Buddhists don’t believe in a creator God who saves, or whom believers adore…

so what do they worship?

What do Buddhists Worship ?

• To explain what the Buddha nature is

• To explain what Buddhists worship

• To evaluate whether Buddhism is a religion

The Buddha NatureAll creatures have a Buddha nature.

It is like a seed that can blossom inside each one of us to become a Buddha.

This is the “ultimate reality” that Buddhists worship.

Riddle 1: YYURYYUBICURYY4ME - what does this mean?

Riddle 2: a word that consists of 10 letters,including 4 vowels and 6 consonants, beginning c, 2 s’s in the middle.

Solve the 3 riddles to find out the 3 things that make a Buddha nature.Then answer:1. What is the Buddha

nature?2. What is a buddha ?3. Why do Buddhists say

everyone has it (see white box)?

** On a scale 0-10 how much buddha nature have you got? Give proof of your opinion !

According to Buddhism, there is no being, human or otherwise, who doesn't possess some wisdom (is able to see the true nature of things), some compassion and some self-awareness. A buddha is one who has developed his or her compassion, wisdom and self-awareness to the greatest degree.

WHAT IS THE BUDDHA NATURE?

Riddle 3: + +

Buddhist “deities”Even though Buddhists only worship the Buddha nature that is in all of us, if you go to a Buddhist temple you will see lots of statues that look like “gods”, that people are praying to…

These “deities” are not really gods – they just represent part of the ultimate Buddha nature–wisdom, compassion and mindful concentration.

By “praying” to them, Buddhists hope to attain that quality in themselves to get closer to the ultimate Buddha nature.

What is going on?? Do Buddhists worship

gods or not??

1. Explain what Buddhists worship.

2. Explain why Buddhists worship them.

Is Buddhism a religion ?

• YES: 2 reasons explained• NO: 2 reasons explained• EVALUATE: What do you think – include a new

reason/ or develop a previously given reason.

True or False ?

• Buddhists have faith in a creator God.• You can only achieve enlightenment by your own

efforts. There is no external help or saviour.• Buddhist Deities are real divine beings.• The Buddha is a god.• There is no need for faith in Buddhism.

Ultimate Buddha Nature(enter the deathless state of Nirvana)

Deities(representations of

ultimate reality – like the hindu gods)

Bodhisattvas(beings who achieved enlightenment but have chosen to be reborn out of compassion for others) A Bodhisattva could be you or me…whenever help is given unselfishly..)

1. Copy out this scheme showing the Buddhist world view.

2. Who do you know/ have heard of, who could be a Bodhisattva?

Is this scheme similar to or different from the way Christianity works ?

eg the Buddha himself was a Bodhisattva who once incarnated as Siddhartha Gautama. He had 550 incarnations before then… and has had more since. Eg as the Dalai Lama.

BodhisattvasSome of the Buddhist “deities” are not just representations of the Buddha nature, but are believed to have really lived. They achieved enlightenment but put off going to Nirvana out of compassion for human beings, to help and teach them. Buddhists worship Bodhisattvas for their buddha- qualities, and for their compassion in choosing to be reborn for the good of the world.

The Bodhisattva, Maitreya, or “Buddha of the Future”, is supposed to reappear at the end of time for the deliverance of all creatures to enlightenment.

The Bodhisattva Shakyamuni had 550 incarnations before he was re-born as the Buddha (Siddharta Gautama) and has had more incarnations since then. The Bodhisattva,

Avalokitesvara, represents the compassion of all the Buddhas. He is sometimes red, symbolizing his passionate concern for beings. The Dalai Lama is thought to be his incarnation in human form.

1. Explain what a Bodhisattva is.

2. Label the 3 Bodhisattvas on your picture, and add info about them from this slide.

2. Explain why Buddhists worship the Boddhisatvas. **Do you think that this makes Buddhism a religion, or not? Are they, in fact, worshipping gods?