C2B: Are there sacraments in Buddhism?

There are no sacraments in Buddhism in the sense they are found in Christianity.

There are, however, many parallels as you can see below. While most usually involve monastics, ordination is the only one that must.

Birth

Pregnant mothers will often go to a monastery and ask monks to chant a special blessing authorized by the Buddha, known as the Angulimala Paritta. Newborns are often brought to a monastery as soon as possible to have monastics chant a blessing.

Illness

When a person is very ill, they may request monastics to visit and give a sermon and chant protective verses. This was common even in the time of the Buddha. The sick person and there family may also chant on their own.

Marriage

Monastics do not officiate at weddings, but couples will often go to a monastery before or after the wedding to receive advice on lay life and to listen to blessing chants.

Going for refuge and taking the precepts

Traditionally, going for refuge to the Triple Gem and undertaking the five precepts is considered conversion to Buddhism. Often lay people will recite them repeating after a monastic but it can also be done alone. This is often done every time one goes to a monastery.

Death

After a family member or friend dies, people will often arrange an alms-giving and share merit with the departed. This is traditionally done after seven days, one month, three months, and at the year anniversary, although the schedule is not important.

Entering the monastic order

There is an official procedure established by the Budddha for novice ordination (leaving lay life) and high ordination (officially becoming a member of the monastic community). This is explained in detail in the Vinaya. This can onlybe performed by ordained monastics.

Study

Merit: The Buddhist Way of Life

Monks, don’t be afraid of acts of merit. This is another way of saying what is blissful, desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming — that is, acts of merit.

The Buddha, Itivuttaka 22

One of the ways the Buddha explained Buddhist life was in terms of merit:

  1. Dana: giving material things and giving the Dhamma
  2. Sila: virtue, including keeping the precepts
  3. Bhavana: developing the mind, especially through meditation

Collecting merit simply means building up good kamma by doing good things. As Buddhists we know that there are so many different ways to be happy through doing good actions. By correctly understanding this we can be sure to have a rich spiritual life.

If we forget this three-fold nature of merit then it is possible that our spiritual life will go out of balance.


Sutta Study: