Pictures for Butsudan?

[Guest]

For my Butsudan I have pictures of Bodhidharma, Mikao Usui, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi (as he has greatly inspired me to practice Zen), and I will be adding a picture of Dogen Zenji. Should I include any other pictures from this lineage, as well? Thanks in advance.

Gassho
David Somers

[Shonin Risa Bear]

IMHO whatever works for you. _()_ I talk about my current set of (quite optional) pictures here: http://risashome.blogspot.com/2019/12/no-more-moon.html

gassho
doyu sat today

[Kokuu]

Hi David

Just to say first, for the benefit of all members, there is no need to have anything in the way of a butsudan or shrine/altar. If you choose to, many people have a simple arrangement with a small Buddha statue and a candle and/or incense hold and maybe some flowers.

That said, if you want to have pictures of Zen ancestors around, that is not a bad thing to establish a connection and feeling for them and their teachings. In our Treeleaf lineage, you might want to consider Nishijima Roshi, who is Jundo's teacher. Keizan Jōkin is also another prominent teacher in the Sōtō lineage who we include in the dedication in each Zazenkai after chanting the Heart Sutra.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Jundo]

Hi,

A little Altar can be a place to center one's heart and a reminder that all this world, every inch, is an Altar which is special and sacred. It is not necessary, however, but some of our members have been quite creative in creating little spaces and Altars at home ...

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?6156-home-altar/page2&highlight=buddha+statue

On the other hand, I sometimes remind folks that ... because everything and all spaces, full or empty, beautiful or where the beauty is not so apparent to the human eye, are special and sacred spaces ... a "Buddha Statue" or Altar can be about anything. (That assumes, of course, that the heart is Wise enough to see it for more than it appears). I do not believe that there has to be orthodoxy so long as the place is sincere and respectful. An altar, a statue or stick of incense can be a good reminder that this moment and place is sacred. Also, an empty space or no space at all is just fine. The "statue" can be a Buddha or Bodhisattva, or a stone, a flower ... and empty space. Really, if the heart is sincere and wise, it could be a coca-cola bottle or a plastic panda, because ... what is not Buddha?? I take a Buddha statue as primarily a reMINDer, a symbol, like a Crucifix or Star of David (for the other folks), which reminds us of a "greater reality". At heart, it is just art, wood or stone. However, all wood and stones are sacred.

No particular picture of someone is required. I have Nishijima Roshi, my Teacher, on out Altar in Japan for much the same reason that I have my parents' and grandparents' pictures on the wall of our home, as a reminder of who they were/are and their continued presence in our hearts. In Japan, home Buddhist altars for most people are primarily for the purpose, not of honoring "Buddha" as such, but of remembering the family ancestors.

Sometimes I like to put something to shake folks a bit: That is why I have sometimes replaced the "Buddha Statue" on our Altar in Tsukuba with a coke bottle, flower, empty space or a bag of dirty diapers. I sometimes put difficult peoples' pictures or "ugly" objects to remind folks to see beyond surface opinions and our personal preferences. All beautiful, sacred, manifestations of Buddha when the heart is open.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

PS - I once had someone put a picture of me on their Altar. It is not traditional to put someone's picture on the Altar while their heart is still beating, so I asked them to please wait until I am dead and gone from this life, and even then it is not necessary.

[BigDavid]

Yeah, I read the other post about you putting poo, and the picture of bin laden on there, lol.
I will add a picture of Nishijima Roshi, as well.
Not on the Butsudan, but on the wall to the side of it, I will also put up a picture of you.
I have a few other things on the Butsudan that I will contact you about privately, to get advice on.

Also, I'm curious, do you have a kamiza/kamidana, as well?

Gassho
David Somers

[Jundo]

... I will also put up a picture of you.

Oh no. Please no. Really.

But if you absolutely must, please use this one when I had hair ...

Delete Baby Jundo.png

[Jundo]

Also, I'm curious, do you have a kamiza/kamidana, as well?

In Japan, the "religion" is rather to cover all bases, so most people have a Butsudan (Buddhist Altar) for the Ancestors and a Kamidana (a Shinto Altar) for the Shinto Kami spirits. Yes. In fact, even most Zen and other Buddhist temples in Japan have a Shinto Shrine somewhere on the premises and, until about 150 ago when the Japanese got briefly nationalistic, Shinto and Buddhism were very much mixed together in many ways.

I once posted this about when we moved into the farm in Tsukuba ... and we also have a little shrine outside the house, traditional in this part of Japan, to appease the earth spirits (and most Zen and other Buddhist temples actually do ceremonies for the "earth spirits" ... kinda smart in a land of earthquakes I guess ...

It's traditional in Japan to have a Shinto Priest come out and 'appease the spirits (Kami)' when starting big construction like we are at Treeleaf. My wife insisted.

I don't know so much about appeasing the spirits, but I do know about appeasing my wife. So, we had it done. You can see a few minutes of the ceremony here (those Shinto priests sure have cool Heian Age clothes, and, like Japanese Buddhist priests, some smooth dance moves). Unfortunately, it all made Leon start crying (especially when the Kami-nushi, or 'Spirit Master', let out a couple of cries to wake the dead ... listen in the middle for that. Hope it made the spirits smile).
.
.
My attitude toward such things is, well, 'Don't know if it will help, but it sure can't hurt'. Some of the rocks, trees, grounds and such around the building ... even the building itself ... sure feel sometimes that they might have a little spirit to them.　Who knows?　
.
I don't think I believe in such spirits quite literally beyond the human mind, but I could be wrong. So, I call it "winking at the gods ... giving them the benefit of the doubt, and asking for the benefit of the doubt from them too" ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF31...ature=emb_logo

Gassho, J

STLah

[Onka]

I have a picture of my brother-in-law and his family and a small rock in the shape of a heart that my partner found in the paddock. I've got a plastic Buddha from a dollar shop type place that I love because it's so cheap and tacky haha.
Gassho
Anna
stlah

[Jundo]

Cool. One of these days I would like to get a Kamidana. But, finances are a bit tight right now.

Got lots of questions about the video. What was he chanting about? What was he throwing? I know a lot of time they use rice. But, that looked nothing like rice, lol.

Gassho
David

To tell you the truth .... he drove up to our place in a nice BMW, changed from a stylish Italian suit to his 1500 year old outfit ...

Not sure what he was throwing.

Gassho, J

STLah

[BigDavid]

I meant salt, not rice, that would be for a wedding here in the western world, lol.

[Meian]

Now that my class is finished for Winter break, I plan to work on an altar space. (Before my next class begins in January.)

I plan to have some photos of my ancestors whose strong influence guided my life, and I still feel and appreciate their presence now. Maybe a few small tchotchkes that hold meaning for me as well.

I have to think about candles. My recent balance, memory, and coordination problems have led me to switch to LED candles. Not traditional, but safer for me to use. However, incense is also required and does not pose quite the same fire hazard, but I still have to light it. [emoji848] So, I will think on this for Jukai.

Gassho2
Kim
St. Lh

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk

[Kokuu]

I have to think about candles. My recent balance, memory, and coordination problems have led me to switch to LED candles. Not traditional, but safer for me to use. However, incense is also required and does not pose quite the same fire hazard, but I still have to light it. So, I will think on this for Jukai.

Hi Kim

Candles and incense are traditional but you don't have to use either. You have found a good substitute for open flame candles in any case and can do the same for incense with a stick of unlit incense or a bowl of pot pourri if you want the scent. As you say, a stick of incense is not as much as a fire hazard anyway, especially if you put it in a bowl of sand/earth.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Heiso]

IMHO whatever works for you. _()_ I talk about my current set of (quite optional) pictures here: http://risashome.blogspot.com/2019/12/no-more-moon.html

gassho
doyu sat today

Oh wow Doyu, I love your blog!

Gassho,

Neil

StLah