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Offering (Buddhism)
Buddhist religious practice / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Buddhism, symbolic offerings are made to the Triple Gem, giving rise to contemplative gratitude and inspiration.[1] Typical material offerings involve simple objects such as a lit candle or oil lamp,[2] burning incense,[3] flowers,[4] food, fruit, water or drinks.[5]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Buddhist_offerings.jpg/640px-Buddhist_offerings.jpg)
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Within the traditional Buddhist framework of karma and rebirth, offerings lead to the accumulation of merit, which leads to:
- a better rebirth in the cycle of birth and death (Pali: vattagamini-kusala)
- progress towards release from suffering (Pali: vivattagamini-kusala).[6]
These offerings often act as preparation for meditation.[7]
In some traditions, two different types of offerings are identified: