Q: There is an old lady who lives with four or five people in one bedroom. The only bright place in the house is the bedroom. Can she take out the statues and images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas when she is performing recitations or prayers, and then put them away when she has finished?
A:
- This is not a good situation. It would be better not to have the statues or images at all.
- You can offer the “Heart Incense” in your mind while you pay respect to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Constantly taking out and putting away statues or images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is disrespectful. It is like constantly staying at a hotel without having a proper home – it is not stable.
- We must be mindful. If your living place is small, or if some family members do not believe in Buddhism and often speak inappropriately, it is best not to have statues or images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in your home for the moment to prevent other people from creating karma of speech.