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Incense
I tried to look for a thread on this, and if there is one I'm very sorry for the double post.
I was just wondering on the use of incense in meditation. What is the reason for it. I have used it the past two times I have sat and enjoy it. I have never found a reason for it, personally I just enjoy it.
I was just wondering on the use of incense in meditation. What is the reason for it. I have used it the past two times I have sat and enjoy it. I have never found a reason for it, personally I just enjoy it.
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There have been studies that show incense can have different effect on mood etc so if you enjoy it or it makes you relax more then great. I don't actually know if anyone would class it as a meditation tool though???
namaste.
Steve
Anything that helps you enjoy your time meditating helps you concentrate. I personally like incense only from time to time, but I don't use it for meditation.
As far as the usual meditations go, there is no mention of incense specifically as part of it, but if you are practicing air kasina, the air is gonna be your meditation object by touch (the air that you feel on your skin) or by sight (like the air moving bamboo, sugarcane, trees, or long hair, these are exemples of the Visuddhimagga).
In the case of air kasina by sight (this is one hard subject in my opinion, because it is not steady), since the smoke of incense is very sensitive to air currents and persistent until it burns out, it would be possible to focus on it's movement as an object of meditation ( I guess). Better than depending on fields of sugarcane or bamboo forests ;-P
What do you mean by that?
Please, teach me, I'm very interested. What does doing this do to end suffering in my life?
in the world and your home?
I don't like the idea of it. Offer something else in Buddhas name.
I'm sure he appreciates the intention of people giving him offerings.... (lol)
but what good will making smelly air do?
If you use it with meditating, you might form an attachment/addiction to it, you might need it each time you meditate to reach your favorite quality of meditations....it might bind you...
just because the old schoolers might do it as ritual, doesn't mean you have to.
Old schoolers don't do it as a ritual. The followers of the Buddha didn't go around lighting incense in his feet. If you do it as a brief recollection of the triple gem it might be helpful, but if you do it looking for merit you will get none, and if you do it for the sake or ritual you will just cling to delusion, and you are actually doing a big disfavor to the dharma.
Of course if you are in a Buddhist Center it is recommended to have some props, to set the mood of the place. But this is another story.
Pollution? Maybe as much as a mouse fart.
The gesture is symbolic and humbling, a gesture of gratitude, and is offered to the benefit of all beings as well (for example, in offering water, you wish for all beings to be relieved of thirst). Taking just a moment of your day to do this each morning sort of "sets the tone" for the rest of your day. You start your day by generating compassion and being mindful. It's a constant reminder of the Dhamma. To this end, it can be a beneficial ritual... it's what you make of it. Therefore, it can be a completely empty ritual as well. Just don't expect bonus Kamma points towards a favourable rebirth or something.
Agreed.
Im telling Holly . . . . .
I burn insense or use candles as an offering. It accumulates merit and also gives a relaxing atmosphere, aiding meditation, so i find.
'Gaining merit' is something I've heard from some Asian Buddhists I've talked to but since I grew up in a very Western family I don't have the benefit of cultural understanding and find it hard to wrap my head around the concept. I don't want to dismiss it by thinking it's just some form of superstition or wishful magical thinking so like all the other things I don't understand, I put it aside for now, keep an open mind, and just go on with what I do understand.
After all, we know the process of combustion naturally causes pollutants of one sort or another and most of us don't have a clue what is used in the making of incense much less what goes into the air when it's burned. That's one of the reasons I've been looking for the best quality incense for years and years. So far the best I've found is made in Japan under strict environmental controls imposed by the makers themselves. But I can't track and see for myself what goes on during the entire process of making it so ultimately I don't know.
I don't burn it very often actually and never as a prep ritual for meditation or any other practice. I don't use anything I wouldn't be able to find in a 6' by 6' bamboo cage in south east Asia. That's my standard for pretty much everything.
It's a perk of living here I guess
you know though guys,
actions have roots in the mind,
so even if it costs a bit of pollution- if you brain"wash" yourself to give gifts, make humble offerings...
then that may be worth every damn bit of pollution:cool:
Joe
Mental states are either wholesome or unwholesome depending on whether they are accompanied by afflictive emotions or not. Any positive emotion, be it faith, generosity, or love is incompatible with afflictive emotions and will banish them when they are present. This comes straight from abhidharma. Offering a stick of incense is an act of generosity and thus a wholesome state of mind. Since our inability to remain in a state of concentrated meditation is chiefly a result of our afflictive emotions, offering incense improves our meditation.
If you find insense off-putting or heavy, maybe you could change the scent for a different one.
eg. I find Opium or Patchouli a horrid distraction, but i find Sandlewood and Frankinscese calming.
Maybe experiment with some aromas?
I like lavender scented
As for me for whatever reason , lighting incense does set the mood for my meditation.
I agree with Brigid about being cautious with its use. Actually I read somewhere that the harmful effect is more on the frequency and degree of exposure, like maybe being exposed to the smoke regularly like in temples in Asia where many sticks of incense are lit at the same time combined with poor ventilation and air circulation. However, I think the study is not very conclusive.
Yes, that's what I got from the article too so I don't worry too much about my own use.
I just like the smell and that's the only reason I burn it. I tried to use it before meditation but it didn't feel right. It felt like I was posing. So I dropped it and only use it to make my place smell good.
Have you heard the quote from Master Da-Hui, jinzang?
Is the one who recognises anger, angry or not?
So called afflictive emotions are not incompatible with Bodhi, in Zen. Nor is our objective to remain in any particular state as remaining in ie being able to enter exit etc suggests a conditioned activity.
Just offering another view.
Best wishes,
Abu
This is how my use of it has evlovled into. If I didn't time myself somehow I would never stand up I think. The smell is nice, but I don't need it. I have meditated every night this past week for about 10 min or so while we were visiting family without it, but it's sure is a nice timer to have around.
I know I could use an alarm clock or something like that but sometimes I'm not always at home, most of those times I'm in the woods somewhere. I really think incense is best for me, but that doesn't define what is best for the most.
<code>#!/usr/bin/env bash
function ring_bell() {
mplayer ~/Music/meditation/bell-tone-3-times-loud-deeper.wav
}
for p in "$@" ; do
seconds=`echo 60*$p | bc`
sleep $seconds
ring_bell
done</code>
This is very interesting to me, would you care to elaborate more?
the herbs used in Tibetan incense are selected for their medical properties. The properties are explained in the so called Four Tantra's of Tibetan Medicine. The majority of the information comes from Ayurvedic sources.
Check out the Shang Shung Institutes website if you want to learn more about Tibetan Medicine, they will be able to give you more info than I can.
It seems to me that Master Da Hui was talking about an advanced level of practice. If you can recognize the one who is angry when you become angry, that itself is a sufficient remedy and there is no need for any other remedy. But it's not sufficient to have a conceptual understanding, an enlightenment of the lips and tongue. With fake enlightenment, you just hide your anger from yourself because you're "above it all."
For someone who doesn't have this understanding, on can either consider the faults of anger or cultivate an emotion that is incompatible with it. Much has been said on this subject, so there's no need to elaborate.
Excellent.
Thankyou very much, jinzang. Gassho.
P.S How about the one who is angry is not angry?
Merry Christmas and thankyou again. Very kindly.