Buddhism – The Vihara, Theravadin

The Buddha’s central teaching is the eight fold path. Meditation is a key concept in the eight fold path and so this has had an enormous impact on the design of a Vihara. The first devotees of the Buddha meditated in the open, in the forests of North Western India. Over time, and to accommodate the monks during the wet season or monsoon, places of residence grew up to house them.

The Vihara was then a place for the Sangha or community of monks to learn how to meditate, to learn about the teachings of the Budhha, and to work towards enlightenment, or Nibbana.

Theravadin Viharas are essentially plain meditation halls. The Sangha will have its own routine for meditation and prayer and lay people, those not monks, will join when appropriate for either individual or communal activities.A Buddha figure is usually included as a focal point in the meditation hall but this figure is not for worship. In Theravada Buddhism, the life and teaching of the Buddha is an example to be followed, the Buddha is not worshipped and petitions or prayers are not Theravadin practice. In this country and in the far eastern Theravada Buddhist countries such as Thailand, devotees join with monks for mediation practice and learning of the traditional 227 rules of the Sangha. Typically, the illustration here gives an impression of the plain simplicity which is to be found in many meditation halls.