Shingon Buddhist Temple

We apply this powder to our body in order to purify our body and our heart. Zuko powder symbolizes a Buddhist’s moral conduct. In Sanskrit, this virtue is called “sīla”, which originally means ‘custom.’ By repeating this custom we are constantly reminding ourselves to perform good actions. Specifically, these customs are referred to as the “Juzenkai (Ten Guides to Wholesome Conduct).” They read as follows: (1) I will not kill or harm any living things. (2) I will not take what is not given. (3) I will not have improper sexual relations. (4) I will not speak falsely. (5) I will not speak carelessly. (6) I will not speak abusively. (7) I will not speak to cause discord. (8) I will not have thoughts of greed. (9) I will not have thoughts of ill-will. (10) I will not hold false views. The essence of a Buddhist’s moral conduct – (sila) – is that it is a decision of our own accord which allows us to avoid or depart from wrongdoing. There is no power or order that oversees or enforces a Buddhist’s moral conduct. Therefore, if you choose to break a decision which you have made, you will not receive blame or punishment by anyone. In contrast, you cannot blame or punish anyone but yourself. It is only to yourself that you have the power to admonish. A Buddhist acts morally to so that his actions are in accordance with his true Buddha nature. For example, our heart feels happiness when we act to help someone rather than troubling them. Our heart feels peace when we are laughing rather than angry. Through introspection a Buddhist constantly checks the state of his heart. If our hearts are pure, then this purity will show through in our actions. By cultivating this purity we can change the world so that it goes in a good direction. By making the heart pure, as it was before it was hidden by desire, it is possible to reveal the Buddha that lives within us all.

The flower symbolizes many things and Buddha teaches us that we should all try to become more like the flower. Flowers bring peace, they offer beauty, and soften the hearts of those who see them. But it is through receiving virtuous hardships in nature that they can bloom. Though they cannot move, they experience hot days and cold days and rainy days and windy days. Of course there are also good days, but they are always making preparations so that someday they can bloom and finally display their full beauty. In life, there are many painful things, and things which do not turn out as we would like them to. The flower symbolizes our ability to endure distress so that in the end we can achieve our goals. The essence of this is to accept that in life which does not progress in the direction that we want, and just as beautiful flowers give us peace and soften our hearts, the person who had endured hardships and achieved their goals will have a good influence on those around them.

When lit, incense releases its fragrances to not only Buddha or just one person, but to the person who lights it and to the people who are present at the time. It does not discriminate. It has many benefits such as eliminating bad odors, soothing the mind, and clearing your senses. It gives a good scent even if you light many at once or just one. Once lit, it releases its scent throughout its life. This continuous release symbolizes the mind-set of a person who has set out to achieve a specific goal. A person’s positive actions can positively influence the people around him, just as the scent of incense does by reaching to those nearby. Even if there’s a lot of incense fragrance in the air, it does not make anyone uncomfortable, and if it is just a small amount of incense, it is still enough. From this we can learn that to give an effort at his or her own pace is to serve as a good influence to others. Wise men from the past often became enlightened to know the state of impermanence. Impermanence is the truth that nothing remains the same, and by watching incense burn, we can further understand its meaning. One of the most significant meanings is that no one can escape from his or her own death, however the importance of life is how much ‘good fragrance’ you can release and give to everyone around you before you have burned away.

Food symbolizes meditation. Meditation in this context means concentrating the scattered parts of your mind on one point by focusing deeply on the truth. If you are not healthy, you cannot achieve you goals and if you are hungry, you cannot concentrate. People require the right amount of food in order to function properly. We can get water at any time, from our faucet or from the grocery store, and food can always be obtained. Unfortunately we think that this is common or usual, however, every year the number of people all over the world who are lacking sufficient nutrition increases. Although many people forget, being able to obtain a moderate meal is a gift. When Gautama Buddha was on his quest to enlightenment by fasting, he became thin and was reduced to only skin and bones. There was a woman called Sujāhtā who saw the condition Gautama Buddha was in and offered him “milk rice porridge.” Gautama Buddha ate the porridge, recovered his physical strength, went into deep meditation, and then attained enlightenment. From this anecdote, food being offered to Buddha became a symbol of meditation which gives composure to the body, mind, and heart.

Candles symbolize Buddha’s wisdom. This wisdom can be automatically acquired by practicing the five virtue practices. Acting based on this wisdom is the sixth practice. To understand this symbolism, take for example a light that is set aglow in a dark street, the result is that the neighborhood can be seen clearly. Similarly, the right way can be chosen by illuminating it with the light of wisdom when the world is covered with the darkness of worldly desires. Through this method and by continuing to choose the right path, we can approach Buddhahood little by little.