?This is a commonly asked question, this implies another question: Could it be essential for lay Buddhists to setup an altar at home? If so, how as long as they do it? A better solution really is determined by the individual situation. If your dwelling is small, or you live in a dormitory, share an area or perhaps a house with co-workers or classmates, it wouldn’t be useful to build an altar. In such cases, should you worship regularly at the fixed time, you could possibly convey a sutra that you would normally convey a Buddha statue. In this situation, it is not necessary to burn incense or candles, or offer water or flowers. Both before and after worshipping, it could be appropriate to bow with joined palms, and prostrate to indicate respect and sincerity. If the roommates or housemates will also be Buddhists, it would easily be okay to put together a common altar or perhaps a worship room. Should you be the one Buddhist, don’t be so particular as to refer to establishing an altar; as it might court others’ resentment and dismay.

?If you’re the only real Buddhist in the household, it’s also required to follow similar guidelines as if you reside in a dormitory; otherwise, it may create discord inherited. Don’t let your Buddhist practice lead to ill feelings and resentment toward Buddhism inside family. If the entire family believes in Buddhism, or perhaps you are head in the household, or both spouses practice, then there is space, it would be the top to put together an altar or a worship room. When setting up an altar from the family room, pick the side in the room where the main furniture would normally be. There should be no window behind the statue, and statue should face a door or window, so there will be plenty sunlight, as well as altar is clearly in sight when individuals type in the door.

?The altar could be the heart of an home; it should come up with a sense of stability and security. As for the locations and directions suggested by geomancers, they are often utilized as reference for consideration; only one really should not be superstitious and feel constrained by them. It might be fine so long as the Buddha statue will not directly face the toilet, the stove, or a bed. If you start a worship room, select a quiet quarter where kids or pets don’t roam inside and out easily. The area should not be place for receiving guests, chatting or entertaining; it must be used only for worshipping, chanting, and Chan practice, not for other things. However, should there be already non-Buddhist pictures, plaques, and statues useful for worshipping, for example Guangong, Matzu, earth gods and ancestors, we need to not eliminate them right away, simply because we have now practice Buddhism. They will be removed step-by-step, gradually.

?The first task would be to squeeze Buddha statue during the altar, between statues with the non-Buddhist deities, and ancestors’ memorial plaques. You shouldn’t have to setup an incense burner and candle holders. The explanation for this arrangement is because all benevolent deities and ancestors will protect, support, and become attracted to these Jewels. After the altar is set up, like become disciples of the Three Jewels and enjoy the Dharma. The next time you move the altar or worship room, you could then remove those non-Buddhist deity statues and store the offending articles as keepsakes. Are you aware that ancestors’ plaques, they don’t should be placed or worshiped in your house; they can be gone to live in the hall of rebirth in a temple or monastery. If an individual insists on still worship them in your own home, they may be either added to the extent below the Buddha’s statue. Or, they can be gone to live in another location onto an inferior altar and become worshiped separately.

?In larger temples, as an illustration, you can find halls of rebirth specially for putting ancestors’ plaques. Smaller temples usually allow ancestors’ plaques and longevity plaques being placed along the side walls of the main hall. Like this, it not merely expresses our prudent filial piety and reverence to our ancestors, but in addition shows our sublime faith on the Buddha. So, it distinguishes our sublime faith towards the Buddha through the filial piety to the ancestors.

?At home there’s no requirement for multiple statues from the Buddha and bodhisattvas, as that could enhance clutter. One statue in the Buddha can represent all buddhas, the other bodhisattva statue can represent all bodhisattvas. Besides statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, most families pick one from among Guanyin Pusa (Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva), Amitabha Buddha, and the Medicine Buddha.

?If you have both Buddha and bodhisattva statues, then a Buddha statue should be put in the center or on the more impressive range at the rear of the altar, while the bodhisattva statues are positioned for the sides or at lower positions in front. To put it differently, the Buddha statue should be noticeable to demonstrate his revered prominence. How big the statue needs to be compared to the scale from the altar and also the worship room, less than big or not big enough. If the statue is small but created from one of the seven precious treasures (gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, agate, ruby, carnelian), then a specially carved, multi-leveled shrine may be used to trigger the statue’s unique grandeur.

?After getting a new Buddha or bodhisattva image or statue, a lot of people would hold an initiation (“opening light”) ceremony to consecrate it. However, from your Buddhist point of view, this kind of ceremony is not needed. Buddha and bodhisattva images and statues are tools for practice. We make use of them as objects for reverence. Even though the buddhas and also the bodhisattvas are omnipresent, without statues and images, we won’t have a very focus to obtain our prostrations, offerings, and respect. It can be through such reverential practices that people receive important things about cultivation and responses in the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Though the most important thing is our faith, sincerity, plus a feeling of respect, not the statues or images themselves. Therefore, an initiation ceremony for that images and statues isn’t that important.

?When Shakyamuni Buddha was still being living, he attended the Heaven with the Thirty-three Devas for 3 months to provide sermons to his mother. His disciples missed him, so they really sculpted his image for worship; yet, there wasn’t any account from a initiation ceremonies. In subsequent generations, sutras, images, Buddhist articles, pagodas as well as temples, became representations of Buddha’s presence with his fantastic continuing transformation around the globe. Nevertheless, solemn ceremonies often generate deep respect and faith in people. Gradually, many different types of rituals related to worship and offerings had become; the initiation ceremony was one. Therefore, to this day, whenever a temple installs a new Buddha statue, followers gather together with an initiation ceremony. Such as a new firm opening for business, or possibly a ribbon-cutting ceremony for any new building, a ceremony can be a method to come up with a solemn announcement to the public.

?However, when individuals create Buddha and bodhisattva statues in your own home, you don’t have with an announcement, hence, no requirement to hold an initiation ceremony. If you create the statues with sincerity and respect, making daily offerings of incense, flowers, and fruits, keeping the offerings and the altar fresh, clean, and tidy, you will have sacred and holy atmosphere to induce the dedication of practitioners. To maintain the indoor air clean and fresh, the incense burned in your own home ought to be of refined grade with delicate, light fragrance. When burning incense in your own home, it’s helpful to burn just one single stick at the same time. Usually do not pollute the environment at home with too much incense. Natural sandalwood and agarwood incense have top quality; it is not good to use synthetic chemical or animal-based incense sticks.

?From the worship room of your modern home, candles may be substituted with lamps. It’s important to wash the offering table, incense burner, candle holder often, and make them dust free, and free of withering flowers and rotting fruits. Daily we should set a specific time for you to conduct the practice, at least burning incense and offering water every day and evening. Prior to leaving after being home, we have to prostrate to Buddha expressing our gratitude, respect, and remembrance.

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