Do rituals have a place in Buddhism?

Considering the Buddha’s advice that we should endeavour to see things as they really are, one may argue that rituals should have no place, at all, in Buddhism.

- By Dr UpuL WIJAYAWARDHANA

Ven. Walpola Rahula

Afterall, rituals are dependent on blind faith, to a large extent. On the other hand, it can also be argued that rituals have contributed in no small measure in ensuring the survival of Buddhism. Strictly speaking, Buddhism cannot be described as a religion, for most organised religions demand unquestioning faith whereas the Buddha insisted on conviction as the basis for the acceptance of the Dhamma he expounded. However, there is no denial that the cloak of religion, with the inevitable attended rituals, wrapped around the Buddha Dhamma has also served a useful purpose. What seems to have happened is that we have gone to an extreme where rituals have begun to overshadow the crux of Buddhism.

These thoughts passed through my mind after reading three valuable contributions by two Buddhist thinkers commanding my highest respect: “What happened to wisdom?” by Dr Geewananda Gunawardana (The Island, 24 September) and a response to it by Dr Upali Abeysiri (The Island, 29 September) as well as another piece by Dr Gunawardana “Reforming Dhamma education” (The Island, 6 October). Reference was made to one of the coveted rituals, currently in progress; Katina ceremonies which commenced on Vap Poya day, which fell on the 6th, culminating on Iil Poya, which falls on 5th November.