home altar

[PClark1]

This is my little alter. I recognize that my Buddha is a Thai statue, but I really liked it. The stone is a polished river rock as a reminder to allow the dharma to wash over me and shape me. The tea cup is a reminder to be mindful, as I would drinking tea. The copy of the Dhammapada is to remind me of the teachings, and the Kanji in the back says Beginner's Mind. I left the silk wrinkled to remind me of perfection in imperfection and I'm looking for a candle holder that speaks to me. I have beeswax and tallow candles as a reminder that the better the quality of the light, the longer it will burn.

My little alter.

Gassho,
Paul

Sat today LAH

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[Mp]

This is my little alter. I recognize that my Buddha is a Thai statue, but I really liked it. The stone is a polished river rock as a reminder to allow the dharma to wash over me and shape me. The tea cup is a reminder to be mindful, as I would drinking tea. The copy of the Dhammapada is to remind me of the teachings, and the Kanji in the back says Beginner's Mind. I left the silk wrinkled to remind me of perfection in imperfection and I'm looking for a candle holder that speaks to me. I have beeswax and tallow candles as a reminder that the better the quality of the light, the longer it will burn.

My little alter.

Gassho,
Paul

Sat today LAH

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Very nice Paul ... it doesn't matter, whether Thai Buddha, Tibetan Buddha, or Zen Buddha ... Buddha is just Buddha. Alters are what call to our hearts, so each will be unique, genuine, and beautiful. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

[Jundo]

Lovely, moving Altars!

Very nice Paul ... it doesn't matter, whether Thai Buddha, Tibetan Buddha, or Zen Buddha ... Buddha is just Buddha. Alters are what call to our hearts, so each will be unique, genuine, and beautiful. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

Yes.

This is also 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. All beautiful, sacred, manifestations of Buddha when the heart is open.

The only time I really ran into protest from folks was once, after 911, when I put up images of Bin Laden and George Bush, side by side, on the Altar with Mother Theresa (if I recall). That was harder for people to see as Buddha despite my explanation of how sometimes Buddha is harder to see. But, you know, what isn't the Buddha? And for me, if you think I degradate or insult the Buddha by replacing him(her) with a trash can, or that I raise up the trash can in praise, you miss the point I think. All of life is sacred, all the "Buddha" when seen as such. I take a Buddha statue as primarily a reMINDer, a symbol, like a Crucifix or Star of David, which reminds us of a "greater reality". At heart, it is just wood or stone. However, all wood and stones are sacred.

This Zazenkai, we had an Enso, a Mercedes Benz ornament and a Peace Sign ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7geT1PDkE4E

Of course, it takes a very Wise heart to see through ugly images in this world to the underlying Peace of Buddhism. Even a beautiful stone Buddha, on the other hand, could be used as a weapon in the hands of a person with an angry heart. All depends on the heart which sees.

Gassho, J

SatToday LAH

[Jakuden]

I love this thread! Thank you for sharing your altars Andy and Paul. They are perfect and beautiful.
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


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[tlsk]

home altar

This is my little alter. I recognize that my Buddha is a Thai statue, but I really liked it. The stone is a polished river rock as a reminder to allow the dharma to wash over me and shape me. The tea cup is a reminder to be mindful, as I would drinking tea. The copy of the Dhammapada is to remind me of the teachings, and the Kanji in the back says Beginner's Mind. I left the silk wrinkled to remind me of perfection in imperfection and I'm looking for a candle holder that speaks to me. I have beeswax and tallow candles as a reminder that the better the quality of the light, the longer it will burn.

My little alter.

Gassho,
Paul

Sat today LAH

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Very cool, Paul!

I have the same "Beginner's Mind" print hung in my home. My son loves to look at it while he "plays" in his swing.

Gassho,
Taylor
SatToday


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[Kyousui]

Tom's home altar

Home Altar 2017-08-05.jpg

My latest home altar. It's got the stuff that's important to me. What is especially nice is the incense and white cup with the Heart Sutra on it. This was a gift from Jundo when he came to Omaha.

Sat Today
LAH

[Shokai]

Lovely

gassho,
sat/LAH

[Ryudo]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4416[/ATTACH]

My latest home altar. It's got the stuff that's important to me. What is especially nice is the incense and white cup with the Heart Sutra on it. This was a gift from Jundo when he came to Omaha.

Sat Today
LAH

Hi Tom,
Your home altar is realy personal, I like it.
Thank you for sharing.

Gassho
Marcus
SatToday

[Emmet]

Sat today.

[Kokuu]

That's beautiful, Piobair! Lovely to see you here.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[PClark1]

Absolutely beautiful!

Thank you for sharing.

Gassho,
Paul
Sat today LAH

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[Kyousui]

That is really outstanding, Piobair

Sat today

[Taiyo]

Beautiful, Piobair!

Thanks for sharing.

Gassho,
Taiyo

SatTodayLAH

[David]

IMG_1849.jpg
Bought out of storage for Ango. From when I was practicing in the Tibetan Sakya lineage.

Sat today.

[Chishou]

The "Buddha" are rocks from a vacation to Wales. The wood is a piece oak of the USS Constitution. The incense burner was bought by way to encourage meditate again and the candles are from my mother-in-law who bought them after I lost all my bees to disease, harsh winter and vandals.


Ask not what the Sangha can do for you, but what you can do for the Sangha.