What should I silently say when I worship Buddha to make it effective? The correct way to worship Buddha and kowtow

When we worship Buddha, we should put our hands together like a lotus, indicating that our heart is like the lotus, pure and untainted by the mud. So what should you silently recite in your heart when you worship Buddha so that it will be effective? The correct way to kowtow to Buddha! Let’s take a look together below!

What should I silently pray to when I pray to Buddha?

1. If you are not a Buddhist, as long as you are sincere and respectful, you can silently recite anything in your mind when you worship the Buddha. Just put your hands together. If you know the name of the Buddha you are worshipping, then chant for this Buddha’s blessing. If you really don't know the names of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, just chant and pray for their blessings, one sentence at a time. You can also chant the repentance verse or generate the Bodhicitta.

2. If you are a beginner in Buddhism, you can silently recite the Three Refuges in your heart: "I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha." If you have already made a vow to practice a certain method, you can recite the holy name of the Buddha or Bodhisattva of that method. For example: Amitabha Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, etc.

The Three Refuges:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the Two-footed One.

Take refuge in the Dharma and respect detachment from desire.

Take refuge in the Sangha, the most honorable among all.

Take refuge in the Buddha and you will not fall into hell.

Take refuge in the Dharma and you will not fall into the realm of hungry ghosts.

Taking refuge in the Sangha will prevent you from falling into the animal realm.

When you take refuge in the Buddha, you should wish for all sentient beings to understand the great way and develop the supreme mind.

Taking refuge in the Dharma, we should wish for all sentient beings to deeply penetrate the Buddhist scriptures and gain wisdom as vast as the ocean.

When you take refuge in the Sangha, you should wish for all sentient beings to be able to lead the masses, have no obstacles, and be in harmony with the holy assembly.

The correct way to kowtow to Buddha

Generally speaking, worshipping Buddha involves three bows and one greeting. Just kowtow once and then stand up, kowtow, stand up, kowtow again, stand up again, and kowtow again, for a total of three times. To ask for information means to bow deeply again.

1. There is no need to rush when worshiping Buddha. There are many benefits of worshiping Buddha. One of the most obvious benefits for modern people is that it uses body movements to ease and balance the restless inner process. As you pray slowly, your heart will become much calmer.

2. Before worshiping Buddha, your clothes and shoes should be neat, bright and mainly in red. It is not appropriate to wear black or white clothes, short skirts or slippers.

First, wash the fruits and flowers before offering them, then offer them and start praying to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas while offering them. Offer it respectfully, kneel down nine times, and pray to the Bodhisattva sincerely. During the process of burning incense, the oil lamp must be kept lit.

3. When making a wish, you should look at the Bodhisattva respectfully and repeat your official name when you were born three times to ask for the Bodhisattva’s blessing. Ask for the Buddha's blessing silently or out loud. It is best to make two wishes. Everyone in the family can make two wishes separately. Generally, only the first two wishes will come true. As for the third wish, it is appropriate to just pray for health and safety in general. It is not appropriate to pray for anything particularly important. If the wishes you make are too many, too complicated, and too big, they contain greed and will naturally not work.