Flowers, Candles, and Incense
by Roshi Hogen Berman

Flowers, Candles, and Incense before the Buddha's Statue: Often candles, or small cups of oil - with cloth wicks - are burned in Buddhist Temples and in front of Buddhist images (in Temples, outside of Temples and in the home). This practice is not to be perceived as a form of offering (Dana) or worship; although it may appear to be such by the non-Buddhist and often even by the follower placing the flower, candle or cup of oil in front of the image.

The transient beauty of the flowers, so soon to lie withered on the tray, reminds us of the impermanence of all composite things: "Even as these flowers must soon wither, so shall the body lie crumbling in decay". It teaches us the transient nature of all things in this life.

While it is true that the lighting of a candle (or cup of oil) in front of an image of The Buddha may bring a feeling of well being, comfort, and peace, such feelings emanate from the offerer's mind and not from the image, spirit of The Buddha, or other personage that may be the immediate object of reverence. Basically the candle assists in putting one in the mood for quiet contemplation or meditation. The candle or lamps recall the Great Teacher whose Bodhi dispels the darkness of ignorance: "These lights I offer the Teacher who is the Light of the Three Worlds". The new candle, once it has started burning will not only provide light, but also will inevitably burn its life away and vanish from this earth - just as the offerer, who perceives himself as a separate special entity, passes from birth to maturation, old age, decay and eventually death. In the burning of the candle one sees proof of the life cycle related to all things born or created; their transient nature. This is the lesson to be learned in burning candles or cups of oil in front of Buddhist images.

The incense symbolizes the sweet and cleansing fragrance of the Dharma which permeates the mind. It also stands for the pleasing odor of good deeds which, like the scent of the pine forest, can be recognized from afar.

The burning of incense before a statue of The Buddha, Patriarch or other revered personage is not to be understood as an offering to their spirits or to gain merit or favor. The burning of incense may be viewed, in one sense, as a "nice" gesture that is the manifestation of one's thoughts of thankfulness to The Buddha, Patriarchs, Teachers and perhaps ancestors for the gift of The Dharma, or in the case of the ancestors, the joy their memory and perhaps their genes bring. In all cases, the offering of incense makes the offerer experience good feelings that emanate from his own mind and not from the "spirit" of the one to whom the incense is offered. In addition, the burning of a stick of incense also symbolizes the transient nature of this life as one observes it burning away and being transformed from an incense stick to a bit of ash.. In Zen Sects the stick of incense is often used for timing Zazen (seated meditation) - usually the type of incense stick used will burn for forty minutes.

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