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The Gohonzon:
The Object of Worship
Nature and Meaning of Offerings to the Gohonzon
Offerings
to the Gohonzon
Basic offerings of candles, evergreens and incense are
placed in front of the altar where the Gohonzon is enshrined
One or two candles are generally offered to provide light
(electric candles are also used). One or two vases of evergreen
are arranged on the altar in lieu of flowers that in Indian
tradition were scattered over the Buddha as an offering.
One to three sticks of incense are burned as an offering
of fragrance. In addition, a cup of fresh water is generally
placed in front of the Gohonzon in the morning, water being
highly regarded in the hot country of India where Buddhism
started. It also has become traditional to offer fruit or
other food, in the spirit of the Daishonin's disciples who
offered him food.
It is easy to imagine the practicality and significance
of these offerings in an era when candles may have been
the only source of light, incense was used to purify the
air and the Daishonin depended on his followers to provide
subsistence.
Much symbolism has been attached to these offerings over
the centuries, but none of it constitutes the essence of
faith. Today many view these offerings as creating an environment
conducive to chanting and as symbolizing basic human needs:
water and food sustain life, candles and incense engage
our senses, while evergreen reminds us of the eternity of
life.
Naturally, the most important aspect of the altar is the
object of worship itself. The various accessories constitute
some of the changeable formalities in Buddhism that can
be adapted to the times, the country and individual preference.
Therefore, artificial, silk or potted plants have become
common alternatives for evergreen cuttings. Also, parents
of small children may prefer to avoid lighting candles and
incense.
Greens, Candles,
Incense and Other Offerings
The [traditional] basic material offerings to the Gohonzon
are evergreens, candles and incense. This triad has symbolic
significance: the evergreens, candles and incense represent
the three truths, the three properties and the three inherent
potentials of the Buddha nature. Hence the tradition is
that "The evergreens (shikimi) that represents the
property of action is made into incense, and this is lit
with the flame of wisdom that represents the property of
wisdom; together, they fill the realm of the Law. Thus it
is called the offering of the Buddha's Three Properties
of the Law, wisdom, and action."
Evergreens symbolize the "property-of-action",
the Buddha's enlightened physical property or his compassionate
action and the potential to form a correct relationship
with the environment that allows us to manifest our Buddha
nature. The evergreens are used to adorn the space before
the Gohonzon, which is eternal and supreme. Therefore,
they should be something symbolic of permanence and purity.
The shikimi tree remains the same throughout the year, regardless
of season: it's an evergreen that always displays vitality.
But unlike pines, cedars, and other evergreen trees and
bushes, it's also an aromatic tree whose wood has a distinctive
fragrance. This fragrance is thought to ward off evil and
to have the power to purify. That makes shikimi the ideal
offering to the Gohonzon. However, in the Gosho, Nichiren
Daishonin mentions flowers as an acceptable offering. The
flowers offered to a Buddha are also symbolic of the faith
of those worshipping the Buddha, as expressed by the old
saying, "the reality of the votary is manifest [in
the flowers he offers]." So the deep evergreen color
of the shikimi's leaves also represents the unchanging steadfasmess
of believers' faith.
Candles stand for the truth of non-substantiality or the
latent potential of life. They also represent the property
of wisdom or the Buddha's enlightened spiritual property
and they symbolize the potential wisdom to become aware
of our innate Buddha nature. In the Yakuo Chapter of the
Lotus Sutra, Bodhisattva Yakuo sets his own elbows alight
to offer light to the Buddha; in a parable called the "the
poor woman's flame," the light a poor woman offers
to the Buddha with her utmost sincerity continues to burn
long after those offered by others have burned out. Both
express the depth and breadth of the merit that offering
light to the Buddha brings. Since it extinguishes darkness
and makes all things visible, light expresses the Buddha's
property of wisdom and his wisdom itself so we also have
expressions like "Light of the Law," "Light
of the Buddha," and "Light of Wisdom." Burning
candles thus also signifies incinerating earthly desires
and the sparking of the flame of wisdom in the Buddha nature.
The last of the triad is the incense. It represents the
truth of the Middle Way, the essential property of the Buddha's
life or the property of the Law, and the potential of our
innate Buddha nature. One to three sticks of incense are
burned in a flat position so as to help engender a feeling
of serenity before the Gohonzon. The incense burner
is placed in the center of the altar, and incense is burned
from left to right. Incense serves to create a fragrant
atmosphere and is burned in front of the Gohonzon during
morning and evening gongyo. The Great Teacher T'ien T'ai
wrote, "No color, no fragrance is not of the Middle
Way." This indicates that all things encompass the
True Aspect of the Middle Way, as well as elucidates that
the fragrance of incense includes the virtues of the Buddha
of the Law Body of the Middle Way. Thus burning incense,
while spreading fragrance throughout the room, also signifies,
through the fragrance's spreading throughout the environs,
the universality of the realm of the Law of the Buddha's
property of the Law. Though stick insence is
used most of the time, powdered incence is used under certain
circumstances, such as funeral and memorial services.
Symbolically, the light (candle) signifies the light of
the Buddha's wisdom, or his "property of wisdom"
(houshin); the greens, the Buddha's conduct, or his "property
of action" (oujin); and the incense, the life of the
Buddha (i.e., his property of the Law Hosshin) which is
the fusion of the realm of the Original Infinite Law and
the inherent wisdom of the Buddha of Kuon Ganjo (kyouchi
myougou). Overall, this expresses the Buddha, whose property
of the Law inherently encompasses the wisdom of his property
of wisdom, and the conduct resulting from his property of
action; in other words, the flowers (greens), incense, and
light represent the Three Properties (sanjin), the Three
Truths (santai), and the Three Inherent Potentials of Buddha
Nature (san in busshou). Break these down further, and the
three represent the following:
- The light, non-substantiality (kuutai) and the property
of wisdom (houshin) in death;
- The incense, the Middle Way, the property of the Law
(hosshin), and the fusion of the realm of the Original
Infinite Law and the inherent wisdom of the Buddha of
Kuon Ganjo (kyouchi myougou); and
- The greens, temporary existence (ketai) and the property
of action (oujin) in life.
In addition to this triad of offerings, fresh water is
placed in a cup before the Gohonzon prior to morning gongyo
and is removed just before evening gongyo.
Other Objects
Members sometimes add personal articles such as small gifts,
memorabilia or a list of determinations to the altar. These
accessories generally elicit feelings of appreciation or
determination while chanting or serve as a reminder to direct
prayers toward specific goals. Offering meaningful gifts
representing our achievements or determinations is a time-honored
practice in the SGI and is acceptable as long as the altar
does not become overly crowded. As President Ikeda has said,
it would be wrong if anything made it "even a bit more
difficult for us to worship the Gohonzon:"
Water, Fruit and
Bell
In addition to the triad of basic offerings (evergreens, candles
and incense), there is the water cup, offering dish, and bell.
Fresh water is placed in a cup before the Gohonzon prior to morning
gongyo and is removed just before evening gongyo. After being
offered, the water may be put into another cup and then consumed.
Food, such as fruit, is another offering to the Gohonzon.
Cooked food is sometimes offered on special occasions, such
as New Year's Day. When offering food, we ring the bell
three times, place our palms together and chant daimoku
three times as a gesture of deep gratitude and appreciation.
The fruit may be consumed after it has been offered to the
Gohonzon.
The ringing of the bell during gongyo serves to offer a
pleasing sound to the Gohonzon. It should therefore not
be sounded jarringly, but in a way that is pleasing to the
ear. If you live in an apartment complex or with others,
be careful not to ring the bell so loudly that it might
disturb them.
Expression of
Sincerity, Respect and Appreciation
To clean the altar and offer fresh water each day, to make
offerings of greens and fruit, and to light candles and
burn incense while doing gongyo and chanting daimoku are
all forms of service to the Gohonzon. These actions serve
to honor the Gohonzon and dignify the place where it is
enshrined. Moreover, our sincerity, respect and appreciation
toward the Gohonzon will be reflected in the form of benefit.
Concerning this point, Nichiren Daishonin in his Gosho,
"On
Attaining Buddhahood," stated: "Whether you chant
the Buddha's name, recite the sutra or merely offer flowers
and incense, all your virtuous acts will implant benefits
and good fortune in your life. With this conviction, you
should put your faith into practice" (MW-1, 4).
You should not place photos inside the altar,
nor things on top of it. Also, you should refrain from hanging
anything on the wall above the altar. Photographs
should never be taken of the gohonzon and should be destroyed
if accidentally taken.
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