What is true Prayer? – Meditation and Wisdom – Prayer means always being in accordance with the Truth!
‘Prayer’ means always being in accordance with the Truth. The essential meaning of the act of prayer can be understood by the action itself. Although it may be of changing appearance, still, the essence meaning cannot be discarded. But, the act exposes what is apparent and what is hidden. If one understood this, he might be in accord with the Truth.
Submission
Generally speaking, it means respecting highly and kneeling down in submission. In this case if one respects the true self-nature, and if unenlightened darkness has knelt down, in submission, then it can be called prayer. Since they respect, they do not humiliate. Since it knelt down, it cannot be negligent. If sinful thought permanently vanishes and good thought steadily stays, then, even though it is not seen from the outside, one is continually in prayer.
What is apparent is the physical appearance when they bow in respect. In order to submit their minds and humble themselves, the ordinary-beings kneel down in respect to an outer image of Buddha. When it is functioning, then it is exposed (as bowing). When that functioning is eliminated, then it is hidden. Only when self-nature and physical form are in mutual accord can inside-wisdom be brightened through physical prayers.
When one is attached to only the outside form of prayers, then he will be negligent, having greed, anger, and ignorance; raising sinful thought inside and having only false prayer outside, which are not real prayers. This is deceiving the sages and fooling the wise ones. The karmic consequence of this endures!
Determination - Prayer
Even if it's difficult, work hard. Gradually it will become easier, and eventually your powers will automatically increase. Today, after long hunger, the people have received a great banquet, but they do not know how to bring even a morsel of food to their lips. After a long illness, they finally met the doctor. But they don't know how to take the medicine, and they say, "What should I do? What should I do?" But what should I do for someone who does nothing? The worldly activities can be seen and the result experienced. People praise you for a small achievement as if it were a rarity. But our family tradition of reexamining self-nature cannot be seen.