On the home altar (obutsudan) and making offerings to Amida Buddha

altar arrangements type 1

fragment from my book 

Worshipping Amida Buddha - Liturgies and Ceremonies of Amidaji Temple 

 The image or statue you put in the center of the altar must be Amida Buddha   because in our tradition we rely exclusively on Amida for our birth in the Pure   Land. Chose the image you like most and you feel comfortable with. We prefer   a standing Amida as you see in the photos bellow, because this better signifies   that He is an active Buddha coming to save you. The position of the hands in   the classic Amida images of Jodo Shinshu school mean “don’t be afraid, come   as you are”. The 48 rays of lights coming from Amida’s head represent His 48   vows. Those are also oriented from Amida to you. Everything in Amida   iconography of Jodo Shinshu suggests His active and unconditional salvation. 

If you wish you can also use a scroll with Nembutsu written in Chinese characters or in your own language. 

altar arrangement type 2

There are various types of altar arrangements but I will give you only two simple versions. 

 1)      Place a flower vase in the left of Amida as you face the altar, and a candle   holder in the right. Put an incense burner[1] in front of Amida image.

 2)      Place two candle holders one in the right and one in the left of Amida   image, and then two flower vases between them. Put an incense burner in front   of Amida image.

 

 Plates with fruits, boiled rice or any food (no meat products!) and a cup of   water can be arranged on the right and left of the incense vase.

 

 If you wish you can make the eight types of offerings. These are 1) water for drinking, 2) water for washing the foot of the Buddha, 3) flowers, 4) incense, 5) lights, 6) perfume, 7) food and 8) music.

 

Flowers, candles and incense burner are placed as I explained above. The rest of the five offerings are done in the following way: take five bowls and fill two of them with water for drinking and washing the feet, one with perfume, one with food and in another one place a small drum[2] which represents music. Arrange these five bowls in the same line with the incense burner. The water vases can be placed in the right and left of the incense burner, then the one with perfume and the small drum on each side of the two water bowls.

 

You already saw in the photos above how a few offerings look like. In the new photo bellow you  can see how four metal bowls can be used for offerings of water for drinking, water for washing the feet of the Buddha, perfume and a sound offering. The rest of the offerings on the altar are flowers, food, light (candle) and incense (incense burner).

 

Altar with eight type
of offerings

 Place a small table in front of the altar where you can keep this liturgy book   and  some Dharma texts that inspire you and from which you can read some   fragments after your daily devotions.

 

 The bell and drum are to be placed on the two sides of the altar, closer to you   for better use. If you have only a bell and you are right-handed, then place the   bell on the right side as you face the altar. If you are left handed then do the   opposite. If you have both a bell and a drum and you are right handed, then   place the drum to your right and the bell to your left. If you are left-handed, do   the opposite. 

 When you don’t use the bell, place the stick inside it with the handle towards the exit.

 

Light the candles before the starting of your daily devotion and place the rest of the offerings. When the service is over, extinguish the flame by hand – do not blow in the candle as it is considered to be an impolite gesture. You can also use electric candles if you like.

 

You can offer incense in two ways: either as incense sticks which you can break in three and put them horizontally[3] into the incense burner or as granulated incense (oshoko).

To offer oshoko (granulated incense) you go closer to the altar (either standing or sitting depending on the height of the altar), make gassho and raihai (bowing), pick a pinch of incense with your index finger and thumb, bring them to the forehead and then place them on the burning incense sticks in the incense burner or on the burning charcoal[4] that is previously placed there. Then put again your hands in gassho, say Nembutsu a few times and bow (raihai). Here are the photos with the way to do oshoko:

  

Question: Can we also add images of other Buddhas on the same altar with Amida?

Answer: In our temple’s altar or home altar there should be only Amida Buddha because He is the main object of reverence in our school. In Jodo Shinshu temples it is customary to make side altars with Avalokitesvara (Kanon), Mahasthamaprapta (Seishi), Shinran Shonin, Rennyo Shonin, the seven Patriarchs and prince Shotoku who  was praised by Shinran in many hymns. Other important teachers in our tradition who are now in the Pure Land can have their image placed on a side altar.

Also at Amidaji we have the custom to use the Western wall for Amida’s main altar and the above side altars while the northern and southern walls are used for images of various Buddhas as a visual expression of Amida’s Seventeenth Vow according to which all Buddhas praise Amida’s Name and support us/guide us in saying it ourselves.[5]

 

So, it will probably be too much for a home to have all these side altars and images. Also, if there is not much space you may place an image of Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta or Shinran and Rennyo on the corners of your altar, but not in the center where it is only Amida.

 

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It is the custom of Amidaji temple that whenever we offer something to Amida Buddha we don’t do it in our name alone, but always mention other beings and/or all beings. It’s not doctrinally wrong if we make offerings without mentioning anybody but as we are a Mahayana school we should remember all beings. By doing this we give to others the chance to mentally participate in our offering and to make a connection with Amida Buddha.

 

For example, when we offer the above eight types of offering or any offering, we can say the following aspiration:

 

„Amida Buddha, I offer you this .... (water, food, incense, etc) .....    in the name of all beings. May they be healthy in body and mind, always receive whatever is necessary and beneficial for them, including food, water, clothes, and shelter. May all their obstacles be removed and may they create indestructible connections with Amida Buddha, entrust to Him, say His Name (Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land. „

 

You can also say:

„Amida Buddha, I offer you this .....  (water, food, incense, etc) ...... in the name of John/Marry or a group of people (for example you can mention a list of your dead relatives or a specific category of beings like all pretas) and all beings.” You can then wish for them the same things like the above or other specific good things that you would like to happen to them. But you should always finish with the same spiritual aspirations: „may they create indestructible connections with Amida Buddha, entrust to Him, say His Name (Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land. Namo Amida Bu”.  

 

It is also good that after you mention a specific person or group of people to add „and all beings”, so that any nonhuman invisible being who might be present there have the chance to receive the benefit.

 

You can also use a more general aspiration like this one:

 

I offer this flower to Amida Buddha in the name of all beings. By seeing its decaying beauty[6] may we realize that our lives and so-called „spiritual achievements" are transitory and turn our minds and hearts to the Salvific Power of Amida Buddha.

I offer this burning candle to Amida Buddha in the name of all beings. May we accept Amida's Light which permeates every corner of the Universe and entrust to Him with unshakable faith.

 

I offer this incense to Amida Buddha in the name of all beings. May we become imbued with the perfume of His Dharma, receive faith in Him and be born in His Pure Land after death.

 

I offer this cup of water[7] to Amida Buddha in the name of all beings. May our thirst be forever saturated in His Pure Land where we attain perfect Enlightenment.

 

I offer this cup of rice to Amida Buddha in the name of all beings. May we receive faith in Him and guide others to faith. May the seeds of Amida Dharma multiply endlessly until the ocean of Samsaric existence becomes empty.

Namo Amida Butsu[8]

 

You can combine the above sayings and aspirations or use them interchangeably.

 

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Question: Should I ask a priest to consecrate the image of Amida Buddha before or after I install it on my altar?

My answer: There is NO need for that. You can simply ask nicely Amida Buddha to bless your image or statue, and I am sure He will not refuse you. But you do not even need to ask or think about a blessing or consecration as Amida's blessings are always received by those who have faith in Him. If you say Amida's Name in faith while looking to an image of Amida, that is all the consecration you need.

Why should somebody intervene between you and Amida Buddha? The role of the priest or teacher is only to guide you to become more open to Amida, answer your questions, teach you the right Amida Dharma, warn you against wrong views, etc, and nothing more. The priest does not have special powers to attract Amida's blessings than any other ordinary person of simple faith. So don't worry and don't fall prey to those who pretend to be followers of our school and assume such a fake mystical role.

Jodo Shinshu Buddhist path (Amida Dharma) is a personal relation between Amida Buddha and you. As long as you say His Name in faith, Amida is always present. In fact, He has been present for all beings since He attained Buddhahood, always trying His best to make them trust Him and connect to His Pure Land. However, because everything is cause and effect, one who is not opened or not connected to Amida, cannot receive His blessings, just like a TV set cannot work if its not connected to a power outlet.

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[1] The incense vase can be filled with ashes, rice or anything that can hold the burning incense. 

[2] It can be a toy drum. 

[3] Incense can also be offered as a single incense stick placed vertically in the incense burner, but it is usually offered vertically on the main altar. 

[4] You can put a burning charcoal in the incense burner next to the incense sticks or add a new vase especially for the oshoko if it’s easier for you. 

[5] The eastern wall may be used for images of samsara that can help us awaken aspiration to escape it through birth in the Pure Land.

[6] Flowers that are now beautiful will soon wither and decay. Nothing lasts forever, including our bodies and so-called “spiritual achievements”. 

[7] Instead of water you can offer tea or any other non-alcoholic drinks.

[8] These words came to my mind spontaneously when sitting in front of the altar of Amida Buddha. They are NOT some kind of merit transference, but a simple wish and act of awareness.