, is seen by many of us as the least skillful form. The prayer of silence or of gratitude is used as a method of 'aligning' or training the mind. That this is rarely taught in much of modern Christian church circles is a local and recent development. Our Sufi brothers and sisters know it well.
Hi Simon,
Why did this happen, if I may ask?
Namaste
Kris
Kris,
I think that the roots of this change from contemplative prayer to begging arose from a number of sources. Most recently, in the 19th and 20th centuries, we saw the rise of a social conscience, mainly within the Protestant communities. People began to notice that vast swathes of humanity were suffering want and disease. Driven by the gospel message, they worked to alleviate the pain of the poor and disinherited, alongside the growth of socialism. No longer could they accept the attitude that said "God bless the squire and his relations, and keep us all in our proper stations".
The twin results were, first, social action, but, at the same time, the dialectic operated and a feeling arose that God 'rewarded' the good. This was a throw-back to earlier Calvinism but without the notion of election. Doing the 'faith thing' properly would bring secular rewards.
It is easy to see how this fitted in to the growing capitalism of the West: the poor and suffering ceased to be the focus of compassion and concern. They were the architects of their own misery because they were not 'worthy'.
An additional factor, from the 18th century, was the explosion of lotteries which promised instant wealth but were, in actual fact, a hidden tax on the poor. This idea that 'luck' was available to anyone brought about new superstitions which have rubbed off on the spiritual attitude of the churches - which have always tended to prefer the rich to the poor.
The ultimate result has been a sense of dissatisfaction and fear. Neither emotion is conducive to a grateful or a benevolent mind, at peace with itself and the world. They reinforce desire, grasping and aversion, leading to a begging attitude.
That's a very thoughtful reply. As I have come to review the idea of a God, in light of my Buddhist path, I have noticed just how painfully shallow and dualistic the Church's take on this is. It's not as if there have never been Christian mystics, like Meister Eckhart and the Gnostics but it seems all teachings which demonstrate, through experience, how to directly commune with the divine have been subverted by the establishments.
They have doctored this out, putting Christians at a distance from their religious path and making them supplicants to a dualistic God. This is, as you pointed out, reflected in their preferred mode of prayer, where a believer is essentially pleading for something from another being. I guess their justification is that they have adopted Jesus' position and so now no one comes to the father but through us.
Similar traits towards objectification and veneration, can be observed in some quarters of Tibetan Buddhism but the difference is, the direct path is still taught and prized as the highest.
Namaste
Kris
You've echoed my thoughts and observations, Kris. It saddens me in some way, it is a pity. I recently saw on link on genkaku's blog to "Carthusian Monks" and when I perused that site, I saw an Order that prized contemplation, silence and the connection with God.
Thankyou also Simon, for sharing your insights.
Namaste.