Study Buddhism: Buddhist practices
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
New to Buddhism 
Oct 13, 2024 Questions covered:
- Do Buddhists pray?
- Buddhist mantras explained
- Why do Buddhists perform prostrations?
- Mandala offering explained
- What is deity practice in Tantric Buddhism?
- Who is Tara?
Do Buddhists pray?
- Christian prayer definition: favors, wishes, desires
- Buddhist prayers: commitments and aspirations – not requests
Buddhist mantras explained
- Definition and purpose of a mantra
- Skillful uses of mantras and their effects
Why do Buddhists perform prostrations?
- Bowing in the eyes of westerners
- To bow is to purify, creates humility
- Opening one’s heart to the Buddha
Mandala offering explained
- Symbolism of the universe in a mandala
- Mandala offerings as a way of reducing attachment
What is deity practice in Tantric Buddhism?
- Deities as manifestations of the Buddha’s omniscient mind
- Symbols of qualities
- Physical gestures and appearances influencing the mind
Who is Tara?
- What Tara represents
- Tara’s indifference to gender
- 108 Taras
Venerable Thubten Chodron
Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.
