Editing Bhakti (section)

==== In Mahayana Buddhism ====
[[file:An elderly Tibetan women holding a prayer wheel on Lhasa, Barkhor.jpg|thumb|Tibet: An elderly Tibetan woman holding a [[prayer wheel]] on the [[Lhasa|Lhasa's]] pilgrimage circuit of Barkhor. The Barkhor, a quadrangle of streets that surrounds the [[Jokhang|Jokhang Temple]], is both the spiritual heart of the holy city and the main commercial district for Tibetans.]]

[[File:Prayers in front of Jokhang temple.jpg|thumb|''Bhakti'' (''{{langx|pi|bhatti}}''<ref name=karunaratna435>{{cite encyclopedia|editor1-last=Malalasekera|editor1-first=Gunapala Piyasena|editor1-link=G. P. Malalasekera|first=Indumathie|last=Karunaratna|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of Buddhism|title=Devotion|date=2000|volume=IV|publisher=Government of Ceylon|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/283214333/Enceylopaedia-of-Buddhism-Vol-IV|page=435}}</ref>) at a Buddhist temple, Tibet.]]

[[file:Longshan Temple (40842755631).jpg|thumb|Devotees chanting before an image of [[Guanyin]] (a feminine form of [[Avalokiteśvara|Avalokiteshvara]]), at [[Longshan Temple metro station|Longshan Temple]], [[Taipei]], [[Taiwan]].]]

[[file:Asan bajan wk.jpg|thumb|Nepalese Buddhists participating in a [[Gunla Bajan]] (a form of Nepalese Buddhist devotional song) procession in [[Kathmandu]], [[Nepal]].]]
A rich devotionalism developed in Indian [[Mahāyāna Buddhism]] and it can be found in the veneration of the transcendent Buddha [[Amitabha]] of [[Pure Land Buddhism]] and of bodhisattvas like [[Manjushri|Mañjusri]], [[Avalokiteśvara|Avalokiteshvara]] (known as [[Guanyin]] in East Asia and Chenrezig in Tibetan) and the goddess [[Tara (Buddhism)|Tara]].<ref>Dayal, Dar (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature,'' p. 36. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref><ref name="ik435">{{cite encyclopedia|editor1-last=Malalasekera|editor1-first=Gunapala Piyasena|editor1-link=G. P. Malalasekera|first=Indumathie|last=Karunaratna|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of Buddhism|title=Devotion|date=2000|volume=IV|publisher=Government of Ceylon|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/283214333/Enceylopaedia-of-Buddhism-Vol-IV|pages=435–7}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/early%20buddhist%20theory%20of%20knowledge_jayatilleke.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911084454/http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Early%20Buddhist%20Theory%20of%20Knowledge_Jayatilleke.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 September 2015|last1=Jayatilleke|first1=K.N.|author-link1=K.N. Jayatilleke|title=Early Buddhist theory of knowledge|date=1963|publisher=[[George Allen & Unwin]]|isbn=978-1-134-54287-1|page=384}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Mahayana sources like the ''[[Lotus Sutra]]'' describe the Buddha as the loving father of all beings, and exhorts all Buddhists to worship him.<ref>Dayal, Dar (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature,'' p. 34. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref>

Mahayana bhakti also led to the rise of temples which were focused on housing a central Buddha image, something which became the norm during the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta period]].<ref name=":3">Sukumar Dutt (1988). ''Buddhist Monks and Monasteries of India: Their History and Their Contribution to Indian Culture,'' pp. 193-94. Motilal Banarsidass Publisher.</ref> Gupta era Indian Mahāyāna Buddhism stressed bhakti towards the Buddha as a central virtue and liberally made use of Buddha images, which are often accompanied by attendant bodhisattvas.<ref name=":3" />

These new developments in Buddhist bhakti may have been influenced by the pan-Indian [[bhakti movement]], and indeed, many Gupta monarchs, who were devoted to the [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnava]] [[Bhagavata]] religion also supported Buddhist temples and founded monasteries (including great ones like [[Nalanda mahavihara|Nalanda]]).<ref>Sukumar Dutt (1988). ''Buddhist Monks and Monasteries of India: Their History and Their Contribution to Indian Culture,'' p. 180, 197. Motilal Banarsidass Publisher.</ref> Buddhists were in competition with the Hindu religions of the time, like the Bhagavatas and Shaivas, and they developed Buddhist bhakti focused on the Buddhas and bodhisattvas in this religious environment.<ref>Dayal, Dar (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature,'' p. 38. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref>

Mahāyāna interprets [[Buddhahood]] as a transcendent and eternal state (as found in the ''[[Lotus Sutra|Lotus Suta]]'') and is also equated with the ultimate reality ([[Dharmakāya|Dharmakaya]]).<ref name=":2" /> Bodhisattvas were also considered to be extremely powerful divinities that could grant boons and rescue people from danger.<ref name=":0" /> This shift towards devotion to a transcendent being in later Buddhism has been seen as being similar to [[Theism|theistic]] forms of Hindu bhakti.<!--p=681-->{{sfn|Nanayakkara|1966|pp=679–81}}<ref name=":1">Norio Sekido, [https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ibk1952/41/1/41_1_533/_pdf ''Bhakti and Sraddha''.] Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies Vol. 41, No. 1, December 1992</ref> Mahayana Buddhist bhakti was also sometimes aimed at a [[Mahayana sutras|Mahayana sutra]], such as the ''[[Prajnaparamita|Prajñaparamita sutra]]'' and the ''[[Lotus Sutra]]''.<ref>Apple, James B. "Prajñaparamita", in ''Encyclopedia of Indian Religions,'' ed. by Arvind Sharma (2019). Springer.</ref><ref>Williams, Paul (2009). ''Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations,'' 2nd edition, p. 145. Routledge.</ref>

Some sources, like the ''[[Sukhāvatīvyūhasūtra]]'', even state that through devotion to the Buddha Amitabha one can attain rebirth in his [[Pure land|Pure Land]] and here one can be purified of all negative karma and eventually attain Buddhahood. As such, they make Buddha bhakti a central element of their [[soteriology]]. Bhakti in these sutras supersedes the making of good karma and cultivation of the path in favor of devotion to the Buddha Amitabha who can lead one to liberation in the Pure Land.<ref name=":2" /> This eventually came to be seen as its own path to liberation, its own ''mārga'', often called the "easy path". A text attributed to [[Nagarjuna]], the *''Dasabhumikavibhāsā'' (Chinese: ''Shí zhù pípóshā lùn'' 十住毘婆沙論, T.1521) teaches the "easy practice" which is simply being constantly mindful of the Buddhas.<ref>Williams, Paul (2008). ''Mahāyāna Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations 2nd Edition,'' p. 244. Routledge.</ref>

All of these ideas became the foundation for the later development of East Asian [[Pure Land Buddhism]].

Mahayana Buddhist bhakti is grounded in the Mahayana ideals of the [[bodhisattva]], [[bodhicitta]] (the mind aimed at awakening for the benefit of all beings) and skillful means ([[upaya]]).<ref name=":0">Lewis, Todd T. (2000). ''Popular Buddhist Texts from Nepal: Narratives and Rituals of Newar Buddhism,'' p. 9. SUNY Press.</ref> Mahayana bhakti practices include various forms of ritual [[Puja (Hinduism)|pujas]] and prayers. The Mahayana form of the practice of [[Buddhānusmṛti]] (remembering the Buddha) could include visualization practices and recitation of the names of a Buddha or bodhisattva (as in ''[[nianfo]]'') was also a common method of devotional practice taught in numerous Indian sources.<ref name=":1" />

One common puja and prayer format in Indian Mahayana was the "seven part worship" (''saptāṇgapūjā'' or ''saptavidhā anuttarapūjā'').<ref>Dayal, Dar (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature,'' p. 54. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref> This often included various offerings of flowers, food, scents, and music.<ref>Sukumar Dutt (1988). ''Buddhist Monks and Monasteries of India: Their History and Their Contribution to Indian Culture,'' p. 196. Motilal Banarsidass Publisher.</ref> This ritual form is visible in the works of [[Shantideva]] (8th century) and includes:<ref>Dayal, Dar (1970). ''The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature,'' pp. 54-57. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.</ref>

* ''Vandana'' (obeisance, bowing)
* ''Puja'' (ritual worship with offerings etc.)
* ''Sarana-gamana'' (going for [[Refuge (Buddhism)|refuge]])
* ''Papadesana'' (confession of bad deeds)
* ''Punyanumodana'' (rejoicing in merit of the good deeds of oneself and others)
* ''Adhyesana'' (prayer, entreaty) and ''yacana'' (supplication) – request to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to continue preaching Dharma
* ''Atmabhavadi-parityagah'' (surrender) and ''[[Transfer of merit|pariṇāmanā]]'' (the transfer of one's Merit to the welfare of others)

Devotion to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas continued to be a major part of the later [[Vajrayana]] Buddhist traditions of tantra.<ref name=":0" /> Vajrayana Buddhism also added another form of bhakti to their teachings: guru bhakti (i.e. [[guru yoga]]), devotion towards the tantric [[guru]]. In India, various forms of devotion were practiced, including tantric songs of realization called ''[[Songs of realization|Charyagitis]].'' These first arose in the so called called ''[[Charyapada]]s'' of medieval Bengali [[Sahaja|Sahajiya]] Buddhism''.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barua |first=Dr. Rajen |title=Buddhism and Bhakti |url=https://www.boloji.com/articles/50353/buddhism-and-bhakti |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=www.boloji.com}}</ref>

As such, both in [[Tibetan Buddhism]] and [[East Asian Buddhism]], there remains a strong tradition of devotional veneration of various Buddhas and bodhisattvas (which includes making offerings and chanting their names or [[mantra]]s), and this is one of the most popular forms of lay Buddhist practice.<ref name="child138" />