Is it okay to go to Jiuhua Mountain to burn incense on the 22nd day of the lunar calendar?

1. Entrance etiquette

There are many doors in temple buildings, and there are particularities about which door you enter. It is said that only temples that have been opened are qualified to build thirteen gates. The three doors in the middle are for people to enter and exit. Ordinary tourists can only enter through the door on the right. The door in the middle is called the empty door, and only monks can enter and exit. When entering the door, the male guest steps with his left foot first, and the female guest steps with the right foot first, and the steps need to be as wide as possible. At the same time, when entering the temple halls, you should follow the principle of entering through the left door and exiting through the right door. Note: You must not step on the threshold (it is said that the threshold represents the shoulders of Buddha, of course you cannot step on it). The salute when ascending the 1st and 6th steps means single-mindedness and great success.

2. Burn incense and worship Buddha

Before worshiping Buddha, you must first clean (wash) your hands. Incense cannot be called "buy" but should be called "please". When ordinary people offer incense, they should hold it with their left hand (it is said that the right hand is unclean, and ordinary people use their right hand for most killings). Three sticks are used to pray for oneself, six sticks are used to pray for two generations, and nine sticks are used to pray for three generations. Thirteen is the ultimate, and thirteen sticks of incense are the incense of perfect merit. Burn incense first and then kowtow. When burning incense, you should hold the incense in your left hand and the candle in your right hand. When burning incense, first use your own fire to light the incense. The more powerful the incense, the better. People often say that the incense is strong. The left hand is on top, and the right hand is on the bottom holding the incense stick, raising it high above the head to bow. After bowing, put the incense in the ashes, then go in and kowtow. When kowtowing, be sure to identify the Buddha, Bodhisattva or Arhat. For example, you cannot kowtow vigorously to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. It is advisable to use three sticks of incense, which represent the three indispensable learning of "precepts, concentration, and wisdom"; it also means making offerings to the three eternal treasures of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. This is the most complete and civilized offering of burning incense. The amount of incense does not matter, the most important thing is sincerity. As the saying goes, "burn three civilized incense and pay respect with a sincere heart." When the incense is put into the incense burner, it should be at a horizontal angle, which means it is safe and sound.

The posture of kneeling is like this. Kneel on the futon with your knees and put your hands together. Note that when you put your palms together, you should pay attention to the hollow shape of your palms. Raise it high above your head and stop down to your mouth. , you can make a wish, then go down to your heart, say it silently, then spread your palms, palms upward, and bow down with your upper body.

There is also a blessing ceremony called "consecration". Of course, it is best to be presided over by an eminent monk. Things that are usually consecrated must be placed at home with clean hands and burning incense on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, otherwise it is disrespectful. But if it is a very special kind of light, it is different. The lighted object can be carried with you. The objects for consecration can only be ivory, gold or jade products.

Wrap the consecrated items and the paper with the name of the person being prayed for and the horoscopes of Sheng Geng (if you can’t remember the horoscopes of Sheng Geng, you don’t have to write it down) in red paper or a red brocade bag, and hand it over with a happy gift. (preferably related to the numbers three, six or nine), please ask the master to help you consecrate it. Your words must be respectful, otherwise you will offend the master and you will not be consecrated.

The process of consecration is to put all the consecration objects on a tray and place them in front of the Buddha. The master chants several sutras, which is considered to be the Buddha's light. Your objects are endowed with aura and magic power, and can be taken with you to bless you.

Professional method of holding incense

1. Light the incense with your own fire; 2. Hold the incense stick between the middle and index fingers of both hands and hold it with your thumb The tail of the incense; 3. Place the incense head on the chest, level with the statue of Bodhisattva; 4. Raise the incense to the level of the eyebrows; 5. Then, put it down as in step 3; 6. Start inserting it with your left hand.

The first method of inserting incense: insert the first incense in the center, and silently recite: "Offer to the three treasures of the ten directions and three generations." Place the second incense to the right side, and silently recite: "Offer to the parents and teachers of all previous generations." "(Note: The method of burning incense in this article was all written by lay people, so it is different from what monks meditate on. However, if monks personally offer incense and worship Buddha, they can use this method.) The third incense stick is placed on the left. , while inserting the incense, silently recite: "Offer to all sentient beings in the ten dharma realms and to the grievances and debts of such and such a person."

The second method of inserting incense is to right it first and recite: "Swear to renounce all evil." On the second left, read: "Pledge to practice all good deeds." In the second middle, read: "Pledge to save all sentient beings."

The third method of inserting incense is the simplest, the same as the first method, but The recitation is relatively simple. Put the first incense in the middle and recite: "Offer to the Buddha, be aware but not confused;" Place the second incense on the right side and recite: "Offer the Dharma, which is righteous but not evil;" Place the third incense on the left side. Thought: "Making offerings to the monks will make you pure and uncontaminated." Summarized and simple.

After putting on the incense, stand in front of the Buddha statue, put your palms together, and bow respectfully to the Buddha (put your palms together and say silently in your heart: "May this cloud of incense and flowers go straight to the Three Jewels (or read: "Go straight to the places of all Buddhas") to pray for great mercy. , giving happiness to all living beings”).

If it is an incense ring, you should point the burning place towards the Buddha, with both hands as if you were holding a long incense. When holding the incense, just silently say in your mouth: "Offer to the three treasures of the ten directions and three times." May this incense Huayun goes straight to the Three Jewels, begging for great mercy and giving happiness to all living beings. "That's it.

If you are putting up sandalwood (that is, twigs split from sandalwood), you should hold the two ends of the incense with your thumb and index fingers, and open and straighten your middle finger, ring finger, and little finger, and hold it high. Put your eyebrows together and put them into the incense burner from front to back; pick up the first stick of sandalwood with your left hand and take it in with your right hand; pick up the second stick with your right hand and send it in with your left hand; visualize and recite the third stick in the same way as the first stick. The method of worshiping is the same as that of burning incense. Burning sandalwood is the best way to worship. The method of doing this is:

1. Stand with your palms together, your wrists at the same level as your heart, your heels about two inches apart, and your toes about eight inches apart, forming a figure eight, and immediately stop the mess. With my mind closed, I contemplate: My father in the past countless kalpas is on my right, my mother in the past countless kalpas is on my left, my children and their families are behind me, all enemies, enemies and obstacles are in front of me, my parents, relatives, relatives and relatives in this countless kalpas, They are all around me, surrounding me. Follow me and worship the Buddha. May you be reborn in the Western Paradise with good luck. (Note: This method of visualizing and worshiping the Buddha is the supreme method of Tantra. If you always visualize like this. Worshiping the Buddha can not only transcend what you are visualizing, but also eliminate obstacles and eliminate disasters for yourself. The same is true when chanting sutras, chanting mantras, or chanting the holy names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.) After visualizing, bend your arms and stretch your right arm diagonally. , with your right palm facing upward, press it on the center of the prayer mat. If your left palm is still motionless, kneel down on your knees (this is the first prayer).

2. After kneeling down, extend your left palm. , press on the left front of the prayer mat (this is the second prayer)

3. Move your right palm from the center of the prayer mat to the right front, with the two palms about six inches apart (this is half prayer*). **Called "two and a half prayers").

4. Bow your head on the prayer mat between the two palms.

5. Turn the two palms over, palms upward. Hold the Buddha's feet with both hands to pray for blessings and wisdom. This is called the head-to-face ceremony. (Another explanation is that in ancient times, this was how children or lower-ranking people asked for items or money from adults, superiors, or elders. Open your palms to receive the requested wealth (which means receiving blessings and wisdom from the Buddha).

6. Turn your hands over, lift your head away from the prayer mat, and move your right hand back to the center of the prayer mat. >

7. Raise the left hand back to the chest, raise the body with the right palm, and join the left palm. At the same time, stand with the knees together.

8. After three bows, bend down with the palms together. , hang down in front of the knees, wrap the four fingers of the left hand with the four fingers of the right hand, bring the two big fingers together, and hold the two index fingers together vertically (this is the Dingyin seal). Straighten the waist, raise it to the level of the eyebrows, and then place the palms. This is called interrogation.

The above are the general methods of worship. In addition, there are other methods of joining hands and worshiping in the Tantric Buddhism, such as the Buddhism Buddhism, the Lotus Buddhism and the Vajra Buddhism.

Breathing method of worshiping the Buddha

Breathing method of worshiping the Buddha: When bowing down, roll the tip of the tongue against the base of the tongue and inhale at the same time. (If you want to recite the name of the Buddha or recite a mantra, you can breathe out while bowing. When you stand up, raise the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth and inhale at the same time. This is a method of kneading and spitting out the old and bringing in the new, causing a mysterious circulation of Qi throughout the body to protect your health and prolong your life. When inhaling, it is best to visualize the sun, moon, stars, etc. in the sky turning into white light, entering the body through your top door (if you are facing a statue of Buddha and Bodhisattva, visualize the statue of Buddha and Bodhisattva shining on you); when exhaling, Visualize that all my illnesses, sufferings, and evil obstacles have turned into black air and come out with it (over time, you will see the black air you exhale. At that time, you are guaranteed to be a person with pure three karmas). Comrades who like to worship the Buddha, why don’t you give it a try? If you continue to practice this method of worshiping the Buddha, practicing the Qigong for curing illness and prolonging life, and purifying the three karmas, you will definitely gain endless benefits. Just worship leisurely. , rise leisurely, neither fast nor slow, without any feeling of fatigue.

How to clasp your palms

The first expression of respect and piety among Buddhist disciples is to stand solemnly (standing with feet shoulder-width apart) and clasping their palms together. There are many styles of clasping hands. Generally, the palms of both hands are straightened, the backs of the palms are slightly bowed, and the palms are slightly bent. They are raised to the heart and closed lightly. It should not be too tight and should be like a tower. According to the "Introduction Sutra for Practicing and Practicing the Six Dharmas in the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment": "Close your palms tightly without leaving any space. This is a form of clasping your palms together, and you will become an outsider in the first place. (Because the mind is bound by the form, it is difficult to enter the vacuum of the wonderful path.) Because of the state of existence); the second meeting is in a place where there is no Buddha and does not hear the name of the Three Jewels.

"The Commentary of the Tusita Heavenly Praise Sutra - Three Cultivation Fundamentals of the Middle Way, the Principle of the Middle Way Cultivation Practice and the Ming Lamp Sutra" says: "For outsiders, if you put your palms together and close your palms tightly, you will be reborn in a land without a Buddha in the future; if you put your palms together like this, there will be no vacuum. It’s because of persistence. ”

Notes on burning incense:

There are many Bodhisattvas in the temple. If you want, you can worship them one by one. If time does not allow, just burn them in front of the Main Hall. Steps As follows:

You can buy your own incense. You cannot have others pay for the incense.

It is best to light incense with your own fire (three sticks are enough, no need to pay for it in large quantities). (burning), facing the door of the main hall (in order to prevent fires, incense is generally not allowed to be burned in the main hall), lightly hold three green incense sticks in both hands (left hand for men at the top, right hand at the bottom, and vice versa for women), and suddenly move upward Remember, the burning fire will be extinguished immediately, and you must not blow it out with your mouth.

When offering incense, offer incense first and then worship. Three incense sticks are enough. Just put them in a furnace. "Buddha One Furnace" and then when passing each Buddhist hall, just put your hands together and bow three times. Buddhism does not have many details at all. The most important thing is whether you have a pure mind.

Hold the incense as high as your forehead. Close your eyes and make a wish, and then pray three times (the height of the incense should not be lower than the lower body)

Turn right, facing the east (generally the door of the main hall faces south), make a wish according to step 3, and pray three times. Bow; then face south and north.

After praying, you can put the incense into the incense burner. Note: you should use your left hand to burn incense, because the right hand is for killing, and the left hand is relatively peaceful and cannot go to the incense burner. Throw it away.

Don’t burn incense when a woman comes.

Going to the temple to burn incense means lighting up your heart. At this time, you can get blessings from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, so you can burn one stick, or two sticks, or up to three sticks. You can burn incense in the temple yourself, or you can burn it from outside. Buy, but generally there are incense in the main hall, so you can use it directly. If financial conditions permit, you can put some merit money in the merit box. If it is difficult, don't worry, the Bodhisattva will not blame you, and the same will happen if you worship the Buddha. It has merit.

However, I have seen many Buddhists ask for rosary beads to hang around their necks. Master said that most people cannot afford to do this, so I hope that if you ask for rosary beads in the future, please do so. Take him with you in your hand.

Burn three sticks of incense, one to worship the Buddha, one to honor the Dharma, and one to honor the monks;

The middle of the mat in the temple is for family members to worship Buddha. Men in the family use the left one when kneeling and worshiping, and women use the right one;

When entering the temple door, the hat and cane must be carried by yourself or stored in another room, and must not be placed on the Buddha's case or table. Place it. Try not to walk in the middle, go up the edge of the stairs, men on the left and women on the right. When entering, try not to go through the main entrance, because the abbot gate is used to enter from the main entrance in the morning and evening classes, and the novices and others enter from the side door, so in order to be in harmony with the temple In agreement, everyone should try to enter through the side door, with men on the left and women on the right. When entering, try to step with the right foot. When going out, also use the side door, and do not step on the threshold (generally the temple gates are very high). When walking, never step on the threshold. (It is said that the threshold is the shoulders of Buddha, and stepping on it is disrespectful.)

First of all, you must be pious, be vegetarian, have clean hands, and don’t make loud noises in the temple. Say irrelevant "nagging", don't point your finger at the Buddha statue, make loud noises and say disrespectful words. Another important point is that you cannot make random wishes, because you must fulfill your wish. If you are not sure that you can fulfill it, don't make a wish. Don't ask to get rich, Buddha is not here to bless you. You can pray for peace and good health. Don’t casually promise to make offerings to the Buddha and then forget about them. The Buddha will not fight for your stick of incense. This saying is to remind us not to make random promises. As a human being, we should practice what we say. What troubled the Buddha must be these false words.

Walking in a clockwise direction in the temple to worship Buddha, do not step across the futon, because it will give people an undignified feeling. When someone is worshiping, do not walk in front of him.

When you go to a Taoist temple to make a wish, you must fulfill it. Come back after a year when your wish comes true. Just go in and ask someone for the method. If you don’t make a wish and just pray, there is no need. Generally, there is no need to repay vows in temples, but you'd better make a wish to do some good deeds. Just make a wish to prompt your own wish.

Do not pick flowers and fruits within the scope of the temple's management without the consent of the temple, or take offerings and other objects without permission. This is also wrong behavior. Even "stealing from all directions" will result in retribution.

Don’t eat meat in the temple.

Temple usually have scriptures as gifts. Don’t forget to ask for a few. There is nothing more precious in the world than scriptures.

The invited scripture amulets cannot be placed randomly and should be placed on a clean bookcase. When having sex, there must be no Buddhist sutras, amulets and other dharma objects in the room, because amulets and the like are used to protect the law and the body, and they will not be effective if they are contaminated with evil spirits. This is important to remember.

If it is because they are haunted by evil creditors, they will also be happy if they recite the prayers and dedicate the merits of worshiping Buddha to their enemies and creditors.

Dharma instruments: Do not knock the bells and drums in the temple without permission, and do not touch cassocks, sea turtles and other objects.

Listen to the sutra: Follow the prayers of others and take your seat. If you arrive later and the master has already ascended the throne, you must bow to the Buddha, take a step back, and then bow to the master. After taking a seat, do not greet acquaintances, sit unsteadily, cough or talk. If you cannot finish listening, you should bow to the Master and bow out quietly, and do not wave to others to retreat.

The monks and Taoists in the temple should be respectfully called "Master" or "Master", and the presiding monks should be called "Elder", "Abbot" and "Zen Master". The monks in the lamasery call them "Lama", which means "guru". They should not directly call them "monk", "monk" or even other insulting titles.

The common way to salute when meeting a monk is to put your hands together and lower your head slightly, or put one hand in front of your chest with your head slightly lowered. Do not use improper etiquette such as shaking hands, hugging, or touching the monk's head.

When talking to monks and Taoists, you should not mention killing, marriage, or eating meat, so as not to arouse the monks' disgust.

When visiting temples, you are not allowed to make loud noises, point out comments, make sarcastic remarks, or walk around or touch temple objects. You are especially prohibited from touching or carving statues of gods. If you encounter Buddhist activities, you should stand silently or silently. leave. At the same time, you should also take care of your children to avoid doing impolite things due to their ignorance