Lesson video

Hello, my name is Ms Ramalli and welcome to today's RE lesson, which forms part of our unit on Buddhism practises.

So in today's lesson, we're going to be exploring the significance of puja and mudras.

Okay, let's start today's lesson.

Today's lesson outcome is I can explain the role and significance of puja and mudras for Buddhists today.

To help guide us through today's lesson, there are three keywords, Buddha rupa, mudra, and puja.

Buddha rupa refers to an image or statue of the historical Buddha or a being believed to have attained Buddhahood.

Mudra is a hand gesture of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, with symbolic meaning.

And puja is a name given to ceremonies that involve meditation, prayer, and offerings.

Today's lesson on puja and mudras takes two parts.

We are going to begin by exploring the role and significance of puja, moving on to consider the role and significance of mudras.

The word puja originates from Hindu Dharma and means worship.

However, in Buddhism, puja does not mean the worship of a god or gods.

Instead, it represents a gesture of veneration or great respect.

Puja is devotion and commitment to the Dhamma, the Buddha, or a Bodhisattva.

The term puja has its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language, puj meaning worship or adoration.

So in Buddhism, puja is a devotional ritual and is a name given to ceremonies that involve meditation, prayer, and offerings.

Let's pause and complete a check for understanding.

Which of the following is the meaning of puja? A, singing or rhythmic repetition of a word, prayer, or sound; B, the name given to ceremonies that involve meditation, prayer, and offerings; or C, a short sequence of words or syllables chanted repetitively as a form of meditation? Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you selected B as the correct answer.

The meaning of puja is the name given to ceremonies that involve meditation, prayer, and offerings.

Puja includes rituals such as making offerings to the statue of the Buddha or Bodhisattva, known as a Buddha rupa.

Puja can be carried out as part of a group during a ceremony or it can be carried out individually.

Puja often involves meditation, chanting, and mantra recitation.

In Buddhism, puja can be performed in different places.

It can be performed at home at a home shrine, in the temple or monastery, or at a stupa or place of pilgrimage.

True or false? In Buddhism, puja is only performed in the home.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you said that statement is false.

Puja can be performed in the home, at the temple or monastery, at a stupa or a place of pilgrimage.

Jacob wants to investigate the role and significance of performing puja for Buddhists.

He brings together three Buddhists living in the UK.

Joining Jacob are Katrina, a Mahayana Buddhist, Niti, a Theravada Buddhist monk, and Ting, a Mahayana Buddhist monk.

Jacob asks, "Do you perform puja, Katrina?" She replies, "Yes, I perform puja daily, usually before going to work.

Puja helps me calm my mind at the start of the day.

I have a shrine at home which contains an image of the Buddha and a lotus flower.

This lotus flower is a symbol which represents enlightenment." Jacob asks, "How do you perform puja, Ting?" Ting replies, "I perform puja at the monastery where I live.

I perform puja by prostrating, which means kneeling and bowing with my forehead, hands, knees, and feet touching the floor.

I prostrate in the direction of the Buddha rupa to show commitment and to request blessings." Jacob asks Niti, "How do you perform puja, Niti?" Niti replies, "I make offerings to the Buddha rupa, including flowers, food, water, and other gifts.

Offering a single flower symbolises unity, while offering three flowers represents the Three Jewels, or the Triratna: the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.

Gifts such as food and water express deep respect for the Buddha, as though he was an honoured guest." True or false? The offerings of the three flowers during puja represents the Three Jewels.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you said that statement is true.

The three flowers represents the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.

The Three Refuges or the Three Jewels are central to Buddhist Dhamma.

You have the Buddha, the Dhamma, meaning the teachings, and the Sangha, the Buddhist community.

The Dhammapada explains the significance of the Three Refuges.

"He who has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Teaching and his Order penetrates with transcendental wisdom the Four Noble Truths: suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the Noble Eightfold Path leading to the cessation of suffering." And that can be found in the Dhammapada verses 190 to 191.

How does this verse highlight the significance of the Three Refuges? So by significance is referring to the importance.

With your partner or on your own, take time to reflect and consider the importance of this verse and what it highlights about the significance of the Three Refuges.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to reflect on your answer.

Welcome back, everyone.

So how does this verse highlight the significance of the Three Refuges? So this verse highlights that taking refuge in the Buddha, his teachings, and the Sangha means you are committing to spiritual growth.

And by doing this, you gain the wisdom to understand the Four Noble Truths, what suffering is, why it happened, and how it can end, and the path to end it.

Let's complete a check for understanding.

Fill in the missing word from the Buddha's teaching.

"He who has gone for, to the Buddha, the Teaching and His order." Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the missing word.

Well done if you selected refuge as the missing word from the Buddha's teaching.

Jacob asks, "Why is performing puja significant to you, Katrina?" Katrina replies, "Performing puja is one way I acknowledge the Buddha's Dhamma, show commitment to his teachings, and follow his example.

This is significant because the Dhamma reminds me of the true nature of existence and how I should lead my life." Katrina further explains the significance of puja to her.

Katrina says, "Puja is also a way to acknowledge the qualities that I want to develop.

Through following the Buddha's teachings, I develop the qualities of wisdom and compassion.

I believe these qualities are essential in order to help me live as a Bodhisattva would.

This is significant because I need to develop these qualities to attain enlightenment." Niti and Ting also discuss the significance of puja.

Ting says, "When Mahayana Buddhists perform puja, they may also include wishing others well and celebrating the good in the world, and this is significant for developing compassion." Niti says, "Puja is significant because it is a way of making merit, and this means earning positive karma." Time to complete a check for understanding.

Choose three reasons performing puja is significant.

A, it expresses commitment towards the Buddha's Dhamma; B, it helps Buddhist to make merit; C, it helps Buddhists to develop qualities such as wisdom and compassion; and D, it expresses respect and gratitude towards God.

Remember, you're looking to three reasons for this check for understanding.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the correct answers.

Well done if you selected A, B, and C as the correct answers.

So now we're going to complete our first practise task, describe the significance of puja in Buddhism.

Here is some guidance that you might find helpful to follow when answering the question.

For each part of your answer, you should include a range of religious/specialist terms. For at least one part of your answer, you should use a source of wisdom and authority.

So this could be an exact or paraphrased quote, or a general teaching from a named source.

And remember to accurately apply this to the point and question.

Good luck completing the practise task.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, welcome back.

Let's check your answers.

So you answered the question, describe the significance of puja in Buddhism.

Well, puja is significant because it is an opportunity for Buddhists to demonstrate devotion and commitment to the Buddha's Dhamma, such as the Three Jewels.

The Dhammapada highlights the importance of seeking refuge in the Three Jewels as a way to gain wisdom and end suffering.

Another reason puja is significant is because it allows many Buddhists the opportunity to develop qualities that are required to achieve enlightenment, for example, compassion.

It is also a way to gain good karma.

Well done on completing the first practise task.

So now we're gonna move on to the second part of today's lesson on puja and mudras by learning about the role and significance of mudras.

Jacob has been studying examples of Buddha rupas in his RE lesson.

He interviews Ting to find out more.

"The Buddha rupas show different hand gestures.

Why is that, Ting?" "The different hand gestures on statues of the Buddha or Bodhisattvas are called mudras.

Mudra often symbolise different Buddhist concepts or teachings.

Mudras are often used by Buddhists during meditation or rituals." The term mudra has its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language.

Mudra means a mark or gesture.

In Buddhism, mudras refer to a hand gesture displayed by images or statues of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas.

Okay, time to complete a check for understanding.

Which of the following is the meaning of mudra in Buddhism? A, hand gesture of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas with symbolic meaning; B, an image or statue of the historical Buddha or a being believed to have obtained Buddhahood; C, the name given to ceremonies that involve meditation, prayer, and offerings.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you selected A.

The meaning of mudra in Buddhism is a hand gesture of the Buddha or Bodhisattva with symbolic meaning.

Here are some examples of mudras.

It's important to note that mudras do vary depending on the Buddhist school or tradition.

The dhyana mudra represents meditation and concentration.

The hands rest in the lap with fingers of one hand resting on the fingers of the other and palms facing upwards.

The Buddha and Amida Buddha are often shown in the meditation pose with the dhyana mudra.

The triangular formation created by the hands in the dhyana mudra represents the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.

Jacob asks, "Is the dhyana mudra significant to you, Niti?" Niti tells us, "Yes.

The dhyana mudra is significant to me because of its deep connection to meditation.

The dhyana mudra is a universal symbol of inner peace and focus.

It symbolises deep concentration that led to the Buddha's enlightenment, the realisation of the ultimate truth.

I want to follow his example." True or false? the dhyana mudra represents fearlessness and protection.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you said that statement is false.

The dhyana mudra represents meditation and concentration.

The abhaya mudra is a gesture of protection and fearlessness.

And here you can see the example of that on your screen.

The abhaya mudra is a gesture of the right hand raised.

It acts as a shield, offering protection from fear, danger, and negative influences.

Jacob asks, "Why is the abhaya mudra significant to you, Ting?" Ting replies, "The abhaya mudra plays a significant role in my practise and meditation.

It reminds me of the Buddha's teachings on fearlessness and compassion.

I often visualise this mudra during meditation to cultivate inner peace and security." True or false? The abhaya mudra represents fearlessness and protection.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you said that statement is true.

The wisdom mudra represents the will of Dhamma, and in this gesture, the thumb and finger touch to form a circle.

This circle represents the eternal and unending nature of the Buddha's Dhamma.

Jacob asks Ting, "What are the significance of mudras in Buddhism?" Ting replies, "Each mudra is significant because it symbolises a different concept or teaching.

During meditation, I find mudras help me to focus my mind.

The wisdom mudra is significant because it can help me when I'm trying to concentrate on developing certain qualities, such as wisdom." Okay, let's pause and complete a check for understanding.

Select the mudra that represents wisdom.

Is it A, B, or C? Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you selected image A as the mudra that represents wisdom.

So now we're gonna complete our second practise task.

You need to explain the meaning and significance of these three mudras: the dhyana mudra, the abhaya mudra, and the wisdom mudra.

Here is an example of a sentence starter that you might like to use to complete the task.

So this mudra represents, and this is significant because.

And you're gonna do that for each of the three mudras.

Good luck completing the practise task.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Welcome back, everybody.

So your answers might look something like this.

You could have said: dhyana mudra.

This mudra represents meditation and concentration.

It is significant because of its connection to meditation.

Meditation is what led to the Buddha's enlightenment and the realisation of the ultimate truth.

The abhaya mudra.

This mudra represents protection and fearlessness.

It is significant because it acts as a shield, offering protection from fear, danger, and negative influences.

This can help Buddhists cultivate feelings of inner peace during meditation.

And the wisdom mudra.

This mudra represents the Buddha's Dhamma.

This is significant because it symbolises the eternal nature of the Buddha's teachings.

It can also help Buddhists focus on developing important qualities, such as wisdom.

Well done on completing the second and final practise task.

So that brings us to end of today's lesson on puja and mudras.

Here is a summary of our learning points.

Puja is a devotional ritual that can be performed at home or at the temple.

One feature of puja is performing offerings to the Buddha rupa.

The offering of the three flowers represents the Three Jewels.

Performing puja is significant because it shows commitment to following the Buddha's Dhamma.

Mudras represent different Buddhist concepts and teachings, and the use of mudras can be significant for Buddhists during the practise of meditation.

Well done on all of your hard work in today's lesson.

Thank you for joining me.

Goodbye!.