I’ve been grappling with the idea of prayer and how it works.
Prayer, even in an impersonal way (i.e. not directed to any particular deity or spirit) works.
This very much resembles magic, although again, it apparently works. The question is how?
How do my unspoken thoughts and intentions get directed and reach some other person or their body (e.g. cells) or some other material thing, at a distance, without any apparent intermediate causes?
The only thinking I have on this is Mahayanist in nature and likely not what Buddha himself would think of. For example, one could suppose that something like Vairocana’s all-permeating presence hears us even if we do not redirect our thoughts to them and carries them out like you would carry out any other action (to the best of it’s ability, given that someone like Vairocana isn’t a God). But this is absolutely not Early Buddhism or how Buddha would explain things. Another solution might be the standard rejection of duality between mind and matter, so everything being interconnected and having mental properties/attributes allows for this phenomena. However, I’ve been looking into what EBTs say on this and we don’t really find this kind of non-dualism in there. Intentionality, which would need to be interpreted much like sending a mail to someone with a destination, is the biggest issue here I think. This requires too much active awareness and interpretation for things that we typically call “material”, so you wouldn’t be able to send your thoughts through them or anything like that.
There is the chance that I am thinking too spatially about thoughts, given that thoughts and intentions aren’t necessarily spatial in nature. Therefore, the question of “How do my thoughts reach location X” might be nonsensical in the first place.
Ultimately, this question might really boil down to “How do unspoken thoughts cause material and immaterial change at a distance, without intermediaries presumably?”
What do you guys think? I feel like I’ve confused myself too deep in metaphysical speculation. I just want to see what exactly I can derive based on empirical observations and reasoning from them.
How does prayer work and make sense in Early Buddhism?
It does not work and does not make sense in Early Buddhism. Yes it can have a small effect in uplifting the mind via placebo but praying is practically useless and the Buddha advocate for direct training instead of wasting time praying.
Unspoken thoughts causing material/immaterial change at a distance to some other “thing”, without intermediaries (presumably), is present in EBTs as far as I’m aware.
This isn’t about what you should or shouldn’t spend your time on, but how some phenomena operates and how that fits within the framework presented in EBTs.
The suttas usually use the phrase “as easily as a strong man might flex his arm,” they simply do the magical thing
It basically boils down to “what is the metaphysics of karma?” which is famously not explained in Early Buddhism. The different schools of “Hīnayāna” all had slightly different explanations.
In Theravada Buddhism context- not necessarily EBT- there are practices that resemble magic and prayer. Chantings (paritta), offerings for the gods, merit-making, merit-dedication, aspirations, asseverations of truth (sacca- kiriya) Some of these practices are based in the effects of ritual in the mind, used in a skillful way. Other practices use the merits made in the past and the present to attain some benefit to the practitioner. It’s because of their virtue that someone’ wishes may be fulfilled (MN41).
These things are effective because of the merits of the practitioner aligned with their skillful actions and the proper mental composure. There’s also some phenomena based on Samādhi. And the intervention of deities, which is unpredictable. The exact mechanisms are not explained by the Buddha and should not be object of speculation- what may lead to madness or frustration (AN4.77). Without enough merit, in dependency of some demerit, and without the proper physical and mental attitude, these practices don’t work in the intended way .
Though these practices may bring some worldly benefits, their main purpose is to support the spiritual development. One shouldn’t get attached to them, since clinging to rites and precepts is one of the main obstacles that must be overcome.
