Manners in the Temple

Buddhist's meal

Buddhist instruments

 

¡á General Manners in the Temple

     

¡Þ Manners in the Buddha Hall

   

When you enter any hall of the temple compound, please keep following rules.

    

* The Main Buddha Hall has three entrances generally; the front of the center entrance, the left and    the right one. Use the left or the right entrance. The center one is for monks.

* Take off and arrange your shoes before you enter the Buddha hall.

* When you are in the hall, half bow to the Buddha with palms together. You half bow before you    leave the hall.

* You do not pass in front of others who are praying or taking prostrations. When you have to    pass, pass quietly and quickly with palms together.

 

¡Þ How to offer incense to the Buddha

        

* When incense or a candle is already lit, you need not light another.

* Before and after the incense offering, take a half bow with palms together.

* After taking a half bow, get a stick of incense.

* Light the incense and put out the flame by fanning it with  your free hands, not blow it out.

  Then, put the incense in the incense burner.

  Take a half bow with palms together. When you offer incense or a candle to the Buddha, you   must be careful of fires because most of buildings are built of wood.

  If you are the last person, you have the responsibility of putting out  the candles.

 

   

¡Þ Postures in the temple
     

(1) Hap-jang, putting palms together

      

Hap-jang is one of the common postures in the temple. It has the meaning of uniting body and mind in one and expressing respect to others.

Perform Hap-jang as follows, in the standing posture, put palms together and raise hands to the chest.

The fingers should be in a vertical position and the wrists and elbows are on a horizontal line. Hands and chest are touched lightly.

 

(2) Ban-bae, a half bow

    

A half bow comes with Hap-jang always. After forming a Hap-jang, bend forward 45~60 degrees stretching your back. Making a half bow is a simple greeting and used in the temple in case of;

when making a formal greeting to people in the temple.

when you enter or depart the buddha hall.

 

(3) A big bow, Bowing thrice

     

Normally formal greeting includes a bow, three prostrations and a bow again. However, the prostration is repeated many times for praying or repenting; for example, 108, 3000, 10000 times or more.