| altar arrangements type 1 |
Worshipping Amida Buddha - Liturgies and
Ceremonies of Amidaji Temple
The image or statue you put in the center of the
altar must be Amida Buddha because in our tradition we rely
exclusively on Amida for our birth in the Pure Land. Chose the
image you like most and you feel comfortable with. We prefer a
standing Amida as you see in the photos bellow, because this better
signifies that He is an active Buddha coming to save you. The
position of the hands in the classic Amida images of Jodo Shinshu
school mean “don’t be afraid, come as you are”. The 48 rays of
lights coming from Amida’s head represent His 48 vows. Those are
also oriented from Amida to you. Everything in Amida iconography of
Jodo Shinshu suggests His active and unconditional
salvation.
If you wish you can also use a scroll with Nembutsu
written in Chinese characters or in your own language.
| altar arrangement type 2 |
There are various types of altar arrangements but
I will give you only two simple versions.
1)Place a flower vase in the left of
Amida as you face the altar, and a candle holder in the right. Put
an incense burner[1]in front
of Amida image.
2)Place two candle holders one in the right and
one in the left of Amida image, and then two flower vases between
them. Put an incense burner in front of Amida
image.
Plates with fruits, boiled rice or any food (no
meat products!) and a cup of water can be arranged on the right and
left of the incense vase.
If you wish you can make the eight types of
offerings. These are 1) water for drinking, 2) water for washing
the foot of the Buddha, 3) flowers, 4) incense, 5) lights, 6)
perfume, 7) food and 8) music.
Flowers, candles and incense burner are placed as
I explained above. The rest of the five offerings are done in the
following way: take five bowls and fill two of them with water for
drinking and washing the feet, one with perfume, one with food and
in another one place a small
drum[2]which
represents music. Arrange these five bowls in the same line with
the incense burner. The water vases can be placed in the right and
left of the incense burner, then the one with perfume and the small
drum on each side of the two water bowls.
You already saw in the photos above how a few
offerings look like. In the new photo bellow you can
see how four metal bowls can be used for offerings of water for
drinking, water for washing the feet of the Buddha, perfume and a
sound offering. The rest of the offerings on the altar are flowers,
food, light (candle) and incense (incense
burner).
| Altar with eight type of offerings |
The bell and drum are to be placed on the two
sides of the altar, closer to you for better use. If you have only
a bell and you are right-handed, then place the bell on the right
side as you face the altar. If you are left handed then do the
opposite. If you have both a bell and a drum and you are right
handed, then place the drum to your right and the bell to your
left. If you are left-handed, do the opposite.
When you don’t use the bell, place the stick
inside it with the handle towards the exit.
Light the candles before the starting of your
daily devotion and place the rest of the offerings. When the
service is over, extinguish the flame by hand – do not blow in the
candle as it is considered to be an impolite gesture. You can also
use electric candles if you like.
You can offer incense in two ways: either as
incense sticks which you can break in three and put them
horizontally[3]into
the incense burner or as granulated incense
(oshoko).
To offer oshoko (granulated incense) you go closer
to the altar (either standing or sitting depending on the height of
the altar), make gassho and raihai (bowing), pick a pinch of
incense with your index finger and thumb, bring them to the
forehead and then place them on the burning incense sticks in the
incense burner or on the burning
charcoal[4]that
is previously placed there. Then put again your hands in gassho,
say Nembutsu a few times and bow (raihai). Here are the photos with
the way to do oshoko:
Question: Can we also add images of other Buddhas
on the same altar with Amida?
Answer: In our temple’s altar or home altar there
should be only Amida Buddha because He is the main object of
reverence in our school. In Jodo Shinshu temples it is customary to
make side altars with Avalokitesvara (Kanon), Mahasthamaprapta
(Seishi), Shinran Shonin, Rennyo Shonin, the seven Patriarchs and
prince Shotoku whowas praised by Shinran in many
hymns. Other important teachers in our tradition who are now in the
Pure Land can have their image placed on a side
altar.
Also at Amidaji we have the custom to use the
Western wall for Amida’s main altar and the above side altars while
the northern and southern walls are used for images of various
Buddhas as a visual expression of Amida’s Seventeenth Vow according
to which all Buddhas praise Amida’s Name and support us/guide us in
saying it
ourselves.[5]
So, it will probably be too much for a home to
have all these side altars and images. Also, if there is not much
space you may place an image of Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta
or Shinran and Rennyo on the corners of your altar, but not in the
center where it is only Amida.
*
It is the custom of Amidaji temple that whenever we
offer something to Amida Buddha we don’t do it in our name alone,
but always mention other beings and/or all beings. It’s not
doctrinally wrong if we make offerings without mentioning anybody
but as we are a Mahayana school we should remember all beings. By
doing this we give to others the chance to mentally participate in
our offering and to make a connection with Amida
Buddha.
For example, when we offer the above eight types of
offering or any offering, we can say the following
aspiration:
„Amida Buddha, I offer you this .... (water, food,
incense, etc) ..... in the name of all beings. May they be healthy
in body and mind, always receive whatever is necessary and
beneficial for them, including food, water, clothes, and shelter.
May all their obstacles be removed and may they create
indestructible connections with Amida Buddha, entrust to Him, say
His Name (Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
„
You can also say:
„Amida Buddha, I offer you this ..... (water, food,
incense, etc) ...... in the name of John/Marry or a group of
people (for example you can mention a list of your
dead relatives or a specific category of beings like all pretas)
and all beings.” You can then wish for them the same things
like the above or other specific good things that you would like to
happen to them. But you should always finish with the same
spiritual aspirations: „may they create indestructible
connections with Amida Buddha, entrust to Him, say His Name (Namo
Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land. Namo Amida
Bu”.
It is also good that after you mention a specific person
or group of people to add „and all beings”, so that any
nonhuman invisible being who might be present there have the chance
to receive the benefit.
You can also use a more general aspiration like this
one:
I offer this flower to Amida Buddha in the name of
all beings. By seeing its decaying
beauty[6]may we
realize that our lives and so-called „spiritual achievements" are
transitory and turn our minds and hearts to the Salvific Power of
Amida Buddha.
I offer this burning candle to Amida Buddha in the
name of all beings. May we accept Amida's Light which permeates
every corner of the Universe and entrust to Him with unshakable
faith.
I offer this incense to Amida Buddha in the name of
all beings. May we become imbued with the perfume of His Dharma,
receive faith in Him and be born in His Pure Land after
death.
I offer this cup of
water[7]to Amida
Buddha in the name of all beings. May our thirst be forever
saturated in His Pure Land where we attain perfect
Enlightenment.
I offer this cup of rice to Amida Buddha in the name
of all beings. May we receive faith in Him and guide others to
faith. May the seeds of Amida Dharma multiply endlessly until the
ocean of Samsaric existence becomes empty.
Namo Amida
Butsu[8]
You can combine the above sayings and aspirations or use
them interchangeably.
*
Question: Should I ask a priest to consecrate the
image of Amida Buddha before or after I install it on my
altar?
My answer: There is NO need for that. You can
simply ask nicely Amida Buddha to bless your image or statue, and I
am sure He will not refuse you. But you do not even need to ask or
think about a blessing or consecration as Amida's blessings are
always received by those who have faith in Him. If you say Amida's
Name in faith while looking to an image of Amida, that is all the
consecration you need.
Why should somebody intervene between you and
Amida Buddha? The role of the priest or teacher is only to guide
you to become more open to Amida, answer your questions, teach you
the right Amida Dharma, warn you against wrong views, etc, and
nothing more. The priest does not have special powers to attract
Amida's blessings than any other ordinary person of simple faith.
So don't worry and don't fall prey to those who pretend to be
followers of our school and assume such a fake mystical
role.
Jodo Shinshu Buddhist path (Amida Dharma) is a
personal relation between Amida Buddha and you. As long as you say
His Name in faith, Amida is always present. In fact, He has been
present for all beings since He attained Buddhahood, always trying
His best to make them trust Him and connect to His Pure Land.
However, because everything is cause and effect, one who is not
opened or not connected to Amida, cannot receive His blessings,
just like a TV set cannot work if its not connected to a power
outlet.
[1]The
incense vase can be filled with ashes, rice or anything that can
hold the burning incense.
[2]It can
be a toy drum.
[3]Incense
can also be offered as a single incense stick placed vertically in
the incense burner, but it is usually offered vertically on the
main altar.
[4]You can
put a burning charcoal in the incense burner next to the incense
sticks or add a new vase especially for the oshoko if it’s easier
for you.
[5]
The eastern wall may be used for images of samsara that can
help us awaken aspiration to escape it through birth in the Pure
Land.
[6]Flowers
that are now beautiful will soon wither and decay. Nothing lasts
forever, including our bodies and so-called “spiritual
achievements”.
[7]
Instead of water you can offer tea or any other non-alcoholic
drinks.
[8]
These words came to my mind spontaneously when sitting in
front of the altar of Amida Buddha. They are NOT some kind of merit
transference, but a simple wish and act of awareness.
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