home altar

[Hoko Steve]

Re: home altar

thanks for the story!

Gassho,

Steve Taylor

[radicaldreamer]

Re: home altar

Here is mine. Pretty simple.



-Chris

[ScottyDoo]

Re: home altar

I would love to setup an alter in my home but it would beyond upset my wife.

To my wife and the rest of my family, seeing an alter would solidify the image in their mind that I have become an idol worshiping atheist.

[Jundo]

Re: home altar

I would love to setup an alter in my home but it would beyond upset my wife.

To my wife and the rest of my family, seeing an alter would solidify the image in their mind that I have become an idol worshiping atheist.

So please set up an invisible altar or one in your heart.

By the way, we do not "worship the idol". I take a Buddha statue as primarily 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.

Gassho, Jundo

P.S. - Also, personally, I do not consider myself an "atheist" (I am pretty sure, Scotty, that you did not mean you are one either), for "atheism" is another belief and conclusion, often clung to too relentlessly. I prefer to describe myself as a "mystical agnostic" (or "pragma-mystic") who tastes and sees something wonderful, yet prefers not to impose too many names and limiting ideas upon that (and remains skeptical of many exotic ideas about "ultimate reality" that some impose) and just "lets that be". For what is will be anyway! I have some very definite ideas and conclusions about that (yes, Zen Practice lets one see reality in wonderful ways), but other things I keep my nose out of!

However, one could be a "Zen Buddhist" and be an atheist if one wanted I suppose, just as one can be a "Zen Buddhist" and Jewish, Christian, Republic or Democrat, butcher or baker at the same time.

Gassho, J

[chessie]

Re: home altar

I love this thread! And the pictures, thank you all! Many long years ago when I was with a Nichiren group I had a full blown altar set up--one of the bedrooms upstairs in the house I then lived in had a built-in alcove of sorts. It was perfect set up, and I had a cloisonee dish of rice, a stone rectangular box with some sort of Mayan-type Indian engraving on the lid for the incense, the bell & mallet, the butdsodan, and I think a water dish and vase of some sort. I can totally relate to Scotty's comments about family, since I still recall comments about my 'devil worship' set up :roll: I finally just carefully packed up the gohonzon (Nichiren scroll that is the centerpiece of that altar) and had it couriered back to the temple in MD so that no harm would come to it if for any reason I wasn't around to protect it.

I kept the bell and the stone incense box. And, I keep the altar in my heart

Gassho, Ann

[Adam]

Re: home altar

Mine is pretty simple. I just have a Buddha and a lotus flower incense burner. I'm planning on getting a wider altar to add stuff to it, but as of now, it is a shelf screwed higher up into the wall. Thank you for this post!



Gassho,

Adam

Attached files

[torotech]

Re: home altar

Hi Brian,
I was looking into this recently. I had trouble finding much on the web, but I found this on beliefnet:

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Buddhism/2001/09/All-About-Altars.aspx

There is also a little blurb on tricycle magazine under an article called "The Big Sit".

I would love to setup an alter in my home but it would beyond upset my wife.
To my wife and the rest of my family, seeing an alter would solidify the image in their mind that I have become an idol worshiping atheist.

Know all to well what you mean. Maybe if you just added some crosses and stuff, and a man with a stake through his hands and blood on his face and a crown of thorns and..... :roll:

Best of Luck
Warm Regards,
Brian

[Jundo]

Re: home altar

Hi Brian,
I was looking into this recently. I had trouble finding much on the web, but I found this on beliefnet:
http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Budd...ut-Altars.aspx

Well, first, never believe any guy you see or read on Beliefnet! 8)

The article is nice, but of course, presents a very elaborate, esoteric Tibetan altar in line with Lama Surya Das' tradition.

I will stick with my comment that an altar can be anything that reminds you of the sacredness of here and this ... it may be a Buddha statue, a branch of a tree, a ????? ... or nothing at all. What is not "Buddha" (in fact, what is Buddha? ... but that is getting a bit too into Buddha-non-speak).

Anyway ... it is all sacred.

Gassho, Jundo

[scott]

Re: home altar

We're multidenominational so we don't have an altar. We have a candle, a music player and a little singing bowl to ding when it's time to meditate.

[torotech]

Re: home altar

Well, first, never believe any guy you see or read on Beliefnet! 8)
Gassho, Jundo

WILL DO....

[Kyonin]

Re: home altar

Hi guys

I don't have an altar. I just sit wherever I can get some peace and zazen.

I do have a small Buddha that looks like it was made of chocolate, hence my nickname Chocobuda (Buda is Buddha, in Spanish).

Maybe I will have an altar in the near future. Just need to make room for one.

I enjoy looking at your altars. They all look fantastic!

[Hoyu]

Re: home altar

Don't forget that the alter is also state of mind. Just like Jundo Sensei using anything ranging from a rock to an "official" statue of the Buddha. Its much deeper than any image or placement thereof.
Whatever you decide on keep it clean! It reflects your practice and life. A neglected alter is a sad sight indeed!

Gassho,
John

[Nenka]

Re: home altar

My husband just finished making this for me and I am beyond thrilled:



He also made me a seiza bench once. I think he just supports my Buddhism because it gives him projects to do. :wink:

[Hoyu]

Re: home altar

Wow! Your husband is a pretty good woodworker! Did he also make the table to the left in the picture? It seems to be of the same style.

Gassho,
John

[Nenka]

Re: home altar

Wow! Your husband is a pretty good woodworker! Did he also make the table to the left in the picture? It seems to be of the same style.

Gassho,
John

Thanks, I will pass on the compliment to him!

Yes, he did also make that table. It's low and about 6 feet long so that we can have plants sitting in the front window.