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Prayer Card

marionmorrisonmarionmorrison
edited October 2010 in Buddhism Basics
I'm new to Buddhist practices and am learning new things all the time. I heard a story from a man who travelled to Tibet and was told about a prayer card. It could be from a branch of Buddhism called avatar or avatara? The prayer card consists of writing down three things that you really want to accomplish on a business card piece of paper and insert it into your wallet so that whenever you open your wallet you see this card. The process takes three years to actualize these desired accomplishments. Apparently, it helps to focus the mind toward these goals. Is there any substance to this?

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 October 2010
    Theravada Buddhism would view this as superstitious nonsense.

    I have to say this sounds remarkably "new Age" and something one would find in the book "The Secret" or some such modern 'self-help' psychobabble.
    I've honestly never heard of such a thing, personally, but then, I'm prepared to be proven incorrect....

    Put it this way, Kamma is for you to transform and generate and there is no guarantee you will even be here in 3 years' time.
    Part of Buddhist teaching is that Living in the past, or looking to the future are both futile exercises, because the only moment which exists is the Present Moment.
    The Buddha came to teach about the origin of Suffering, and the cessation of Suffering.
    The second Noble truth tells us that grasping, clinging and unskillful desire are the Roots of suffering.

    This exercise seems to me just a way of perpetuating that.....
  • pineblossompineblossom Veteran
    edited October 2010
    marionmorrison wrote: »
    I'm new to Buddhist practices and am learning new things all the time. I heard a story from a man who travelled to Tibet and was told about a prayer card. It could be from a branch of Buddhism called avatar or avatara? The prayer card consists of writing down three things that you really want to accomplish on a business card piece of paper and insert it into your wallet so that whenever you open your wallet you see this card. The process takes three years to actualize these desired accomplishments. Apparently, it helps to focus the mind toward these goals. Is there any substance to this?

    I have never heard of the practice.

    Perhaps its a bit like tying a piece of string around the finger so as not to forget to put the rubbish bin out.
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    edited October 2010
    Wow. John Wayne posting in our forum. Cool.

    I agree with Fed again. This sounds like new-age BS.
  • marionmorrisonmarionmorrison
    edited October 2010
    What if the things that you wrote on the cards were goals? The prayer card idea came from a rather famous person who said he heard this concept from a Buddhist in Tibet while he was travelling there. He has studied the Dhammapada extensively. I wouldn't be pursuing this question unless I thought there wasn't some veracity to the concept.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Prayers and things you want to accomplish are two *totally* different things. I agree - BS.
  • 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 October 2010
    marionmorrison wrote: »
    What if the things that you wrote on the cards were goals? The prayer card idea came from a rather famous person who said he heard this concept from a Buddhist in Tibet while he was travelling there. He has studied the Dhammapada extensively. I wouldn't be pursuing this question unless I thought there wasn't some veracity to the concept.

    By all means aspire to achieve something, but to make it a goal, and a long-felt passion, insofar as Buddhism is concerned, is grasping and clinging to an impermanent concept which will never bring you lasting satisfaction.
    Far better to practice and learn non-attachment.

    May one venture to ask just who this 'rather famous person' was?

    I only ask, because Buddhism was for some time, elevated to a trendy, fashionable and chi-chi thing to follow, by pseudo-would-be spiritual seekers.
    It was considered extremely chic to say "I'm Buddhist", so I tend to look upon things like this as rather romanticised and elaborately-fashioned imaginings....
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    edited October 2010
    The original post seemed to me to smack of magical thinking. If you mean this as goals to be worked toward, that's something else. But it doesn't take a lot of Tibetan doo-wee-ooo to reach goals. And I'm an expert in Tibetan doo-wee-ooo.
  • allanstevnsallanstevns
    edited October 2010
    Never heard of it either. I agree that its probably some new age stuff.
    I think the name "avatar"/"avatara" kind of gives it away as new age. If that branch exist, then it probably originated here in the west, from someone who smoked a little to much weed.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited October 2010
    http://www.ahs.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=1854
    http://en.allexperts.com/q/Buddhists-948/Buddhist-prayer.htm
    http://books.google.com/books?id=divsWrVMuI8C&pg=PA167&lpg=PA167&dq=pranidhana+buddhism&source=bl&ots=5BtoJFK6qQ&sig=LICwfT0ya_hbRRFV5Ljr1K3zqoM&hl=en&ei=6R2sTNWjO9CRnwenpfzhDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=pranidhana%20buddhism&f=false

    http://dhurudhuru.blogspot.com/2010/03/blog-post_2605.html

    Pranidhanas are a traditional practice in Tibetan buddhism. The idea is that our wishes have power. Like the old saying "if you set your mind to it"..
    Buddhists in Tibet are sometimes very accomplished at making pranidhanas. The idea is to wish for something that will actually benefit you. And wish clearly so that one of your pranidhanas isn't conflicting with another. The samantabadracharya is an example of a skillfully set pranidhanas and it is believed to be very benefitial to say this pranidhana.

    I have never heard of the index card idea.
  • BonsaiDougBonsaiDoug Simply, on the path. Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Perhaps I'm incorrect, but my impression is that Buddhist "prayers" are meant to awaken our own inherent inner strength, compassion, love, etc., rather than petitioning some sort of external force[SIZE=-2].

    A "prayer card" would seem to go against that.
    [/SIZE]
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited October 2010
    The prayer card would awaken your own wisdom. Even if its pure ego 'your three wishes' at least you would be aware of what your wishes are. Additionally they could be 3 things that help you on the path for example.

    1. Do sitting meditation every day
    2. Recognize anger when things that don't go my way and blaming others. Bell to wake up.
    3. When I feel a klesha try to relax and notice what is happening.

    By reflecting on these each day you bring your good intentions to bear. They could also be.

    1. Feel better.
    2. Stop getting in so many arguments.
    3. Become more aware

    Part of the reflection is to think very deeply about what you want. And why you want it. Inside all of those wishes is bodhicitta although it can get mighty distorted.
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