Puja

Puja is a ceremony that takes place in the shrine room of a temple, usually twice a day. The purpose of puja is to focus the mind on, and to show devotion to, the Buddha and his teachings.

Although different Buddhist groups may conduct puja in slightly different ways, most will follow a similar pattern. Five objects are used during puja, which represent the five senses.

• Burning incense represents the sense of smell. Incense smells pleasant, and can also be quite overpowering, so it stops other smells from distracting Buddhists during puja.
• The offering of food represents the sense of taste.
• The offering of light, by the lighting of candles, represents sight.
• Offerings of flowers, which are both delicate and soft, represent touch.
• A gong, cymbal or bell is also used during puja to symbolise hearing.

By involving all five senses in puja, Buddhists are less likely to be distracted by other things, such as the sound of a passing car or the smell of someone cooking. This makes it easier to concentrate on the ceremony itself.