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Sacred Scriptures
Some sacred texts form the cornerstone of a religion, instilling law, character
and spirituality in its people; some are narratives of historical figures in the
faith. A text might be viewed as the unchanging “Word of God;” other texts are
revised and expanded by later generations. Texts can be literal, or
metaphorical, or both. This guide shows you how to find online versions,
commentary and historical context of scriptures for Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
Buddhist sacred text The Buddhist canon consists of the Sutras: the words and teachings of
the Buddha. There are also a number of noncanonical Buddhist texts that provide
supplementary teachings, rules of conduct and commentary on transitional states after death.
The Tripitaka (Pali Canon), Mahayana Sutras and the Tibetan Book of the Dead are three
major noncanonical Buddhist texts. The Pali Canon, which means “the word of Buddha,”
includes some of the Buddha’s discourse, but it also incorporates the teachings of his pupils.
Different sects of Buddhism follow canonical and noncanonical scriptures to varying degrees.
Buddhism Beliefs
Buddhist beliefs and Christianity differ in many ways:
Buddhism Doctrines
The vast literature of Buddhist Sutras outlining the various doctrines are mind boggling. The focus of
this course will be to examine Buddhist doctrines as presented in the discourses of the Sutta Pitaka,
with greater emphasis on the following topics:
Buddhist worship
Home and temple
Buddhist worship
At home
Buddhists will often set aside a room or a part of a room as a shrine. There will be a statue
of Buddha, candles, and an incense burner.
Temples
Buddhist temples come in many shapes. Perhaps the best known are the pagodas of China
and Japan.
Another typical Buddhist building is the Stupa, which is a stone structure built over what are
thought to be relics of the Buddha, or over copies of the Buddha's teachings.
Fire
Air
Water
Worship
There are as many forms of Buddhist worship as there are schools of Buddhism - and there
are many of those.
Worship in Mahayana tradition takes the form of devotion to Buddha and to Bodhisattvas.
Worshippers may sit on the floor barefoot facing an image of Buddha and chanting. They
will listen to monks chanting from religious texts, perhaps accompanied by instruments, and
take part in prayers.