Prostration (Buddhism)

A prostration (Pali: panipāta, Sanskrit: namas-kara, Chinese: 禮拜, lǐbài, Japanese: raihai) is a gesture used in Buddhist practice to show reverence to the Triple Gem (comprising the Buddha, his teachings, and the spiritual community) and other objects of veneration.

Feet are still as for the kneeling position and the knees are about a foot apart....[6]In Myanmar (Burma), prostrations are accompanied by the common Buddhist prayer, known as okāsa.

In Thailand, traditionally, each of the three aforementioned prostrations are accompanied by the following Pali verses:[6] In Theravadin countries such as Sri Lanka, when one goes before one's teacher, in order to "open one's mind up to receive instructions," one bows and recites the phrase, "Okāsa ahaṃ bhante vandāmi" ("I pay homage to you venerable sir").

Such "horizontalizings of the mast of ego"[10] cleanse the heart-mind, rendering it flexible and expansive, and open the way to an understanding and appreciation of the exalted mind and manifold virtues of the Buddha and patriarchs.

For example, in the context of offering homage to Guru Rinpoche, prostrations are to be performed as follows: ...Bring your hands together in the 'lotus bud' mudra (the base of the palm and the fingertips together, and thumbs slightly tucked in) and place them on the crown of the head, then to the throat and heart.

The actual prostration is performed by dropping the body forward and stretching it full length on the floor, the arms outstretched in front.... Again, with hands in the lotus bud mudra, bend your arms back and touch your hands to the top of your head, a gesture that acknowledges the blessing flowing from Guru Rinpoche.

Then stretch your arms out once more and push yourself up.... Bring your hands into the lotus bud mudra for the third time and touch your heart in a gesture of reverence.