Gosh how can one blink and 3 weeks pass by so quick? It's good to be back to normal life again, and to normal problems. Rather than the particulary painful ones of getting domestically connected(cable and broadband related especially), bedding in a small child (much in the way of a tender young plant), and unpacking the clothes and clobber to some vaguely sensible places. It all takes up so much extra precious energy, and it really is about as much fun as a loo queue at a rainy summer festival. But hey..
My budding Buddhism has survived the move in very good shape. Not that it wouldn't. I'm also the blushingly proud owner of a beautiful dark wood Butsudan. It's a wooden cabinet basically. It's set to hold my soon-to-be-acquired "Gohonzon" srcoll for all my everyday chanting purposes. And like my flat around it, the cabinet altar has all the potential of becoming a beautiful little space. I'm fascintated about the rituals and symbolism of these exotic altars at the heart of a Buddhist home.
There's nothing even remotely British or European to compare them to. Our living rooms are so dominated by big TV sreens or computers, or a fireplace and pictures if we're less wired. We just don't seem to bring spiritual icons or images into our homes here. Unless we are passionately Catholic and South Mediterranen I guess.
But cabinets just like my burnished wood one are widely used in the East to house Buddhist scrolls. Imagine some weird parallel Britain with one in every home! Anyway, I'm all set to seek out some special objects for it. Apparently the form is to use candlesticks, incense burners, bells, and foliage or plants.
The word Butsudan apparently means "Buddha's House" in Japanese. Which is kinda cute, and descriptive of how is really a home within a home. It's used as the focal point for all-important daily chanting, so one doesn't end up foolishily blinking at a bare wall or worse.
Font of online wisdom Wilkipedia states is houses "a scroll with writing or pictures of the Buddha and can be found in the highest and central point. Water and food (usually fruits or rice) is served beneath the statue or scroll. An Incenese burner is also found beneath the statue also in the center. Candles and flowers or evergreens are found surrounding the incense burners. Below that can be found the Buddhist bell rung during recitation of prayers."
So I'm confident I'm on the right track with this. I'm eager to adorn my new Butsudan, and generally give it a great big hug. It's also a lot more inspiring than shuffling the old furniture around, putting up yet more Ikea pictures, and repainting the walls mentally.
Nam myoho renge kyo.
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