This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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History of Religions
History of the 3 Monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) and of the main different Christianity confessions (Roman Catholicism, Eastern Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism and Protestantism)
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Pedagogical Approaches
New pedagogical approaches to teach history of religion
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Role of Religions in Civilization
How to didactically promote among students of different confessions, the capacity of a critical analysis and understanding of the role played by religions in the history of mankind
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Interreligious Students’ Competences
Set of teaching contents, to be used by teachers to highlight and valorize the universal values of tolerance and universalisms that all Monotheistic religions and religious texts contain to promote and sustain mutual understanding among students
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Managing Multi-Religious Classes
Teaching Sources to help teachers dealing with multicultural and multi-religious classes
Map
An interactive didactical map interactive didactical map giving access to sites with a religious relevance.-
Introduction
A comparative review of the liturgical celebrations, ceremonies and dietary rules existing in the different religions.
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Celebrations
Description and comparative analysis of the celebrations of different religions and confessions
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Ceremonies
Description and comparative analysis of the ceremonies of different religions and confessions
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Dietary Rules
Description and comparative analysis of the dietary rules of different religions and confessions
Events
The Pathway through Religions project has been promoted trough conferences and articles.
Conferences
The Pathway through Religions project was presented in a number of events in order to report about the activities carried out and the results achieved
Press Review
The Pathway through Religions project partnership made contacts with web sites focusing on the fields of educationPartnership
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Contractual Partners
From this section it is possible to access to a description of each contractual partner of the Pathway through Religions project.
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Schools
From this section it is possible to access to the information about the schools involved in the Pathway through Religions Project in the European countries involved.
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Associated Partners
As a result of the exploitation activity a number of associated partners officially joined the project in order to contribute to the improvement of the project impact on their target groups and to ensure the project sustainability by continuing using the project deliverables in the next years.
This section of the Pathway through Religions portal provides administrative information for the project contractual partners and for the European Commission and it is password protected.
Ceremonies
Homepage > Training Course > Ceremonies
Description and comparative analysis of the ceremonies of different religions and confessions
Cerimonies
7.1.3. Buddhist customs
Venerating the Buddha
The Buddhist tradition has developed many different customs and practices in different parts of the world.
This may take the form of meditating on the qualities of Buddha, and honouring the Buddha or Buddha-figure.
A person could honour the Buddha by making offerings to relics or images of the Buddha.
The exchange of gifts
In the Theravada tradition, Buddhist laypersons often give gifts to Buddhist monks but giving is also encouraged more generally, to one another and to good causes.
In Theravada Buddhism, monks are considered to embody the fruits of Buddhist practice. Monks' responsibility is to share these with lay Buddhists through their example and teaching.
Giving to monks is also thought to benefit lay people and to win them merit.
Pilgrimage
Four main centres of pilgrimage sprung up within the first couple of hundred years after Buddha's death which marked key locations in the Buddha's life.
Since then other centres have emerged in virtually every area where Buddhism has been estab-lished, each with its own practices and customs.
The purpose of pilgrimage is to foster a spiritual discipline, to fulfil a vow or simply to travel. It is an important Buddhist practice.
Pilgrimage also helps to express feelings of devotion and creates a relationship with the historical figures associated with the pilgrimage site.
Ordination
Admission to the monastic sangha involves two rites of passage:
Since in many cases, acceptance as a monk could not be made before the age of 20, the two rites could be separated by many years.
Ordination is an important ceremony in all traditions. In the Theravada, for example, ordination means becoming a monk. To become a Theravadin monk a postulant shaves his head and beard and adopts the yellow robes of the monk.
Various vows are exchanged, including the repetition of the Ten Precepts. Then the postulant is questioned about past behaviour and their suitability for the position. If satis-fied, the officiating abbot admits the postulant.
The Buddhist tradition has developed many different customs and practices in different parts of the world.
This may take the form of meditating on the qualities of Buddha, and honouring the Buddha or Buddha-figure.
A person could honour the Buddha by making offerings to relics or images of the Buddha.
The exchange of gifts
In the Theravada tradition, Buddhist laypersons often give gifts to Buddhist monks but giving is also encouraged more generally, to one another and to good causes.
In Theravada Buddhism, monks are considered to embody the fruits of Buddhist practice. Monks' responsibility is to share these with lay Buddhists through their example and teaching.
Giving to monks is also thought to benefit lay people and to win them merit.
Pilgrimage
Four main centres of pilgrimage sprung up within the first couple of hundred years after Buddha's death which marked key locations in the Buddha's life.
Since then other centres have emerged in virtually every area where Buddhism has been estab-lished, each with its own practices and customs.
The purpose of pilgrimage is to foster a spiritual discipline, to fulfil a vow or simply to travel. It is an important Buddhist practice.
Pilgrimage also helps to express feelings of devotion and creates a relationship with the historical figures associated with the pilgrimage site.
Ordination
Admission to the monastic sangha involves two rites of passage:
- Renunciation of the secular life
- Acceptance of monasticism as a novice
Since in many cases, acceptance as a monk could not be made before the age of 20, the two rites could be separated by many years.
Ordination is an important ceremony in all traditions. In the Theravada, for example, ordination means becoming a monk. To become a Theravadin monk a postulant shaves his head and beard and adopts the yellow robes of the monk.
Various vows are exchanged, including the repetition of the Ten Precepts. Then the postulant is questioned about past behaviour and their suitability for the position. If satis-fied, the officiating abbot admits the postulant.
Pictures
