Light at the Edge of the World-The Science of the Mind [4/5]

A production made by the Nation Geographical Society. With host,
Wade Davis, this show explores the state of Tibetan Buddhism in
Nepal, which is a huge movement and a growing one, due to the
occupation of Tibet by China. Many aspects of Tibetan Buddhism
in Nepal are explored, everything from some aspects of Tibetan
laypeople living in Nepal, to large, thriving monasteries and
Sanghas, all the way to the practice hermatice in the Himalayans
foothills.

Part 4 of 5 parts.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Buddhism
• Tibet
• Buddha
• Nepal
• Dalia
• Llama
• Himalyas
• Monastary
• Hermit
• Religion
• Spirituality
• Mind
• Free
• Culture

[firuinthehouse]

What exactly is the connection between meditation practice, and generally the introspective stuff buddhists do to raise their awareness / gain liberation, and all the sermons, noise, religious ceremonies and so on?

Seems to me the first is far more useful, and the second has a lot of flashy stuff that is useless without the first part. So why do the people engage in all that ritual stuff? Does it affect the public somehow?

[Akab6]

@firuinthehouse The rituals may also serve an unseen purpose, however that purpose may be hidden under layers of rituals and ceremonies, the purposes maybe more esoteric in nature (such as praying to an ancient Tibetan god of a mountain) or perhaps a ritual might have a more practical purpose. One example in the Buddhist tradition I can think of is in Zen Buddhism, where the maintenance of the temple is highly ritualized and structured.

[Akab6]

@firuinthehouse Finally, you could argue that these rituals are in them selves meditative. In Buddhism there is a notion, I forget the Sanskrit word for it now, but it is basically this idea that in any task in life one can do it in a meditative way, that is keeping the mind in the present and focusing on the task at hand. Often in traditional sitting down meditation, one is told to focus on ones breathing, or picture a flickering candle flame, or recite a mantra etc etc.

[Akab6]

@firuinthehouse Well in the more, shall we say, task oriented meditation this same sort of mindfulness is applied to more every day tasks. Most commonly, and I think this is found often in therevada schools of thought, is the idea of walking meditation, where instead of one concentrating on their breath etc. one focuses on their steps or the act of walking. In this video perhaps the monks are concentration in the same way, say in the playing of their instruments.

[Akab6]

@firuinthehouse Bring this thought full circle and back to cultural reasons for the rituals, and your last comment in regards to serving the public. Many of these rituals probably are linked to milestones in peoples life (something common across all cultures) ie briths, deaths marriages. By performing these rituals the monks and the religion maintain a connection with their surrounding community, thus ensuring their "survival" for lack of a better word as without community recognition, donations

[Akab6]

@firuinthehouse and alms givings they would, and probably most religions around the world, would not be able to function. Rituals thus perhaps serve as a bridge between religion and the community it servers as a religion cannot exist without it being legitimized by the greater society/culture.

Anyways those are just my thoughts on your question, I hope they helped.

-akab

[kancerzx]

this is really inspiring

[alanorrchusaulei]

Great stuff bro

[firuinthehouse]

@Akab6 Yes your views brought up several useful aspects of what the rituals might be for.

[Akab6]

@firuinthehouse Culturally, rituals are important as they are sort of "cultural markers" defining one culture from another and I think many anthropologists would argue a normal function of human society and human individuals, you your self probably have many personal "rituals", but perhaps do not identify them as such.

Historically these rituals are probably residual practices from pre-Buddhist tibetan religions or they are derived from old Indian Buddhist rituals or a hybrid of the two.

[Akab6]

@firuinthehouse Heres my thoughts on your question. On one hand you're right meditation is one of the foundations of Buddhism and it is an extremely important aspect of it. While on the other hand the rituals your refer to could even be argued to be a form of 'attachment', which is a big no-no in Buddhism and is what I think you're hinting at. What I would say to you is that these rituals have several functions, cultural, historical, and are in them selves a form of meditation.

[chris7777777777777]

@sizzla123 hahaha! Good one.