What’s a Buddhist Doing on Prayer for the Day?

What’s a Buddhist doing on Prayer for the Day? Buddhism is a non-theistic faith, so it isn’t about worshipping God, let alone praying to Him. But in every Buddhist country there are temples where people perform devotional rituals; and, yes, as well as meditating, Buddhists also pray. So what do we worship and what do we pray for?

We could start with the word ‘worship’, which stems from an Old English root that means acknowledging the worth of something; so ‘worship’ is worth-ship. The question then, for all of us, is what has the greatest worth?

Religions, including Buddhism, come with ready-made answers; but we can start with a more personal reflection. Who are the people I most admire, and what are their qualities? What inspires me to exchange my normal habits for something nobler?

The main focus of Buddhist devotion is the Buddha himself – the man who lived 2500 years ago; and Buddhists believe he attained a state of profound wisdom which we call ‘Awakening’ or ‘Enlightenment’. We see his life, as he met others and responded to their needs, as an expression of compassion.

Buddhists worship the Buddha because we consider that his wisdom and compassion are the worthiestqualities to which we can aspire, and developing them for ourselves is our noblest calling.

Most Buddhist prayers take the form of an aspiration, and whatever our outlook on life, prayer can be a way to express our deepest wishes:

Amid the day’s challenges, may I find time to reflect.

Amid the noise, may I listen for a deeper voice.

May I find what I value most, and cherish it.