Where to put the statue

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Lombardi4
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Where to put the statue

Post by Lombardi4 »

I intend to buy a Buddharupa soon. The thing is, I don't have room for a shrine/altar. My question is, is it appropriate to put it in my bedroom, and if so, where exactly?

:thanks: :anjali:
Individual
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by Individual »

Stefan wrote:I intend to buy a Buddharupa soon. The thing is, I don't have room for a shrine/altar. My question is, is it appropriate to put it in my bedroom, and if so, where exactly?

:thanks: :anjali:
Wherever you want. I think it's nice to have one in every room, except the bathroom obviously. I wouldn't get a big one, though, if you don't have room for a shrine.
The best things in life aren't things.

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catmoon
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by catmoon »

Stefan wrote:I intend to buy a Buddharupa soon. The thing is, I don't have room for a shrine/altar. My question is, is it appropriate to put it in my bedroom, and if so, where exactly?

:thanks: :anjali:
Bedroom is fine, but not on the floor. The foot of the bed should be avoided (not making Buddha sit at your feet) and the buddha should sit higher than other statuary/icons in the room. A room for a Buddha should be free of pornographic or violent imagery, booze and drug related stuff and so on.
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Ben
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by Ben »

Hi Stefan
I would love to see a pic of the buddharupa you intend to acquire. Maybe some other time when we're onlne at the same time!
Until sometime ago, i would have agreed with Individual. I'm now more inclined to keep my buddharupas in my meditation room. I've got several out in the house but they're sort of set up as mini-shrines rather than as homeware.
I sleep in my meditation room so I have a framed replica relief of a stnding Buddha and Mogallana and Sariputta in the Chinese style above the head of my bed. And then on a table perpendicular to my bed I have most of my buddha images in a little nook under the window.
As Catmoon said, place the Buddharupa in a significant place in the room and don't put it on the floor.
metta

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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BudSas
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by BudSas »

Stefan wrote:I intend to buy a Buddharupa soon. The thing is, I don't have room for a shrine/altar. My question is, is it appropriate to put it in my bedroom, and if so, where exactly?
You could make a shelf fixed to the wall in your bedroom, as following:
shelf1.jpg
shelf1.jpg (67.97 KiB) Viewed 3333 times
shelf2.jpg
shelf2.jpg (37.14 KiB) Viewed 3333 times
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DNS
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by DNS »

I like those shelves!

That is a great way to do an altar area without taking up much space. Another alternative is to just hang up a picture, painting, or thangka of Buddha. But I like the shelf idea better because then you could still have a statue.
Lombardi4
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by Lombardi4 »

Thanks all!

The reason I asked whether it was appropriate to put a rupa in the bedroom, is because perhaps it may be offending to the Buddha as one takes one's clothes off in front of the rupa?

Ben, I'll take a picture of the statue when I get it from Athens, possibly within the next two weeks. :smile:
BudSas
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by BudSas »

A shelf at the corner:
shelf3.jpg
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Ben
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by Ben »

Great photos, Budsas!

No problem Stefan.
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
Individual
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by Individual »

Ben wrote: Until sometime ago, i would have agreed with Individual. I'm now more inclined to keep my buddharupas in my meditation room. I've got several out in the house but they're sort of set up as mini-shrines rather than as homeware.
What made you change your mind? Is it a matter of holding even greater respect or are you one who believes certain locations of the house are more "auspicious" than others?
The best things in life aren't things.

The Diamond Sutra
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Ben
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by Ben »

Out of respect, Individual.
It was something that Rev. Eijo from e-sangha said once about not treating Buddharupas as house decorations and the oberved trend in this country for Buddharupas to be used as house decorations. You can buy mass-produced buddharupas as book-ends or garden gnomes and the like here. And I'm sure its the same in the US.
And while I recognize its just a physical object, if I place the rupa in a part of the house that indicates my reverence and respect, visitors and family members are more likely to do so as well - or at least acknowledge that the Buddhadhamma should be treated with respect.
One of these days I'll get around to taking a photo of my meditation/shrine room.
kind regards

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
BudSas
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by BudSas »

Stefan wrote: The reason I asked whether it was appropriate to put a rupa in the bedroom, is because perhaps it may be offending to the Buddha as one takes one's clothes off in front of the rupa?
This reminds me of my university days ... When I was a university student, I lived in a small bedroom of the student dormitory, just enough space for a single bed, a study desk, and a bookshelf. I placed a small buddha rupa at the corner of the bookshelf, and that was my mini altar...

The point is it depends on the conditions where we live and our attitude to the rupa. One can quickly change clothes in the bedroom without any thought of being disrespectful. On the other hand, to parade nakedly in front of the rupa is the other extreme one should avoid.

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mudra
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by mudra »

And obviously, if you are sexually active, putting a Buddha in your bedroom would not be the best if you are going to have sex in the room. More of a problem than being naked.
BudSas
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Re: Where to put the statue

Post by BudSas »

Alternatively, you could get a Japanese altar with folding doors and place the Buddha Rupa inside. Open the doors only when you pray and pay respect.
japan_altar.jpg
japan_altar.jpg (63.19 KiB) Viewed 3273 times
This might be an expensive option.

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