Image title: Mandala offering service (Puja)

English text:

Buddhists initially showed little interest in rituals, and although rituals such as rites of offering were performed even in the Buddhism prior to the Mahāyana, generally speaking there was little ritualism in Early Buddhism, which did not recognize the existence of any transcendental godhead. With the rise of Mahayana Buddhism the importance of rituals in Buddhism rapidly grew.

The origins of rites of worship or offering (puja) are not clear. Such rites were not basic to the religion of the Vedas, but they were described in the Atharva-veda, which contains many non-Aryan elements, and were being performed prior to the appearance of Buddhism. These rites were later to become the most widespread form of worship in Hinduism. In Buddhism as well, especially following the rise of Tantrism, they became an important ritual.

Gurumandala Puja is one of the most basic rituals of Nepalese Buddhism. At the beginning of this ritual, a small circle symbolizing the Gurumandala is drawn in front of the priest performing the puja. To the Gurumandala the deity Vajrasattva, who is the guru of the priest, is invoked. Then, materials such as flowers and water are offered to the mandala. Here, the Gurumandala is considered to be the universe of which the center is Mount Meru. In the Gurumandala Pūja the universe is offered to the deity Vajrasattva.

Further details shown:

A model of the Mount Meru is placed on the Mandala;
The small red circle in fron of the Gurmandala (Gurumandala);

Nepalese text (not proofread)

मण्डल पूजा—बौद्धमार्गीहरूले शुरुमा पूजाक्रियालाई खास महत्व दिएका थिएनन् । तापनि महायान परम्परा भन्दा अगाडि पनि केही मात्रामा पूजा गर्ने प्रचलन भएको पाईन्छ । स्पष्ट रुपमा भन्नुपर्दा बुद्धधर्मको प्रारम्भिक कालमा नै केही मात्रामा कर्मकाण्डको परम्परा भएको पाइए तापनि कुनै दैवीशक्तिको अस्तित्वलाई भने मान्यता दिइएको पाईदैन । महायान बौद्धधर्म परम्पराको विकासक्रमसंगै पूजाकार्यको महत्त्व पनि बढेको पाइन्छ ।

पूजा गर्ने वा पूजाक्रिया परम्पराको शुरुवात कहाँबाट भएको हो भन्ने कुरा स्पष्ट गर्न कठिन छ । यस्तो परम्परा भएको आधार वैदिक धर्ममा पनि छैन । तर अथर्व वेदमा भने यसको व्याख्या गरिएको पाइन्छ । यस कार्यमा विशेषतः आर्यसमाज भन्दा बाहिरी तत्वको बाहुली रहेको पाइन्छ । बुद्धधर्म प्रतिपाद हुनु भन्दा पहिले नै यस्तो परम्परा कायम भएको देखिन्छ । हिन्दूधर्ममा पूजाविधि कर्मकाण्डको रुपमा धेरै फैलिए । त्यस्तै बुद्धधर्ममा पनि तन्त्रको विकासक्रमसंगै यस परम्पराको महत्व बढ्दै गए ।

नेपालमा गुरुमण्डल पूजालाई बौद्धधर्मको एउटा मुख्य आधार मानिएको छ । गुरुमण्डल पूजा गर्दा शुरुमा पूजा गर्ने पुरोहितको सामुन्ने गुरुमण्डलको प्रतिकको रुपमा एउटा सानो घेरा खिचिन्छ । पुरोहितले आफ्नो गुरुको रूपमा बज्रसत्त्व तथागतलाई गुरुमण्डलमा आह्वान गरिन्छ । त्यसपछि मण्डलमा पुष्प, जल अर्पण गरिन्छ । यहाँ गुरुमण्डललाई सृष्टिको रूपमा लिइन्छ र यसको मध्य भागलाई महासुमेरु पर्वतको रुपमा लिइएको छ । गुरु मण्डल पूजामा यस सम्पूर्ण जगतलाई बज्रसत्त्वमा अर्पण गरिन्छ ।

Nepalese to English (automated translation)

Mandal Puja—The Buddhists did not give special importance to worship in the beginning. However, even before the Mahayana tradition, it is found that there was some practice of worship. To be clear, even in the early period of Buddhism, there was some tradition of rituals, but the existence of any divine power was not recognized. Along with the development of Mahayana Buddhism tradition, the importance of worship has also increased.

It is difficult to clarify from where the tradition of worship or worship started. There is no basis for such a tradition even in Vedic religion. But it is explained in Atharva Veda. In this work, it is found that there is a hand of external element especially than Arya Samaj. It seems that such a tradition was maintained even before Buddhism was promulgated. In Hinduism, the rituals of worship spread widely. Similarly, the importance of this tradition increased with the development of Tantra in Buddhism.

In Nepal, Gurumandal Puja is considered a mainstay of Buddhism. During Gurumandal Puja, a small circle is drawn as a symbol of Gurumandal in front of the priest performing the puja. The priest invokes Vajrasattva Tathagata as his Guru in the Gurumandal. Then flowers and water are offered in the mandala. Here Gurumandal is taken as creation and its middle part is taken as Mahasumeru mountain. In Guru Mandal Puja, the whole world is offered to Bajrasattva.

Transcription (with diacritics):

Maṇḍala pūjā—bauddhamārgīharūle śurumā pūjākriyālāī khāsa mahatva diekā thienan . Tāpani mahāyāna paramparā bhandā agāḍi pani kehī mātrāmā pūjā garne pracalana bhaeko pāīncha . Spaṣṭa rupamā bhannupardā buddhadharmako prārambhika kālamā nai kehī mātrāmā karmakāṇḍako paramparā bhaeko pāie tāpani kunai daivīśaktiko astitvalāī bhane mānyatā diieko pāīdaina . Mahāyāna bauddhadharma paramparāko vikāsakramasaṃgai pūjākāryako mahattva pani baḍheko pāincha .

pūjā garne vā pūjākriyā paramparāko śuruvāta kahāṃbāṭa bhaeko ho bhanne kurā spaṣṭa garna kaṭhina cha . Yasto paramparā bhaeko ādhāra vaidika dharmamā pani chaina . Tara atharva vedamā bhane yasako vyākhyā garieko pāincha . Yasa kāryamā viśeṣataḥ āryasamāja bhandā bāhirī tatvako bāhulī raheko pāincha . Buddhadharma pratipāda hunu bhandā pahile nai yasto paramparā kāyama bhaeko dekhincha . Hindūdharmamā pūjāvidhi karmakāṇḍako rupamā dherai phailie . Tyastai buddhadharmamā pani tantrako vikāsakramasaṃgai yasa paramparāko mahatva baḍhdai gae .

nepālamā gurumaṇḍala pūjālāī bauddhadharmako euṭā mukhya ādhāra mānieko cha . Gurumaṇḍala pūjā gardā śurumā pūjā garne purohitako sāmunne gurumaṇḍalako pratikako rupamā euṭā sāno gherā khicincha . Purohitale āphno guruko rūpamā bajrasattva tathāgatalāī gurumaṇḍalamā āhvāna garincha . Tyasapachi maṇḍalamā puṣpa, jala arpaṇa garincha . Yahāṃ gurumaṇḍalalāī sṛṣṭiko rūpamā liincha ra yasako madhya bhāgalāī mahāsumeru parvatako rupamā liieko cha . Guru maṇḍala pūjāmā yasa sampūrṇa jagatalāī bajrasattvamā arpaṇa garincha .

Transcription (without diacritics):

mandala puja—bauddhamargiharule shuruma pujakriyalai khasa mahatva dieka thienan . tapani mahayana parampara bhanda agadi pani kehi matrama puja garne pracalana bhaeko paincha . spashta rupama bhannuparda buddhadharmako prarambhika kalama nai kehi matrama karmakandako parampara bhaeko paie tapani kunai daivishaktiko astitvalai bhane manyata diieko paidaina . mahayana bauddhadharma paramparako vikasakramasamgai pujakaryako mahattva pani badheko paincha .

puja garne va pujakriya paramparako shuruvata kahambata bhaeko ho bhanne kura spashta garna kathina cha . yasto parampara bhaeko adhara vaidika dharmama pani chaina . tara atharva vedama bhane yasako vyakhya garieko paincha . yasa karyama visheshatah aryasamaja bhanda bahiri tatvako bahuli raheko paincha . buddhadharma pratipada hunu bhanda pahile nai yasto parampara kayama bhaeko dekhincha . hindudharmama pujavidhi karmakandako rupama dherai phailie . tyastai buddhadharmama pani tantrako vikasakramasamgai yasa paramparako mahatva badhdai gae .

nepalama gurumandala pujalai bauddhadharmako euta mukhya adhara manieko cha . gurumandala puja garda shuruma puja garne purohitako samunne gurumandalako pratikako rupama euta sano ghera khicincha . purohitale aphno guruko rupama bajrasattva tathagatalai gurumandalama ahvana garincha . tyasapachi mandalama pushpa, jala arpana garincha . yaham gurumandalalai srishtiko rupama liincha ra yasako madhya bhagalai mahasumeru parvatako rupama liieko cha . guru mandala pujama yasa sampurna jagatalai bajrasattvama arpana garincha .

Gallery information:

The Northern Himalayan region in Nepal offers a wide variety of Buddhist objects such as paintings, scriptures, sculptures, ritualistic objects, etc. Buddhism once entered Tibet from Nepal and has blended in its own way there, resulting in Tibetan Buddhism which is divided into many schools. The items found here are exhibited in the National Museum of Nepal (Rashtriya Museum).