GCSE RE Coursework Buddhism Example (Grade B)

Normally a Buddhist place of worship is described as a temple which is the same name given to places of worship such as Sikhism. But what makes it different to these places is the architectural structure of the building. A Vihara can be known as a place of worship for Buddhists which can also be known as Wat or Gompa.

The use of a Vihara is to hold the place of worship as well as to be a shelter to Bhikkus and Bhikkunis to rest as well as being a place of worship for the Buddhists that reside there. This place of worship can be known as a temple which is sometimes separate to the Vihara altogether with its own area. The temples usually contain shrines which Buddhists worship a Buddhist statue called a Buddha-Rupa not as a God but for the teachings that the Buddha devised; Buddhist worship is also known as Puja.

The shrine can also be used as a meditation room for lay worshippers and Bhiks alike. They are a good place for this kind of meditation because it is of the right environment to seek enlightenment.

Although Buddhist temples can vary on structure depending on the location, most of them have a basic guideline of structure which I had found on Wikipedia, which is that there are tall thick wooden columns which hold the load of the structure, each of these columns sits on a single large stone anchors the building. The walls, floors, and roof structures are then built around these columns. There is quite a difference in the style and appearance of roofs, but most follow the idea of a tiled sloping roof. The roofs of some of the older temples have upturned flaring corners. Meanwhile, newer temples that are based more on native Japanese styles will have smoother, flatter roof corners. The arrangement of the building varies a little. Older temples followed the pattern of a gate, tower, and kondo (main hall) and kodo in a straight line from south to north. Corridors extend east and west from the flanks of the gate, then turned north, and finally joined north of the kodo, forming a cloister around the pagoda (tiered tower) and the major halls the Konden (golden hall) is a double roofed structure very well supported to give it a feeling of boldness and weight. Japanese based temples normally have a pattern of areas known as sacred spaces circling the courtyard and has a set of gates that are (said to be) protected by some guardian statues called Nio.

The temples are made with these structures because they are based on the styles of Chinese palaces if from China to resemble a holy place. Also it is based on a Chinese belief known as feung chui, so the way that temple is arranged is built intentionally to prevent evil spirits from entering. The sacred spaces are also important in most temples to be separated from lay worshipper (a Buddha that lives in everyday life and not in a Vihara) so that important rituals can be performed by Buddha's without the space being over occupied. However the space between the sacred space and regular temple can vary from being just a wooden fence to being a whole graveled pathway.

However, not all places of worship are within the temple. Places such as Viharas which are monasteries instead of places of worship (therefore they are more like shelters for Bhikkus and Bhikkunis to live there lives of meditated solitude), need specific areas that are worshipped known as shrines which are found in the main building at which there is normally a large staue of the Buddha not to worship as a God, but to worship the teachings that the Buddha encourages. They can also be used as meditation rooms which are normally a very open room where lay worshippers can also meditate as well.

Normally outside of a Vihara there is a structure called Stupas which are monuments made by Buddhists to show the Buddha's body and mind and the path to enlightenment. They are at a Vihara because they are there to walk around after meditation to receive enlightenment.

Overall the Buddhist place of worship has changed over generations, as it has spread across the world to signify one of the oldest religions of all time.

Aii) Analyse and explain the role and function of the leaders of the Vihara.

Traditionally a Vihara is a place where Buddhists go to during the hot and wet season as a place of shelter. But some lay worshippers also visit the place for teachings and enlightenment. Within the Viharas there are many different types of leaders all depending on the type of Buddhist Vihara and where it originates from.

One of the main types of leaders is an Abbott. This is mainly the leader of the monastery and tends to do some of the tasks that are involved in managing and looking after the Vihara. An Abbott is one of the highest authority figures in a Vihara.

But an Abbott may delegate responsibilities onto others who are within their span of control and also teaches due to being a role model and figure head. A Guru has the job of teaching not only Bhikkus and Bhikkunis but the lay community as well; but an Abbott will also organise meditation sessions for both types of Buddhists and reading scriptures from the Dharma; along with keeping the discipline of the rules (Vinaya) such as the five precepts within the Vihara and delegating special responsibilities to lesser Bhikkus and Bhikkunis to teach to lay worshippers. Abbotts also have the responsibility of looking after and preserving the temple keeping it in good condition and making sure that the worshipping runs smoothly throughout the day and during the tradition of festivals which they must preserve. Although in most communities the Guru doesn't have much authority in comparison to an Abbott but in some cultures (e.g. Indian) the Guru has just as much authority.

However, not all monasteries have the same type of teachers within the Viharas. An influence of Japanese Buddhism has Zen Masters within the Vihara. Where a Guru taught large quantities of people a Zen Master will only teach a small amount of disciples who he personally teaches as he is meant to have been gifted with the ability to pass on extremely difficult teachings and are also known for asking questions that have no answer (e.g. what's the sound of one hand clapping?) but mainly they focus on teaching the disciples about meditation methods; some Zen Masters also take the roles of priests.

In Tibetan Buddhism there is also the Lama. The Dalai Lama was the reincarnation of the Buddha and the Lama is the reincarnation of a member of the lineage of great spiritual teachers. They are seen as major figures in Tibetan Buddhism and are treated with a lot of respect and since they are thought of as great teachers, they write their own scriptures and texts and their teachings have superiority because of their lineage. They have a wide span of control and usually a head of large orders where they are role models and figure heads.

Although the Buddhist roles seem quite diverse, they are actually very similar and usually are to do with either managing or teaching Buddhists at a Vihara. And they all have different cultural influences that separate them.

Aiii) Analyse and explain the role and function of the Viharas in the local Buddhist Community.

Although the Vihara has many different types of leader roles, that doesn't mean that there is a limitation on functions that the Vihara has to offer.

What a Vihara does for a local community is mainly learning and teaching for both the Bhikk and the Laity. As most Gurus within the Vihara will teach anyone who is willing to learn and although they teach meditation (it has a good environment) and Buddhist teachings, they are also a place where people can learn agriculture and literacy skills. It contains a library with a lot of scriptures so that people can discover things that are written down (e.g. Dharma) as well as offering medical treatment and ceremonies (ordination) along with a place of worship (Puja) and even protects valuables (e.g. Buddhist Statues).

Along with that, the Sangha helps the lay community by in an exchange known as 'give and take' relationship. The lay people offer the Sangha food and robes and the Buddhists offer teaching and all the services that they have in their Vihara. The Lay people also get merit (Puna) which helps them to be better Buddhists according to Buddhist religion. This is an important function of the Vihara because it keeps both the Vihara and the Lay community satisfied with food in exchange for Puna.

The roles and functions of the Vihara are helpful to the laity. But they wouldn't be able to function without the support of the Laity. Therefore creating a symbiotic relationship.

B) 'You do not need to go to a Vihara to be a good Buddhist.'

Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion, showing that you have considered another point of view.

A Buddhist that belongs to the Vihara will be focused within the Vihara and will not participate in everyday life unlike a lay worshipper who will continue to live in the world. But does this affect your efforts of being a Buddhist?

Some may argue that a reason for not needing to go to a Vihara is that some of the most enlightened Buddhists never went to a Vihara, one of the main examples being the Buddha himself. In fact all early Buddhists who sought enlightenment didn't have Viharas. The Buddhist teachings don't mention anything about having to go to a Vihara; it only refers to following the eight fold path as you should be doing these things all the time, and being in a Vihara alone isn't going to make you a good Buddhist. Because within the Vihara you can't face the challenges of everyday life and aren't able to face the temptations of life (e.g. when the Buddha was in the palace and wasn't allowed to see suffering, that didn't make him a better Buddhist)

However, some may counter argue that some Buddhists may not be as capable as the Buddha in reaching enlightenment. And the Vihara can be used to as a place to be able to concentrate as the environment is far more conducive and you would be able to be around greater and wiser Buddhists such as Gurus to teach them of the Buddhist ways more than you can learn in real life situations. Also, teachers known as Theravadas believe that only a small amount of people can be enlightened and need to be taught in the Vihara to become enlightened.

Lay worshippers can still visit a Vihara though. And if they visit the Vihara they are awarded merit also known as 'puna' for visiting, which is meant to help you be a better Buddhist. This shows that you can still visit the Viharas and become a better Buddhist for it, but by still living a real life you can still face the challenges to make you able to endure the temptations of everyday life.

The Vihara may also be a problem for those who have disabilities and a bad location (there aren't many Viharas in England) and it would be difficult to live in a Vihara. But you can have a shrine at home to prevent this. However, a Buddhist would believe for Buddhism to be your top priority so you should be willing to give up your life to become a Buddhist.

Overall I think that you don't have to go to a Vihara to be a good Buddhist. If we look at all the arguments you can see that some of the greatest Buddhists in history did not go to a Vihara and it is not mentioned in the teachings, although some Buddhists feel that the environment of a Vihara will help someone become enlightened, the environment of a Vihara will not help you to learn how to use the teachings in everyday life which would make you a better Buddhist because you will know how to prevent your craving and I think to be a good Buddhist you need to be able to do this. You are still able to visit a Vihara without having to live in one and you may get merit also known as puna. If you can get this without living in a Vihara surely it would make more sense to continue in everyday life. And the use of shrines can be used if you cannot reach a Vihara. Although some Buddhists claim that you should put your practice of Buddhism first, it just seems more logical to practice Buddhism in an environment where you can crave and be tempted because it would help you to learn to ignore these possessions.

Copyright Oliver Thomas Goss