Why do some pray to Buddha?

[Ervin]

I have seen people bow down and prostrate to Buddha like Muslims prostrate to Allah. Ofcourse, it wasn't identical but at times I heard some Buddhists do more prostrations than the amount Muslims do in a day.

Why pray to Buddha or why ask Buddha for forgiveness or blessings? Can Buddha alter karma for sentient beings?

Also all that I ask about a Bodisatva?

Is all that something that came out recently or is that what actual Sakyamuni Buddha taught?

[bodom]

The practices above were not taught by the Buddha:

These five things are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, and hard to obtain in the world. Which five? Long life... beauty... pleasure... status... rebirth in heaven... Now, I tell you, these five things are not to be obtained by reason of prayers or wishes. If they were to be obtained by reason of prayers or wishes, who here would lack them? It is not fitting for the noble disciple who desires long life to pray for it or to delight in doing so. Instead, the noble disciple who desires long life should follow the path of practice leading to long life. In so doing, he will attain long life, either human or divine. (Similarly with beauty, pleasure, status, and rebirth in heaven.)

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

[BubbaBuddhist]

Personally I do not pray to the Buddha, but I have been known to offer prayers to Artemis Ephesus.

BB

[Sam Vara]

I have seen people bow down and prostrate to Buddha like Muslims prostrate to Allah. Ofcourse, it wasn't identical but at times I heard some Buddhists do more prostrations than the amount Muslims do in a day.

Why pray to Buddha or why ask Buddha for forgiveness or blessings? Can Buddha alter karma for sentient beings?

Also all that I ask about a Bodisatva?

Is all that something that came out recently or is that what actual Sakyamuni Buddha taught?

People can have similar bodily postures or movements but give them different meanings. The people I know that bow down before a Buddha statue are revering or thanking the Buddha, rather than praying in the way that Muslims do. Likewise, I don't know of any that ask for forgiveness or blessings, but if there are any, they would have to give you their own story.

According to some Suttas, the Buddha did refer to himself as a Bodhisattva when looking back on the time before his enlightenment.

[santa100]

It all depends on whether one has the proper intention or attitude while doing those devotional practices:
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/his ... vances.htm

There're many sutta instances where the Buddha recalled His previous lives starting with: "Before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta":
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_r ... ght.org%2F

[mikenz66]

As Sam says, reverence is not the same as praying for an outcome.

Here is some advice from the Suttas:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... all-Buddha

"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones recollects the Tathagata, thus: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' As he is recollecting the Tathagata, his mind is calmed, and joy arises; the defilements of his mind are abandoned, just as when the head is cleansed through the proper technique.

Mike