A BUDDHIST ALTAR
Some people believe that a newly purchased Buddhist altar will invite death. Or
should altar be too big so as to fill it with souls. It goes without saying that both beliefs are
only superstition. I also hear that a
growing number of families started furnishing their living rooms with a
Buddhist altar, believing that it will be helpful to the education of their
children. I am sure that whether they
have an altar in their house or not makes little difference to their educational
ability.
However, juvenile delinquency or the
estrangement of children from their parents would decrease in number, of
youngsters came to cherish, respect and be grateful to their parents,
grandparents and ancestors. This way of
respect can be performed by clasping their hands in prayer at their family
altar. It is a habit easily taken up if
they realize that their own existence has come about due to the love of their
parents and that of an unbroken line of ancestors. Being brought up in such a religious
atmosphere, it is probable that youngsters will be freed, although not
completely, from selfishness, which is the source of all evils. As they grow older, they will feel thankful
for living in a house containing an altar, which is often referred to as 'the
House of Buddha,' not failing to find peace in their minds.
I have
a friend who has a little girl of kindergarten age. According to him, whenever she is given some
sweets, she first offers them to ancestral spirits before eating them. I suppose that this family has had a Buddhist
altar for many generations and adhered to the practice of offering food or
sweets to the altar before eating. Since
she was born she must have seen this custom many times. Imaging the little girl sitting in front of
the altar offering her sweets to her ancestral spirits with her tiny hands
joined in prayer. Would you not feel
your own soul purified? I know that
other child of this same friend is a well-mannered and obedient boy. That is to be expected of a child who has
been bought up in a devout family like them.
