Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Prostration in Chinese Mahayana Tradition 汉传佛教礼佛方式

Prostration is not just about penance and repentance.
It is about:
- Gratitude to parents, friends and so many people (including those who hurt us)
- Appreciating this precious human life
- Understanding pain and suffering
- Impermanence in every phenomena
- Humility and our ego – Non Self
- Offering our body speech and mind
- Kindness and compassion as we bow
- Dedicating merits to others (and not collecting merits to ourselves)
Prostration is the first step of the Seven branch prayers.
(1) prostrations, (2) making offerings, (3) confessing past wrongs, (4) rejoicing in virtue, (5) requesting the buddhas to teach the Dharma, (6) supplicating the buddhas not to abandon the world, and (7) dedicating the roots of virtue.

~ thoughts on 3 steps 1 bow.

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