Lay Buddhist Practice, a brilliant guide!

[Mawkish1983]

I just found this:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el206.html

I don't know if it's been mentioned here before or not, but it seems very clear and very informative! It's a shame it's so long or I'd print it out. For now, I'm stuck reading it on a computer screen.

[Ben]

Yes its very good!
Thanks Mawk for reminding us.
Metta

Ben

[Guy]

Thanks Mawkish,

This is just what I need right now.

With Metta,

Guy

[Mawkish1983]

Right near the beginning there's a bit that says:

Nowhere in the Buddhist world are Buddha-images treated as ornaments for a living room.

My wife only allows me to have a Buddharupa as an ornament of sorts in the room, and I have to assemble my shrine each morning before I practice and disassemble it afterwards, putting the flowers, candles etc away. It really is a shame but I think I just have to wait a little while for my wife to relax a little further. Small steps

Incidentally, I put together a couple of pages of simple instructions for daily practice based on this "Lay Buddhist Practice" document, things like what to say when making offerings etc. Is anyone interested in me pdfing it and sticking it here, or should I just keep it for my own personal use (until I've memorised it)?

[Cittasanto]

Right near the beginning there's a bit that says:

Nowhere in the Buddhist world are Buddha-images treated as ornaments for a living room.

My wife only allows me to have a Buddharupa as an ornament of sorts in the room, and I have to assemble my shrine each morning before I practice and disassemble it afterwards, putting the flowers, candles etc away. It really is a shame but I think I just have to wait a little while for my wife to relax a little further. Small steps

Incidentally, I put together a couple of pages of simple instructions for daily practice based on this "Lay Buddhist Practice" document, things like what to say when making offerings etc. Is anyone interested in me pdfing it and sticking it here, or should I just keep it for my own personal use (until I've memorised it)?

I cant remember which one but think it may be the parinibbana sutta??? the buddha advises against having images of him, it was only wen bddhism went to greece that the rupas started to appear I believe. but we are in a different time, place and I find it useful to look at my small rupa at times

I would be interested in a copy!

[Hoja]

Wow, it's a great resource.
Thanks Mawkish!

[jcsuperstar]

maybe you can go the japanese route and have an altar in a case that closes that way you just have to open it each time you want to meditate and the rest of the time its safely away out of sight

[Mawkish1983]

maybe you can go the japanese route and have an altar in a case that closes that way you just have to open it each time you want to meditate and the rest of the time its safely away out of sight

I've thought about fabricating just such an altar, but it doesn't solve the problem of having a Buddharupa on display in the living room as an ornament. I've placed it on a high shelf above everything else in the room, but it still serves as an ornament. I suppose I have to keep in mind that it's not just my home and in every marriage there is give-and-take. She let me have a Buddharupa in the house afterall, that's her concession. I suppose it wouldn't be too unskillful for me to make this concession: that when I'm not meditating the Buddharupa is an ornament.

I'll pdf the 'service sheet' today and upload them somewhere accessable.

[Macavity]

I've thought about fabricating just such an altar, but it doesn't solve the problem of having a Buddharupa on display in the living room as an ornament.

But if you kept the rupa inside a zushi as jcsuperstar suggested, then it wouldn't be on display at all, except when you opened the case.

zushi.jpg (85.32 KiB) Viewed 1200 times

zushi2.jpg (25.41 KiB) Viewed 1200 times

zushi3.jpg (39.84 KiB) Viewed 1200 times

[Mawkish1983]

Here's the pdf (attached) of that "daily order of service" I threw together. If anyone sees any mistakes or changes that need to be made please feel free to let me know and I'll sort it out.

[sherubtse]

I just found this:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el206.html

I don't know if it's been mentioned here before or not, but it seems very clear and very informative! It's a shame it's so long or I'd print it out. For now, I'm stuck reading it on a computer screen.

This is of course a publication of the BPS. (See the note at the end of the article on the ATI website.)

They have many great articles, some of which are classics. As such, it is a pity that more folks don't know of their existence. Here is their website:

http://www.bps.lk/

Click on the "Online Library" link at thew top left-hand side of the homepage for more articles.

With metta,
Sherubtse