Special Topics
Prostration: Paying Homage to the Buddha
Prostrating to the Buddha is an important Buddhist practice, but what is its actual purpose? And, does the act of prostration really bring about protection and blessings? The purpose of prostrating to the Buddha is not to receive a spiritual response, but to pay homage to the buddhas and bodhisattvas, while contemplating their merits and virtues. It thus serves as a reminder for us to emulate buddhas and bodhisattavas’ vows and efforts to help sentient beings leave suffering behind a...
Common Buddhist Etiquette
Most of the gestures that Buddhists use to express sincere reverence come from the "nine forms of showing respect in India". They are: speaking softly to inquire about another's well-being; bowing the head; holding hands high in salutation; pressing palms together with the fingertips facing upward; bending one knee to the ground; kneeling; placing hands and knees on the ground; placing the head, elbows, and knees on the ground; and throwing all five parts of the body to the grou...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 1. Buddhism does not advocate for idolatry, so why would people still make Buddha statues and even prostrate to them?
Prostrating to the Buddha is the first step for every Buddhist who is embarking on Buddhist practice. However, do the Buddha and Bodhisattvas really require us to prostrate? When should we prostrate to the Buddha, and how many prostrations are appropriate? Through this Q&A, let us find out the real meaning of prostrating to the Buddha. 1. Buddhism does not advocate for idolatry, so why would people still make Buddha statues and even prostrate to them? Legend has it that the fir...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 2. If we do not have a Buddhist altar or a Buddha statue at home, then towards which direction should we prostrate?
Buddhist altars and Buddha statues are useful aids for our practice. If we have no Buddha statues to which to prostrate, we can use Sutras or Dharma quotes instead. This is because they are wisdom quotes from Buddhist scriptures or great masters' teachings, which, in themselves, are replete with the dharmayaka and wisdom of the Buddha. In the monasteries founded by Baizhang Huaihai, Zen Master of the Tang Dynasty, there were no Buddha statues or any sort of Buddhist altars; however there ...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 3. When is the appropriate time to make prostrations to the Buddha? How many prostrations should one perform?
Generally speaking, there are no special restrictions on the appropriate time and the number of prostrations. Practitioners can set up a daily routine for their prostration practice, either through a regular time or consistent quantity, based on their time and stamina. For example, one can prostrate to the Buddha for 30 minutes every day, or by making 300 or 500 prostrations per day. The most common numbers for prostrating to the Buddha are 32 and 48, which usually represent the grea...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 4. Are the objects to which Buddhists prostrate only limited to Buddha statues?
No. The objects to which Buddhists prostrate include the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. The first jewel is the Buddha. The Buddha statue represents the presence of the Buddha himself. To prostrate to the Buddha statue is, in fact, to prostrate to all Buddhas of the three periods, thereby showing gratitude to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for bringing the Dharma to the earthly world. The second is the Dharma as represented by Buddhist scriptures. Pract...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 5. Can prostrating to the Buddha eliminate karmic obstacles?
Many people have encountered numerous physical and psychological obstacles in the process of studying Buddhism. For example, when meditating, their minds always wander; or, when listening to the sutra teachings, they doze off. No matter what obstacles one encounters, the Fashis always give the same answer: "make more prostrations to the Buddha to eliminate karmic obstacles". Why is this? Can making prostrations to the Buddha really eliminate karmic obstacles? Karmic obstacl...
Prostrating to the Buddha to Train the Body and Cultivate the Mind
Prostrating to the Buddha is a fundamental requirement to practice Buddhism. Similar to the trend of vegetarianism, more and more people are taking up prostration practice purely for health reasons. The movement of prostrating to the Buddha, which is simple and easy to do, is highly beneficial for both our physical and mental health. Western Medical Perspective: Low Intensity Cardio Exercise for Fitness From the medical perspective, prostrating to the Buddha is an easy-to-learn stretchi...
Prostrating to the Buddha and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness
When prostrating to the Buddha, how do we utilize the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna)-- the method of mindful contemplation of our body, feelings, mind, and dharmas-- to practice observing our bodily and mental phenomena? Venerable Guo Xing, former Abbot of Chan Meditation Center in New York who frequently teaches Chan meditation in both the East and the West, pointed out that applying "mindfulness of the body (kāyānupassanā)" when prostrating to the Buddha means rema...
Practice Method of Prostrating to the Buddha
Prostrating to the Buddha is the way for Buddhists to express respect and gratitude to the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. In addition to praying for the avoidance of calamities and disasters and gaining more wisdom and blessings, prostrating to Buddha mainly functions to: 1. repent of wrongdoings in the past; 2. show gratitude and homage; and 3. practice meditation. Prostration Poses 1. Starting position: join your palms. Body: keep the head upright ...