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Welcome to From the Academy,
a monthly newsletter for Premium subscribers offering a scholarly take
on topics in Buddhist thought and practice. Each issue highlights a key
theme and points to further reading for exploration. This month, we look
at how ritual transmits Buddhist tradition—and how it continues to
evolve.
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What Makes a Ritual
Why
do we bow, chant, or light incense, even when we’re not always sure
what it means? Ritual marks something as meaningful or sacred—an object,
a place, or a moment in time. Through symbolic gestures, it sets these
things apart from daily life and brings people together in a shared
purpose.
Rituals usually follow a script—with a beginning, middle, and end—so
that they can be passed down over time and performed in the same way
again and again. In this way, rituals deepen a sense of connection to a
tradition and to others following in that tradition.
Ritual in Buddhist Practice
In
Buddhist traditions, ritual comes in many forms, from simple acts like
bowing or offering food to elaborate initiations. These practices often
reflect a person’s role within a community or tradition, and are
frequently done to reaffirm a vow, honor a teacher, venerate an
ancestor, or feed a hungry ghost.
Rituals vary widely across Buddhist cultures, each having its own style
and emphasis. Local ritual customs help shape a community’s identity and
instill a sense of belonging. Even brief gestures—like placing the
hands together in a sign of respect (Skt.: anjalimudra),
chanting, or reciting an aspiration—can reorient the practitioner to
the sacred and help settle the body and mind. These ritualized actions
have long helped to frame and support practice in many Buddhist
traditions.
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A practitioner with a mala and hand mudra in prayer, image courtesy of BJ Graf of RetreaTours
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Preserving and Adapting
Ritual
has always been a crucial way of passing down Buddhist traditions, but
its forms are never fixed. Over time and across cultures, they
shift—usually slowly, but sometimes dramatically. These changes allow
ritual to stay connected to the past while serving new needs in the
present.
Thai monks, for example, have used the traditional ordination ceremony to bless and ordain trees,
highlighting the need to protect the environment. This blending of old
and new is not without controversy. As with many ritual adaptations, the
meanings attributed to the act can diverge, and debates over its
appropriateness offer a window into the evolving life of Buddhist
communities.
Modern Tensions
Today,
adaptation also plays out in the tensions between traditional rituals
and modern norms. For practitioners in contemporary cultures with
egalitarian values, rituals can seem out of step, too hierarchical, and rooted in the past. People new to Buddhism in the West often encounter unfamiliar or culturally distant
rituals as they are exposed to a new tradition. For some, this leads to
hesitation or skepticism; for others, it opens the door to unexpected insights. Despite such modern tensions, ritual practices remain central for much of the Buddhist world.
Meditation is often seen as the heart of Buddhist practice in the
West—but it’s frequently framed in psychological or scientific terms,
detached from any ritual roots. Viewing meditation as a type of
ritual—with structure, repetition, and a dedicated space, like returning
to the same cushion each morning—can subtly alter one’s relationship to
the practice. The emphasis shifts from getting results to simply
showing up.
Rituals in Transition
As
Buddhism moves into new cultural settings, ritual forms begin to adapt.
Generally, these adjustments unfold gradually, shaped by institutions,
teachers, and practitioners alike. What emerges over time reflects both
continuity and change.
In the West, Buddhist rituals are still developing and may look
different from what came before. However, even as new forms come into
being, ritual continues to ask: What do we value enough to preserve,
repeat, and pass on?
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Recommended Material on Ritual
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