So, I wanted to first explain about how to set up an altar, and why to set up an altar.
So we set up an altar or shrine so that we have a physical representation that reminds
us of the qualities that we want to develop, and it also acts as a base in the presence
of which we can make offerings and do purification and so on.
So it's really nice, in your home or where you are, to have a little shrine. Or a big
shrine. You can put it out in your living room, you can put it in another room. If you're
married--or even if you're not married--better not to put it in your bedroom if you have
a partner. And better not to put it in a room where there's a lot of other stuff, like your
computer and your kids toys, and so on. Because if you put your shrine there then it's very
tempting to get up and go check the computer, or whatever.
Okay? So have a little corner someplace, it doesn't need to be large. But that's kind
of your quiet space where you can go and become friends with yourself, become friends with the Buddha.
So the way we set up the altar is we have symbols of the Buddha's body, speech, and
mind. So the statue is the symbol of the Buddha's body. We always have a Buddha statue at the
center of the altar. We may have other deities and do their practices, but we put them to
the side. like we have Chenrezig and Amitahba and Je Rinpoche and Vajrasattva and Tara over
here, but the center figure is always the Buddha because everything came from the Buddha.
Then, on the Buddha's right side--in other words, on the left as we look at the Buddha--we
have Dharma texts. So over here (to the left as we look at it) we have the Kangyur. Those
are the sutras and tantras that the Buddha spoke. We also have the Tengyur on this side
(to the right), which are the great Indian commentaries. If you have a shrine at home
it's just sufficient to have a text on this side (the left as you look at it) of your
altar. If it can be one of the Prajnaparamita texts--even a hand-written copy of the Heart
Sutra--that's really good to do. So the text represents the Buddha's speech.
And then on the Buddha's left side (the right as we look at it) we have a stupa that represents
the Buddha's mind. And so in this case here we have a replica of the stupa at Bodh Gaya.
If you have a more elaborate altar--like we have here (in the meditation hall at Sravasti
Abbey)--then you have representations of the two main lineages. So again on the Buddha's
right (on the left as we look at the Buddha) there's Maitreya, who is the one from whom
the vast lineage of bodhicitta stems. And then on this side (the right as you look at
it) we have Manjushri, the one from whom the profound lineage of wisdom stems.
And then above the Buddha, and everything else, you put a picture of your spiritual
mentor. So we have His Holiness the Dalai Lama here. Because different people at the
Abbey sometimes have different teachers, or whatever, we just chose to put His Holiness,
because he's the one we all have. And also, we didn't want everything to get too cluttered.
But on your personal altar you may have picture or photos of your other teachers as well.
So that's the way the altar is set up. And it's very nice if you really stop and look
at your altar from time to time during the day. Because especially when you're flustered
and your angry, or whatever... You know, you kind of walk into the room and *grumble grumble*
and then you look and the Buddha's just sitting there and he's so calm. And then you remember,
"Oh, I can be that way." And you get in touch with your own calm energy. So, it can be very helpful that way.