Make Buddha Images in This Very Mind

By Category: Meditation & PracticeTags:

Why should people create Buddha images? Did the Buddha really want everyone to make images of him and worship his body?

In truth, the purpose of creating the Buddha images is not to create symbols for worship. Buddha images are reminders that “the mind is the Buddha,” and that everyone has Buddha nature. Buddha images also remind us to frequently recollect the virtues of the Buddha to manifest our own Buddha nature.

In our practice, we pay homage to sacred images of the Buddha. This strengthens our faith and helps us persevere in our practice.

Venerating the kind and compassionate countenance of the Buddha can put an end to greed, anger, and ignorance in the mind.

It can also help us to correct our behavior and maintain propriety.

There is the saying, “Sincere faith can break open even hard stone.” 

When we venerate sacred images, naturally we feel something in our hearts. Some people mistakenly think that Buddhists worship idols. In fact, no one worships idols less than Buddhists. Such can be seen in the famous gongan “Danxia sets the Buddha aflame.”

Most people benefit from symbols. Without an image or symbol to venerate, how will most people find a worthy figure to model themselves after? Buddha images are a means by which we can connect with the Buddha’s mind. They can help us realize our own Buddha nature. By frequently looking upon and venerating Buddha images, the mind becomes free of illusory thoughts. Amid formlessness, our temperament changes. After that change, we will develop an elegant, proper appearance as well.

In the Sumati Sutra, the Buddha uses verses to reiterate and summarize his teachings. In this passage, the verse can be glossed to read: Anger ruins virtuous roots; we must not allow them to grow. Images of the Buddha are made with a kind and compassionate heart. Entrust one’s body and mind to great kindness and compassion. Love the Dharma. Protect the Dharma. Create Buddha images to be beheld by future generations, so that others can venerate them. Then, one will obtain an elegant, proper appearance, which all sentient beings will delight in seeing.

From Ten Paths to Happiness, written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun.

Image from Pixabay.

More Featured Articles

Lamp Offering
Offering lamps at Buddhist temples and stupas is a common practice. The Flower Adornment Sutra says, "The lamp of wisdom can break through all forms of darkness." As such, lamps represent the light of wisdom that pierces through the darkness of ignorance. This empowers sentient beings encumbered by confusion. The Buddhist practice of offering lamps originates from the actions of a poor girl named Nanda. Read more
A Closer Look at Relationships
Among our many relationships, many forms and types exist. There are friendships, family connections, teacher-student bonds, marriages, relationships with and between monastics, and many other kinds. How we choose to develop, nourish and manage these specific relationships determines our own joy and contentment, as well as that of our fellow human beings, and ultimately, our community and world as a whole.  How wonderful our lives Read more
The Strength of Commitment
To "commit" is to give assurance to others and to make a conscientious effort to deliver a promise. To instill credibility and trustworthiness, we must honor our words. Confucius once said, "One without credibility is like a large vehicle without a brake pedal, or a small carriage without axles. How can one go anywhere?"Living up to one's word is a basic courtesy. In past agricultural Read more
Take Delight in Shared Joy
Sharing joy with others is not only a virtue, it is also a delightful experience.To take delight in shared joy is to give willing support to those who are compassionate in helping the needy; it is to give genuine praise to those who have dedicated themselves to the highest achievements in life. If we want to be successful in this world, we must cultivate the Read more
Repentance
It is only through loving-kindness and compassion that we can find room in our hearts to forgive others. It is only through our willingness to let go of resentment that we can find a way to magnanimity.  Read more
Be Satisfied with What You Have
Greed narrows our vision as it obscures the wealth of wisdom contained in our inherent Buddha nature. Read more
What is Chan?
Chan is meditation throughout our lives. When we live with Chan, the taste of food and feel of clothes will change. We will not feel difficulty when dealing with our affairs. Any matter can be laughed away. The human world has its ups and down, but when we have a Chan mind it is like the world is ours and nothing is lacking. All human Read more
My Progress of Faith
I once copied out a sutra in blood by pricking myself, and once I also burned my arm as an offering. I once remained silent for a year without speaking, and once I also kept my eyes closed for three months without seeing. Later on, I would occasionally open my eyes and suddenly feel: Oh, there are still verdant mountains; there are still trees; the Read more
The Mind is the Source of Unwholesomeness
The Buddha often explained emptiness and impermanence by getting people to think about how phenomena arise, change, and decline. Read more
Harmful Attachments
Harmful attachments are often described in Buddhist literature as impediments or hindrances because they block our view of the truth and prevent us from seeing our own Buddha nature. Read more
Diminishing Mental Afflictions
We all have our share of headaches and heartaches. Physically, we all have to face aging, sickness and death. Mentally, we have to deal with problems arising from greed, hatred and ignorance. The Chinese have a saying that aptly describes our predicament: “Heaven and hell sometimes end; the threads of sorrow continue forever.” Our afflictions are as deep as the dark blue sea and are Read more
Aware of the workings of the mind
The Avatamsaka Sutra says, 'The mind controls everything.' In order to properly control body and speech, we must come to understand our minds. If we can control our minds, we can do anything.Master Xingkong (780-862) wrote a wonderful passage that expresses this point very well. He said, "The practice of Buddhism can be compared to presiding over a walled city; during the day, thieves and Read more