Master Jun Hong Lu’s
World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting (Q&A Session)
Auckland, New Zealand
8 November 2019
USE SCISSORS TO TRIM FLOWERS OFFERED TO BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS, DO NOT SNAP THEM WITH BARE HANDS
Question: For flowers that are to be offered on the Buddhist altar, can we trim them with our bare hands instead of using a pair of scissors? The reason being, for some flowers with longer stems, some florists have recommended that using bare hands to trim them will help them to bloom fuller and better, and they may even last longer compared to those trimmed with a pair of scissors.
Answer: First of all, you are not supposed to trim them on the Buddhist altar.
Question: No, it is to be done off the altar before being offered, is it alright?
Answer: It is not ideal to trim the flowers with your bare hands.
Question: Is it disrespectful? If that’s the case, we will not do so in the future.
Answer: Please use scissors.
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