• pūjā

• (1) honour, respect, homage,

• (2) worship, devotional observances, devotional offerings; also offerings to monks.

(1) The Mahā-mangala Sutta (Sn. 259) says that "Honour and respect towards those worthy of it, is conducive to great blessing" (pūjā ca pūjaniyesu etam mangalam uttamarn). See Dhp. 195f.

(2) The Buddha did not think much of mere outer worship.

"Not thus, Ananda, is the Tathāgata respected, venerated, esteemed, worshipped and honoured in the highest degree. But, Ananda, whatsoever bhikkhu or bhikkhuni, lay man or lay woman, abides by the Teaching, lives uprightly in the Teaching, walks in the way of the Teaching, it is by him that the Tathāgata is respected, venerated, esteemed, worshipped and honoured in the highest degree" (D.16). -

"There are two kinds of worship: in a material way (āmisa-pūjā) and through (practice of) the Dhamma (dhamma-pūjā). The worship through (practice of) the Dhamma is the better of the two" (A. II).