For day-to-day sacred practice many Buddhists choose to set up a shrine in their own homes.
At its simplest, a Buddhist shrine consists of a representation of the Buddha and a means of making offerings which can include any or all of: water, flowers, incense, fruit, and light. This is common to all Buddhist traditions. More elaborate shrines may include representations of Bodhisattvas, copies of sacred texts, holy relics, items blessed by revered lamas and a wider range of offerings. Some shrines are divided into two or three different levels, with more sacred items being placed on the higher levels.
The picture shows a simple Tibetan Buddhist shrine which contains features that are typical throughout most Buddhist traditions. However, the Tibetan shrine is totally unique.
What is put on a shrine is less significant than our intentions for setting up the shrine and making the offerings. This is not done for personal benefit such as getting more money or having a more exciting life. Our intentions should be about connection - connecting ourselves with the Dharma (truth) and with those enlightened beings that have recognised this Truth before us. Ultimately, it is about helping us connect with our own true nature, Buddha Nature. We do this not just for our own spiritual development, but for the benefit of all sentient beings.
How does setting up a Shrine and making offerings help Buddhists?
Setting up a shrine and/or making offerings at a shrine helps Buddhists in many ways.
· We are reminded about the path we are following and the need to focus on the spiritual matters that are really important rather than the everyday problems that usually weigh us down. This can be especially helpful when we are feeling depressed, frustrated or angry.
· The representation of the Buddha is a reminder of the 3 Jewels: - the Buddha who realised his true nature of perfect wisdom and perfect
compassion and showed that this is also possible for all sentient beings;
- the Dharma: the teaching by which we can realise our true nature; and
- the Sanga, the community of beings in which we can find strength to
follow the path to realisation.
· We use a shrine to make offerings to the Buddha, Bodhisattvas and other enlightened ones. Making offerings with a respectful and grateful attitude helps us develop generosity and freedom from desire and greed. By overcoming desire and greed and developing the quality of giving, we become more open to receive the spiritual blessings that are bestowed by enlightened beings.
· Making offerings with the right motivation helps us accumulate good merit, receive blessings and dissipate the effects of bad karma. Thus making us a pure vessel for the precious Dharma.
Where can a Shrine be set up?
The important thing is to try and create a sacred space which we would 'only' use for making offerings, puja and meditation.
Ideally this would be a separate room but it could be a part of a room, or a shelf, or even part of a shelf - whatever we can manage. However large or small the space is, it should be kept separate from our more mundane activities such as eating, drinking, watching TV, chatting on the telephone, using a computer, etc. A screen or a curtain can be used for this purpose. The sacred space should be tended regularly and respectfully - keeping it clean and uncluttered.
The Offerings on a Tibetan Buddhist Shrine.
Tibetan Buddhists make offerings using a set of 7 offering bowls and a butterlamp. The picture at the top of this page shows a 'fixed' offering - that is an offering that can remain unchanged on the shrine for some time. From left to right, each bowl is filled with rice and represents the following offerings:
· (1) ARGAM (water for drinking). Water symbolises purity, clarity and calmness - by 'drinking' the Buddha's teachings we can cleanse our minds from desire, ill will and ignorance.
· (2) PADAM (water for washing the feet) This offering represents power of the Dharma to help us move forward on the path towards enlightenment.
· (3) PUPE (flowers): a flower is placed in the rice of the 3rd bowl. If a fresh flower is used, it will need to be replaced before it withers; otherwise a good artificial flower can be used. Flowers represent the richness of the Dharma. They also remind us of Buddha's teachings that all things are impermanent. The most symbolic flower in Buddhism is the lotus. Just as the lotus rises out of a muddy pond and floats above the clouded water, the Buddha realised the potential that we all have by rising above the defilements and sufferings of life.
· (4) DUPE (incense): a small bundle of incense sticks is placed in the rice. Incense symbolises the fragrance of moral conduct and the overcoming of negativity; just as the fragrance of incense spreads, so can the practice of moral conduct.
· (5) ALOKE (light): light is offered by means of a butterlamp which is placed behind the offering bowl holding incense. Traditionally, butterlamps contain a wick and burn butterfat; however, a night-light placed in a butterlamp is a good alternative. Light symbolises awareness and wisdom and the overcoming of the darkness of confusion, mistrust and ignorance.
· (6) GENDE (perfume): a small container of perfume or essential oil is placed in the rice of the 5th offering bowl. Perfume represents the purity and attractiveness of unshakeable faith and confidence in the Dharma.
· (7) NEWEDE (food): a piece of biscuit or small fruit is placed on the rice of the 6th bowl. Food symbolises the sustaining nature of meditation and wisdom and how this can help us satisfy the spiritual needs of ourselves and all sentient beings. In particular, fruit represents the ultimate fruit of enlightenment.
· (8) SHAPTA (music): a small conch shell is often used to represent music; it is placed on the rice of the 7th bowl (far right). Music symbolises the power of the Dharma to reach our minds and hearts.
The shrine can also contain a 'mandala' or 'universal' offering. This is built up in layers, each layer consisting of a metal ring filled with rice. This creates a representation of Mount Meru, which is held to be the centre of the world in Buddhist mythology. In offering Mount Meru on a shrine, we are in effect offering the whole universe - we are saying that there is nothing in the universe (including ourselves) that we are attached to and not prepared to offer up in following the Dharma.
How to set up a simple Tibetan Buddhist Shrine.
1. Think about what you are doing and why.
2. Find a suitable place for the Shrine.
3. Clean the space thoroughly.
4. Place a clean piece of cloth on the surface. In the illustrated shrine, a Tibetan offering scarf (kata) has been used for this purpose.
5. Place the representation of the Buddha in the centre of the shrine. The illustrated shrine uses an embroidered picture of the Buddha, but a statue or a poster or card with a picture of the Buddha can equally be used. Try to ensure that the Buddha is set at a higher level than the offerings.
6. Place seven offering bowls in a line directly in front of the Buddha; each bowl should be placed the width of a grain of rice from the next bowl.
7. Place a butter lamp containing a night-light directly behind the forth bowl (counting from the left).
8. Construct the universal offering.
9. Starting with the bowl on the far left, fill each bowl with the specified offering whilst considering what that offering symbolises and what that means for you. After you have finished the offering in the fourth bowl (incense); light the night-light in the butter-lamp. Complete the offerings using the remaining offering bowls.
10. Place the universal offering on the shrine, again being very mindful of what the offering represents.
11. Add any further offerings such prayers (the illustrated shrine shows a Tibetan prayer card); small vase of flowers; burning incense.
12. When removing the offerings (before or at sunset each day when water is used in the offering bowls) empty the bowls one by one, dry them with a clean cloth and stack them upside down or put them away. Bowls should be emptied from right to left. Never leave empty bowls right side up on the altar. The water is not simply thrown away but offered to the plants in your house or in the garden. Food and flowers should also be put in a clean place outside where birds and animals can eat them.
Two Hot Tips!
· The day before setting up the shrine, soak the rice in some water coloured with saffron - leave it overnight. Drain the rice and leave it to dry. You will then have rice with a beautiful golden-yellow colour which will look superb in the offering bowls.
· Use pudding rice rather than long-grain rice; this absorbs the saffron better. Also, being more dense, it is better at 'holding' the items placed in the offering bowls.
Some Simple Ways Buddists can make use of their Shrines.
- Try to spend some time each day in the presence of your shrine. This is a sacred space so always treat it this way.
· Take some time to freshen your shrine; clean away any dirt, introduce some fresh flowers, light some new incense.
· When entering a shrine room you should prostrate or bow three times in front of the shrine. This is a means of expressing our deep reverence for the Three Jewels whilst helping us overcome our feelings of pride and self-importance.
· Spend some time in meditation.
· Offer a prayer to help you and others gain wisdom and compassion for the benefit of all beings.
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