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What exactly is the significance of this?

DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
edited February 2012 in General Banter
http://i.imgur.com/8ECgA.jpg

Comments

  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    edited February 2012
    An offering to Santa Claus and friend? Is this a quiz? Or an experiment for one of your psychology classes? ;)
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    image

    The practice of many native Buddhists is to have a home altar where offerings are made for merit and good karma.

    As cw said the one on the left looks like Santa, lol. An altar on the floor, in the corner, I think is considered disrespectful. Most keep theirs in a more prominent place.

  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    image

    The practice of many native Buddhists is to have a home altar where offerings are made for merit and good karma.

    As cw said the one on the left looks like Santa, lol. An altar on the floor, in the corner, I think is considered disrespectful. Most keep theirs in a more prominent place.

    Yea! Thanks!
  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    An offering to Santa Claus and friend? Is this a quiz? Or an experiment for one of your psychology classes? ;)
    LOL! Nah, just wondering. Was kind of taken back. By the way!!! I graduate in 9 months!:) I am then thinking masters or hypnosis certification!:)
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    In thailand this is also done. My gf left some food outside and me not knowing I threw it away thinking she had forgotten about it. Many people leave food out as offerings to buddha and other beings of formless realms. Also, I know some food fenders who leave meals out for birds, this is also for their karma, but they often use the word good luck instead.
  • IronRabbitIronRabbit Veteran
    edited February 2012
    @LeonBasin - this looks suspiciously like a Taoist Food Offering ritual. Haven't you studied some Taoism, Leonid?

    The little Santa Claus dude is propably Lao Tzu and the other one who looks like one of the Mario Brothers in a turban could be Bodhidharma but more likely the Jade Emperor or Heavenly Grandfather - a deity commonly believed to rule all heaven as well as the mortals realm.

    image

    image
  • Lady_AlisonLady_Alison Veteran
    You can hypnotize with your slam poetry
  • tbuntontbunton
    I like to think its Santa and Mario. That would be fun.
  • CaliGuy819CaliGuy819
    Wow, insulting words here from people. Surprising! Especially someone with the name "compassionate warrior" of all things!
    Sounds like the un-informed people who think Buddhists "worship" a "big fat man".
    Best not to mock things you don't know of.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited February 2012
    CaliGuy, how long have you been with us? Don't assume intention on behalf of people you don't know. CW got it half-right; it was an offering to saints or deities. (He never said or implied it was Buddhist.) Although it's strange that it's on the floor. Confusing image. But if it's not Buddhist, it must be Taoist--note the plastic cylinder behind it with the Chinese writing. I vote we give the prize to Rabbit.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    Cali, there was a smiley face. I think there was humor rather than ridicule.
  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    You can hypnotize with your slam poetry
    LOL!
  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    Hey @caliGuy819, this site is a bit light-hearted. We tend to have a laugh and smile. Have fun. Enjoy. Why so serious, etc.

    Relax! No insults are intended here.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    I put things as an offering sometimes. Rarely though. Usually on halloween I put some candy on my shrine shelf. Christmas cookies. Coffee. I want to put some violets from the yard next summer.
  • ZeroZero Veteran
    Giving in a symbolic way such as this sets a general 'intention' of giving - alone its in all likelihood pointless - as a reminder of a compassionate and alturistic outlook, I guess its quite powerful
  • CaliGuy819CaliGuy819
    CaliGuy, how long have you been with us? Don't assume intention on behalf of people you don't know. CW got it half-right; it was an offering to saints or deities. (He never said or implied it was Buddhist.) Although it's strange that it's on the floor. Confusing image. But if it's not Buddhist, it must be Taoist--note the plastic cylinder behind it with the Chinese writing. I vote we give the prize to Rabbit.

    Lol Dakini, the "plastic cylinder behind it with the Chinese writing" is just a typical packaging for incense one can buy at any Asian market.... quite typically used in Buddhist temples, actually.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    Actually, now you mention it, I had one just like it from a Chinese store i bought stuff from in France, when i lived there....
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