Religious Service Reflection
For this assignment, I decided to reflect on Buddhism, a religion that is founded on spiritual development that leads to insight. In Buddhism, meditation is used as a channel for spiritual growth and achieving enlightenment(). The video, Buddhist Service is of a Buddhist service held at Magoksa Temple and filmed as part of a temple stay program.
Describe the space, both inside and out
The Buddhist service is held in Magokha temple in Gongju, South Korea. As one of the spectacular architectures of ancient Asia, the Magokha temple was constructed in 643 during the 9th year of Silla Queen Seondeok’s reign(). From the outside, the temple represents a hemp stack. The door frames have flower-shaped decorations made on them. The roof of the temple represents a canopy that shadows the Buddha sculpture inside. Inside the temple is a broad and bare floor. At the front is a huge sculpture of a golden sitting Buddha with other Buddha sculptures on its sides. The walls are covered with drawings of the Buddha and quotes inscribed on it. The ceiling is covered by lighting lanterns that provide light in the room (Harba, 2014).
How was the service itself? Who was involved?
The service begins with everyone seated with a bonshō-like sound in the background. A monk then appears from the back of the platform where the huge sitting Buddha statue seats and everybody rises. The monk has in his hand A wooden fish which he hits several times then everyone in the room chants before going on their knees and bowing before the Buddha sculpture (Harba, 2014). After that, the monk hits the wooden fish again, and everyone stands up and continues chanting. They repeat the same process for a couple of minutes. Towards the end of the service, everyone turns to the right and continues chanting. Then the monk bows before the Buddha sculpture and leaves. That marks the end of the service (Harba, 2014).
What rituals are performed? What was said? Sung? What was involved?
In Buddhism, the forms of worship are as many as the number of Buddhist schools. In this service, the type of service conducted is the traditional Mahayana where believers and the monks chant the MantraMantra while seated barefooted on the floor (Harba, 2014). The MantraMantra is a prayer that is in the form of a syllable or a phrase and which is said and recited a couple of times (Fogelin, 2016). Additionally, towards the end, the worshippers turn to the right and place their hands in front of their chests with their palms in contact with each other. At this posture, the rhythm of the chanting quickens, same to the beat of the wooden fish (Harba, 2014).
What are your Reflections of the experience (Did you feel comfortable? Strange? What intrigued you? What puzzled you?)
Watching the video, I was very interested in understanding what was going on. The service is very intriguing. I particularly found it interesting how the chants are well-coordinated and follow specific procedures. I would like to know what the chants mean exactly, and if there are words used, if not just humming, I would be interested in learning those words. The layout of the inside of the temple is also very intriguing particularly the arrangement of the candles, the numerous lighting lanterns hanging on the roof and the enormous log-like pillar at the centre (Harba, 2014). However, I mainly found the paintings on the walls to be particularly strange, especially a huge one that had images of strange images on it. Additionally, the many small Buddha sculptures next to the enormous statue also seemed odd for me.
References
Fogelin, L. (2016). Ritual and presentation in early Buddhist religious architecture. Asian Perspectives, 129-154.
Harba, B. (2014). Buddhist Service [Video File]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV9nG5uK0gU.