Expert: Bodhicitta - 4/7/2009

Question
I use to manage a yoga center and the owner was a Tibetian Buddhist. She
loosely taught me how to fill the water bowls on our altar, a daily practice
that I loved.
I am in the process of setting up my home altar, I have received my bowls
and have been searching high and low for an actual prayer, mantra, that
should be said while filling them. I am really having a hard time locating this
information. I have searched on the web, in bookstores, etc. I also can not
seem to find what, if any, is the appropriate vessel to hold the water. I
purchased a Bumpa, but now I am not sure that was the correct item. I would
appreciate any advice. Kind Regards. TA

Answer
Hi Trish
Outer ritual follows inner ritual.I really think that altars and
are encactments of an inner motivation and process.

For me the question that is raised by the altar rituals is what is the
nature of offering, what is offered, who is it offer to and why would
you make offerings?

I would like to share with you something of the inner essence of
Buddhist offering rituals, that may not be familiar with you.
The outer rituals are many - but any ritual that is done in
the spirit of the inner essence would be good.

The Buddhist shrine could represent truth, the offering might be one's
self and the act of offering might be an openness to discovering truth.
This is the essence of offering.

I feel it might be necessary to understand the heart of Buddhism
to understand what is behind the altar water offerings in Buddhism.
The outer form and the mantras used are perhaps less important.

I would see a Buddhist who can give you face to face instructions
on keeping a shrine. I feel sending you a recipe book for a ritual
would be doing you a disservice.

Best wishes
Bodhicitta