..續本文上一頁 and taught it to the world. But without the Dhamma, Buddhahood could not be attained. Again there would not be the Sangha without the Buddha and the Dhamma. But without the Sangha, the Buddha and the Dhamma would be of little value to the world and the religion would not have been established; even if it were, it would have died out with the death of the Buddha. The three are thus interrelated and interdependent.

　　Worship in Buddhism

　　Like the term ”religion,” the meaning of the word ”worship” as generally understood is rather limited and should be redefined. According to Webster”s dictionary, worship is "reverence offered a pine being or supernatural power" or "an act of expressing such reverence." All religious traditions have a system of worship in some form or another, and it is generally accepted as constituting an act of faith, or an expression thereof, toward the so-called pine being or supernatural power. This is not worship in Buddhism.

　　In Buddhism, worship is an expression of respect and gratitude to the Triple Gem. It is an act of veneration offered to that which is worthy, not a prayer or a gesture of submission to a supernatural being. Thus, although Buddha images are used in worship, idolatry is a practice not encouraged in Buddhism. The Buddhist concept of worship is totally different from that of idol worship. Its nature is more of a spiritual practice rather than a mere exercise in faith and devotion, although such elements are also present in the practice.

　　Fundamentally, there are three advantages derived from an act of Buddhist worship, in addition to the obvious benefit of fortifying faith in the Triple Gem. First, the practice helps to inspire virtues and inculcates the noble qualities associated with the Triple Gem into the mind. Wholesome qualities such as wisdom, compassion, and purity are essential in all spiritual efforts. Secondly, the act of worship has a deep purifying effect on the devotees” consciousness and the power to remove impurities from their minds. Often, a sense of serenity and peace is produced. Thirdly, Buddhist worship can be performed as a meditative exercise for developing concentration and wisdom. Prayer for material gains and success is, therefore, never part of true Buddhist worship, as it would prove an obstacle to the development of these two important qualities of mind. Undue desire for material objectives is based on greed and selfishness and is likely to cause mental disturbance, frustration, and restlessness, which are impurities of the mind. Worship performed with the right attitude can be of great benefit; like all other actions, it should be based on wisdom and understanding.

　　Cultural adaptations

　　Just as in other ancient religions, Buddhism has been subject to various forces and developments through the centuries of its existence. Because it spread to countries far beyond the boundaries of its birthplace, Buddhism has come into contact with varying cultural elements and geographical conditions. In response to those influences, the religion has developed into different denominations, with their own distinct characteristics. Some of these seemingly different traditions continue to prosper and are more widely accepted in some countries or regions than others. Theravada Buddhism, for instance, is chiefly practiced in Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, and certain parts of India and Bangladesh, while Mahayana Buddhism is followed in such countries as Japan, Korea, China, Tibet, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Singapore.

　　However, if one takes a closer look at the many different Buddhist traditions that exist today, one will immediately see that most of those apparent differences come within two categories. First, there are the external modifications, like dress, ways of wo…

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