Buddhist Sacred Symbols

Butsudan  Small household shrine  It holds representations of the Buddha and other images of reverence, such as candle, incense and offerings  Traditional offerings are fruit and flowers because these things fade and therefore emphasize impermanence  It is important to take care of the shrine’s objects, eg. Keeping the statues free of dust, reinforcing devotion and promoting peace and calmness

1. Image of Dainichi Nyorai (Picture or statue) 2. Image of Fudo Myoo (Picture or statue) 3. Image of Kobo Daishi (Picture or statue) 4. Water (l) & Rice (r) Offering cups 5. Memorial Tablets 6. Fruit/Food Offerings 7. Register of Family Memorials 8. Flower Offering 9. Candle (Light Offering) 10. Incense Burner Butsudan Diagram

Statue of Siddhartha Earth-touching pose  A demon that tempted Siddhartha while he sat under the Bodhi tree asked Siddhartha if he was truly a World Saviour.  Since Siddhartha never says he is, he touched the earth. The earth then proclaimed that he was indeed a great world saviour  Therefore, it depicts the moment when Siddhartha became Buddha

Bodhisaattva  “Bodhi” means enlightened and “sattva” means being. Thus a bodhisattva is an enlightened being  Out of compassion, a bodhisattva may postpone his own entrance into nirvana until everyone becomes enlightened

Three Offering Bowls  Offering bowls are placed on a Buddhist alter or shrine  Empty bowls should not be placed on the alter, because devotees cannot make an empty offering  The bowls are often filed with water to symbolize purity and clarity  The bowls are to be placed in an orderly manner, reflection, an orderly life and thought

Incense  Burning incense represents the importance of effort  Just as incense is lit on one end, once a Buddhist begins practices to reach enlightenment they should not abandon them until they’ve reached it  Just as incense lets out perfume by burning, enlightenment is attained by getting rid of attachment  The rising smoke and perfume also serve as a connection between the sky and the earth

Candles  The candle itself represents the impermanence because it is destroyed while burning  The flame represents the Buddha’s enlightenment nature and wisdom teachings  Burning candles also represents burning away earthy desires and sparking the flame of wisdom

Mala Beads (Prayer Beads)  A meditative tool used to count the number of times a prayer or mantras are repeated.  The mala can consist of 27, 54 or 108 beads.  108 represents the number of earthly desires most people have.  The beads are made of sandalwood, which are believed to clam the mind and enhance clarity and relaxation.  When using the mala, it is held in the left hand and the recitations are started at the 1 st bead after the guru bead.  The beads are counted with the thumb and middle finger and are scented with eight different scents to aid in prayer.  The beads are never to touch the ground, if this happens the beads need to be blessed again.  This also need to be done if the string is cut.

Prayer Wheel  Inside of the cylinder is prayer written over and over again.  Each time the wheel is turned clockwise, it is believed to be equal to saying all the prayers written.  The wheel is used to keep the Buddhist focused during prayer.

Prayer Flags  Prayers are written on the colourful flags.  The flags may be strung across temples, homes or tree branches.  As the breeze moves, the prayers are activated and carried across by the wind.  Prayer flags are usually in groups of five colours: yellow, green, red, white and blue. Each colour represents a stage in the process between death and rebirth

Lotus Flower  Symbolizes all that is good and pure.  A lotus starts at the bottom of a pond and rises to the surface to bloom. Likewise, a person can rise above their suffering and attain enlightenment.

The Meaning of Tibetan Buddhist Robes There are several different types of Buddhist robes according to the particular tradition and lineage. The design of these particular robes originates with Je Tsongkhapa, a great Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist scholar and saint, at the turn of the 15 th century. They are the same for nuns and monks.

The Basic Elements: 1.Donkha: The upper garment (shirt) 2.Shamtab: The burgundy skirt 3.Zen: The rectangular burgundy robe 4.Chogo: The rectangular saffron robe  These symbolize the path to enlightenment to remind the wearer of their daily practice. They are not worn to show that the wearer is special or different from other people.

The Donkha – Death and Ignorance  The two holes in the two arms: Represent ignorance and elephant trunks. During the time of Buddha, elephants would sometimes get out of control and cause great destruction. This is a reminded of the need to abandon ignorance, the root of all delusions, daily problems and suffering.  The ‘V’ neck: Reminds the wearer of impermanence. The she/he lives within the jaws of death and could die at any time. This helps to recall the preciousness of human life and reminds the practitioner not to waste a single moment.

The Three Higher Trainings Trainings: to become skilled in meditation, practice is needed. Higher: because the goal is to attain permanent freedom for ourselves and others The Shamtab: The Shamtab: Training in higher moral discipline  The shamtab or skirt reminds the wearer to practice moral discipline – the abandonment of negative actions that harm ourselves and others.  Two extra pieces are sewn to remind the practitioner to practice conscientiousness which means guarding the mind form negativity. This is like a fence that encircles and protects the wearer from suffering

The Zen: The Zen: Training in higher concentration  The burgundy robe (a rectangular piece of burgundy cloth that goes around the upper body) is a reminder to practice meditation and develop concentration. The Chogo: The Chogo: Training in higher wisdom  The saffron (yellow robe) is a reminder to develop wisdom. It is always worn when whenever teaching Dharma or listening to Dharma teachings.

Commonly asked questions: Why is one arm kept bare? This symbolizes the practice of contentment. For example, whether hot or cold, the wearer tries to keep a peaceful, happy mind. Why are there many patches on the chogo? Again this is a reminder of contentment and humility. During Buddha’s time, ordained disciples used any available scraps of material and they were dyed in the most readily available and least expensive colour.