8.6 How Should We Pay Respect if We have Images or Tablets of Other Bodhisattvas and Deities?
The placement of multiple Bodhisattvas’ images
The images, statues and photos of Bodhisattvas, Christ, God and Deities are all manifestations of divine beings in the Human Realm, and we must respect them. We mustn’t speak profane words or perform profane behaviours. If there are any damage to the images, statues or photos, we must immediately recite the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance to plead for forgiveness from the Bodhisattvas.
Question:
A friend of mine was a very devoted Buddhist. She used to bring home one or two statues of Bodhisattvas every time she visited temples. Now her home has various Bodhisattvas’ statues, and she feels a little uncomfortable about this. She wants me to ask Master what she can do.
Answer:
Indeed, it’s not a very good situation. Laws and rules in Heaven are much more intricate than that in the Human Realm and should be dealt with carefully. Generally, one statue is enough if you worship the Bodhisattva with sincerity and devotion. You may have trouble if there are many statues at your home and you didn’t pay enough attention to even one of them. If a statue has not been well tended, some evil spirits that pass by your home may occupy the statue. Once occupied by the evil power, the statue would do you more harm than good. You may get sick quite often, suffer mishaps and you don’t even know the reason. Your friend needs to make proper arrangement. Keep only two to three statues of the same Bodhisattva even though they have different looks. Return other statues to the temples, they will usually accept the statues.
Buddhist Altars, Altars for Deities and ancestral tablets should not be put together.
Wenda 20120422B 41:53
(Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
An Excerpt
Caller: Hi Master, can I put the statues of both the Kitchen God and the Five Earth Dragon God on the same altar?
Master Lu: Both of them are earthly deities, you may put these two deities on the same altar but you must separate them from Bodhisattvas. The altar for Bodhisattvas must be different from those for deities. You may have one of each at home.
Caller: My statues of deities and ancestral tablets used to be on the same altar. Can I keep using this altar after inviting the ancestral tablets to come down from it?
Master Lu: You may put your ancestral tablets and statues of deities on the same altar and dedicate the other altar to Bodhisattvas.
It’s not proper to worship the Kitchen God in your kitchen.
Wenda 20130203B 38:05
(Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
An Excerpt
Caller: There are people who worship the Kitchen God, and they usually offer incense on the 1st and 15th day of every lunar month. Is it proper to pay respect to the Kitchen God in the kitchen?
Master Lu: Some people slaughter chicken, ducks or fish in their kitchen and it’s full of filthy things and negative energy. The Kitchen God may not come to such an environment. Furthermore, the Kitchen God is an officer in the Underworld. You may pay respect to the Kitchen God, but it can’t be in the kitchen. You may pay respect to the Kitchen God at another place if you truly want to worship the Kitchen God. It’s just like you won’t visit a warden in a prison cell. He is an officer guarding there, not an inmate confined there.
Male caller: I see.
Master Lu: Many people worship the God of Earth and they place the statue on the ground, how could that be considered respectful? The God of Earth is an officer from the Underworld as well, though their statues can’t be placed on a Buddhist altar, they still need to be placed on an altar for worshipping deities.
Male caller: I understand.