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The Role of Prayer
The role of prayer is not merely to ask for blessings or outcomes according to our wishes, but is a sincere practice that combines self-power and other-power, nourishing the energies of mindfulness, concentration, insight, and compassion, generating immediate inner peace. The effectiveness of prayer arises from an open heart, when there is the energy of full presence, not from blind faith or superstition.
In the Buddhist tradition, chanting and praying are broader forms of prayer, based on the harmonious practice of self-power and other-power, while contemplating the interbeing between the one who venerates and the object of veneration:
- the one who venerates, the object of veneration, both have the nature of emptiness
- mindfulness, concentration, insight, and loving kindness, compassion
- understanding clearly “to whom are we praying” – Buddha, Bodhisattva, or God are not separate from ourselves
- recognizing that karma is not unchangeable, it can be transformed through sincere practice and prayer
True prayer helps us make a pact to live peacefully with illness and suffering, not running away from reality, but knowing how to cherish the conditions for practice, nurturing harmonious relationships with all beings, and moving toward liberation and collective awakening.