How to Care for a Cambodian Buddha Statue
For Cambodian Buddhists, as with all members of the religion, statues of the Buddha are an important component of religious practice. The physical images give Buddhists an opportunity to show love and respect to the Buddha and to his teachings by caring for the statue and making material offerings to it.
According to the Portland Tribune article "Borrowed Blessings: Buddhist Sculpture Strays from Its Reverential Roots," there is no expectation for non-Buddhists to care for their statues in the same manner as Buddhists. However, if you have a Cambodian Buddha statue and would like to care for it in the traditional manner, this article will show you how.
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Things You'll Need
- Cup of water or tea
- Bowl of rice
- Flowers
- Candle with holder
- Incense and holder
- Lighter
Instructions
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Set up your Buddha statue in an area that is peaceful and clean. Be sure to keep the area clean and free of clutter.
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Provide the Buddha statue with a cup of water or tea. You'll allow this to sit out for most of the day. When you are ready to empty the cup, either at the end of the day or before replenishing the liquid with something fresh, you should either drink it or pour it into a potted plant. Pouring the tea or water down the sink is seen as wasteful, according Buddhists interviewed for the Portland Tribune article.
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Set a bowl of cooked rice in front of the statue as an offering of food. This act, like providing the water, is seen as providing for the Buddha's physical needs. As with the drink, the food should also be consumed when it is time for fresh offerings.
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Light a candle to offer light and warmth to the Buddha statue.
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Light incense or set out fresh flowers as fragrant offerings to the Buddha. Dispose of the flowers and incense ashes respectfully, perhaps in a dedicated part of your yard or garden.
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References
- Photo Credit budda d"oro image by maelena from Fotolia.com
