The Power of Prayer

[psylotripitaka]

"Through prayer nothing can be achieved" - The Dalai Lama

[James Bond]

I think personally, i will have to respectfully disagree with what the Dalai Lama has said. Prayer has effects. Maybe it does not always have immediate effects, but most of the time there are long term effects. I have read many of my gurus stories which involves prayers helping people. And i have also witnessed or heard about prayers helping those close to me.

However, it seems that some people may think that prayers really do not have much effect, and that such things like merit has a larger effect. Also, because prayer effects are normally done over long periods of time, people may consider prayers to do nothing.

Another point im thinking about it that by reciting prayers, it have a positive effect on the individuals who are doing these prayers. Relaxation is just one example of a mental effect that prayers could have on an individual.

[angelica]

This is the first time I heard about "Through prayer nothing can be achieved".

But all other religions also have prayers. If prayers have no power, then means all of us are wasting time doing something useless? Then how come Buddhist still do prayers? HHDL should be telling everyone not to do prayers, as this is wasting of time, efforts and manpower. Why on Dalai Lama birthday celebration, prayers still being offered?

http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1286-prayers-offered-for-his-holiness-the-dalai-lamas-long-life-and-celebrations-of-his-birthday

I believe everything we do will have an effect. How fast we get the result, it depend on our karma too. Sometimes, we might not get what we want, but we are getting what we need. I still have strong faith on prayers and will continue to do so.

[psylotripitaka]

Of course prayer works, and ironically, science proves the relationship between mind and how it effects phenomena.

The purpose of my post is to point out that this person that many see as a Buddhist Master is saying that prayer doesn't work, and claims such as this are amongst the many things that disqualify him as a valid reliable Teacher.

He is teaching that religion is inadequate, that prayer doesn't work, that his lineage Gurus and tradition are invalid, that Buddha is wrong, that violent weapons and shooting living beings are wonderful, that ethnic cleansing of his own people through a cultural revolution is good and something to laugh about, that destroying the Three Jewels for political and financial gain is valid,  that making people homeless and unable to find jobs and schooling and medical care is part of the Buddhist Way of Life.

Nowhere in the Lamrim or Vajrayana does it give a list of actions such as these as being the qualities of a valid Buddhist Teacher. And yet, people are adamant about seeing this person as a respectable teacher. That shows a lack of wisdom and common sense. We will never achieve realizations through following invalid Teachers, especially criminals trying to destroy the lineage you're trying to follow!

[Dondrup Shugden]

Ouch!!!! Another contradiction by HHDL to the profound tenets of Buddhism.  Oh well, it is time we really have to think that the Shugden Lamas are more consistent and incarnation after incarnations, they do come back with the same beliefs and it is within our own timeline to see it happening with Trijang Rinpoche. 

That is already evidence why Dorje Shugden is a great Enlightened Buddha.

[kelly]

I personally do not think prayer has no power, look all the great master in the pass has ask their student to do prayer as their practice on the daily basis chanting mantras is definately work even for people who do not know why they do to do the mantras also work for them because mantras is a holy words spoke by Lord Buddha himself.

[Matibhadra]

It is a well known Buddhist tenet that prayers are definitely fulfilled with the power of the truth.

The fact that the evil dalie pathetically confesses his failure to achieve anything through prayers, as when he says that “through prayer nothing can be achieved”, just proves that he thoroughly lacks the power of the truth, or that, as everyone here knows, that he is just an ordinary liar.