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If you have never been to a Buddhist temple,
please do not be intimidated, it is a welcoming place open to all! Here
are some standard practices and traditions that may help you feel more
comfortable...
Entering the Temple
Please
enter the main shrine area (Hondo) quietly
and with dignity. Typical practice
is to enter the
shrine room with your left foot and
bowing slightly. We are bowing to show our respect for our teacher who
has compassionately shown us the way out of suffering. The bow for
entering the shrine area is done by bowing about 15 degrees. Service
books and pamphlets are available to the left of the entrance, please
take a blue book, a white 3-ring binder, and any other materials that
are provided for the service.
Meditation Service (typically 10:00-10:30am)
This service
is offered as
an opportunity to
calm the mind and be fully present.
If you arrive
after the start of the service please enter quietly and respectfully to
avoid disturbing the space or those who are engaged in meditation.
Sensei ("teacher", or literally, "one who has walked before")
typically provides some
teaching and instruction on meditation.
If you come from
another tradition, you may simply sit in the peace we hope to share with
you during your time with us.
Main Service
(typically 10:30-11:30am)
An appointed chairperson will lead the service. Singing and
chanting is done in unison. Since many chants are still in
traditional Sino-Japanese, the sound, rather than the specific meaning of the
words, is the main experience to be gained. Translations of
chants
are available on this site
(click here)
if you are interested in learning more.
You will often see people with their hands together in front of their heart at 45 degrees, this is called Gassho (literally, "joined palms"). At the same time, we will often say, "Namo Amida Butsu". Amida is a reference to Amitabha – the Buddha of Infinite Life (wisdom) and Amitayus – the Buddha of Infinite Life (compassion). Buddha in this chant refers to the Ultimate Reality. The chant as a statement declares that we are entrusting ourselves to the Ultimate Reality of infinite light and infinite life. "Light" in Buddhism represents wisdom, while "Life" represents compassion.
Toward the end of the service we participate in
the burning of incense (oshoko). Offering incense is a practice of
humility and respect.
It an expression of thankfulness and
gratitude for the Buddha (Ultimate Reality of Infinite Light and Life).
Incense is also
associated with purity. Burning incense reminds us to practice pure
thoughts, pure speech and pure conduct. Since like the incense, our
life is temporary, we need to live a life of gratitude.
This
practice involves standing in front of the incense burner facing the
altar (onaijin). Then taking one step forward and bowing in the same
manner as when you entered the temple. Walk to the incense burner
leading with your left foot.
When able to reach the incense burner,
pinch a small amount of incense and drop it onto the burning coals.
Bring your hands together (gassho) with a bow to the altar (onaijin),
then take one step back with your right foot, bow again,
then turn and walk back to your seat.
Burning incense
as an expression of gratitude is also an opportunity to donate to the
temple. However, please know that donations are not required to
participate in services or in burning incense.
Leaving the Temple
As you
leave the main shrine area, the practice is
to bow as you did when entering. To do so, you
lead with your right foot as you leave (left foot in, right foot out).
The left foot represents our humanity and relative understanding of
reality, while the right foot represents the ultimate or non-dual
reality. The practice is to enter as yourself and
leave as yourself – only
with a more open heart-mind to the wisdom-compassion in your life.
After the service, please join us for some refreshments and friendly
conversation!
Please ask any questions, as a core teaching of the Shin Buddhist
tradition is seeking truth. Thank you for visiting this site of fellow
seekers.
Leaving the Temple
If you would like additional
information about etiquette in Japanese Buddhist Temples, please visit
http://www.japanese-buddhism.com/temple-etiquette.html.