Buddhism is a tradition that focuses on the spiritual and personal development of a person. Buddhism is one of the most major religions in the world. (Modern Language Assoc.) Buddhists strive for a deep understanding and insight into the true nature of life. For this paper, I decided to participate and observe Buddhist meditation. This visit allowed me to educate myself more on the symbols of this culture and gain a greater respect for their religion. During my visit, I was able to observe the architectural space in which the meditation was occurring. The focal points of the place that I visited allowed me to understand Buddhism’s deep appreciation for peacefulness and the search for the right path in life. Through research, I found that Buddhism does have texts in which their religion finds sacred and holds to a high regard. I observed Samma Sati which is a form of meditation that allows you to focus on your body, feelings, and thoughts. Through my visit, I was made extremely welcome and was led through all of the practices.
Buddhism has eight symbols and they are also used by many different cultures. The symbols used in this religion are the Parasol, Golden Fish, Treasure Vase, the Lotus, the White Conch Shell, the Endless Knot, the Victory Banner, and the Golden Wheel. The Parasol is used to represent the spirituality and royalty that protects the heart of emotional defilement. (Namgyal) The Golden Fish (seen often in a pair) symbolize good fortune and the freedom of human beings from being caught in oceans of suffering. The Treasure Vase contains jewels that have spiritual meaning and represents the satisfaction in the fulfillment of life, happiness, and tranquility. Another symbol utilized in this religion is the lotus flower which is a symbol of mental and spiritual purity. The White Conch Shell shows the deepness of Dharma and Buddha’s teachings. The Endless Knot is used to symbolize independence and supporting each other in one spirit and strength. (Namgyal) There is a Victory Banner used to symbolize the teachings of Buddha and wisdom over ignorance. The turning wheel of Dharma is a symbol because it is known that Buddha himself turned the wheel and it represents Before my site visit and research on this religion, I was extremely unfamiliar with the significance of their symbols. Afterward, I felt very educated on the topics surrounding the symbols and their meanings in the Buddhist religion. (Namgyal)
The architectural space of this place of peace and worship was very organized with many different symbols. The person who allowed me to join them in their ceremony has a meditation pillow that they sit on. The pillow in this space allows there to be a softer element and it is meaningful to the person that owns it. They also light candles and incense during times of Samadhi. The reasoning behind the incense is to assist people meditating to get into the right mindset, relax themselves, and it also purifies the air in the room. Another item that was in the space was a dream catcher. The dream catcher element in this meditation allowed good thoughts to be soothed while they are processed in the mind and bad thoughts to be caught. There is a tapestry with a simple pattern that instilled a feeling of relaxation and respect for peace in my mind. There were many peaceful elements incorporated into the room in an attempt to cultivate a stillness needed for meditating. The organization of their symbols along with the way that the people who participate in Buddhist practices carry themselves portrays how the world views them. Many people see Buddhists as peaceful and loving people which is shown through the calming nature of the way that they act and in the ceremonies that they perform.
Buddhism does utilize sacred texts in their practices. The sacred book of Buddhism is called Tripitaka which is written in an ancient Indian language called Pali. Other major non canonical Buddhist texts are the Mahayana Sutras and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. (Holcombe) The Pali Cannon, meaning “The word of Buddha”, includes Buddha’s teachings and the teachings of his pupils. The sutras do have meanings beyond their reflection for religious purposes, most Buddhist people attempt to live under the values of the sutras in their daily lives. The word sutra derives from the root similar to “suture”, this is because it intertwines words and thoughts into important meanings. (Holcombe) The sutras are best learned when you are assisted by an educated and long practiced teacher of Buddhism because the verses are composed of only a few words each. The sutras attempt to give people assistance in gaining a clearer perception of the world which increases their confidence and fulfills people emotionally. The teachings in the sutras are often used as guidelines that help people with their decisions every day and help people feel better about themselves and their lives. They also are used when people are going through difficult times and need to find the inner strength within themselves. (Holcombe)
The ritual that I observed in Buddhism was the practice of Buddhist meditation, also known as Samadhi. “Meditation, in many forms, is central to Buddhism”. (Modern Language Assoc.) There are many purposes in which people make the decision to meditate and most of them revolve around spirituality. Buddhist meditation exhibits itself in many different forms including the samma vayama, samma sati, and samma samadhi. Sasmma vayama, also known as right effort, allows people to promote good thoughts and conquer their evil ones. Samma sati, rightful mindedness, is when people become aware of their own body, mind, and feelings. Samma samadhi, right concentration, is meditating to achieve a higher state of consciousness. The form of meditation I participated in was the Samma sati which allowed me to learn more about my own feelings and thoughts. For this ceremony, I was personally guided by the person that was meditating alongside me and beforehand she described the significance of many sutras to the act of meditation.
I never was sure of how a site visit could actually benefit me as a person and do more than just help me learn about a religion. When learning about the teachings of Buddhism and meditating, I found that spirituality of a person is good. I also realized that every thought and feeling that I have is valid no matter the context. I gained a larger respect for those who practice Buddhism because it showed me their peaceful nature and their values. I also find that their goals and their teachings fall under some of the same morals in which I follow daily. I was able to educate myself on different teachings and different types of Buddhism. One form of Buddhism that is growing in today’s world is Socially Engaged Buddhism. This branch of Buddhism excited me as they are focused on human rights and criminal justice, ethics, and keeping peace when there are wars in the world. Before this visit, I never was truly aware of the social activism of the Buddhist people and how they truly value every human as an equal. Another aspect of Buddhism that was intriguing to me during my research was the concept of karma. Karma is the belief that everything that happens to someone is an outcome of the person’s decisions and actions in their previous lifetimes. Although the concept was interesting, I did have an issue with the ideal that if you were born a woman, it was because of bad karma. (King)
A concept that I found extremely intriguing that Buddhists believe is the samsara. Samsara is the belief that when a person dies, they are reborn into this world again in a never ending cycle. Instead of a salvation of an afterlife, Buddhists strive to esteem a Nirvana. In Buddhism, Nirvana is the true finding of a person’s eternal peace. (Hawkins) Through learning about Buddhism’s passion for inner peace, I decided that I should follow a journey to find my own. My participation in meditation allowed me to feel something great about my own thoughts and feelings. As I did more research on this topic, it allowed me to truly see that Buddhists are focused fully on themselves and remaining peaceful. (Hawkins) Their sense of care and passion to help those in need is led by their goal of obtaining a positive karma, their search for finding a great spirituality, and their route to the truest happiness of all, Nirvana. The powerful ability of Buddhist people to gain peace through their ability to assist others is remarkable to me. To be able to know and completely understand their passion for social justice and serving others allows me to respect their efforts more in the world. (Hawkins)
Buddhism is a religion that allows people who follow its teachings and practices to find their inner self and inner peace in the world. The spiritual and personal development of a person is a large focus of the teachings of the sacred books and religious ceremonies of Buddhism. For the purpose of this site visit, I decided to join in the ceremony of Buddhist meditation. I feel as if in order to completely respect a religion, you have to make an effort to educate yourself on it. After my very interesting and enlightening experience, I have found that I know a lot more about the values and basic principles of Buddhism and have gained a large amount of respect for it. I was given the chance to observe a space decorated specifically to be a place of peace for this Buddhist ceremony. The items that I observed being used within this ceremony allowed me to view the different objects that people use to assist them in finding their inner peace. Buddhism has sacred texts that its followers use as guidelines for their daily life and support when they are struggling to find their inner strength during a difficult time. I participated in the meditation referred to as Samma Sati which allowed me to learn more about my personal self. The person that led me through their practice of meditation made me feel welcome and offered me to come back sometime to learn more. Through this trip, I have found that my mind is expanded to accepting other religions and understanding their principles.