Commonly asked questions about setting up a Buddhist altar

If conditions permit, you must set up a Buddhist altar at home and worship Guanyin Bodhisattva. Setting up a Buddhist altar is like inviting the Bodhisattva to your home. If there is no Buddhist altar, the effects of cultivating your mind and burning and sending small houses will be very different.

  1. If you are practicing Guan Yin Method, it is best to get a statue or portrait of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Generally speaking, you should get a standing Guan Yin Bodhisattva, holding a clean bottle or a willow branch. Try not to choose a statue with a dragon or other auspicious animals. It is best not to have it blessed. Please go home and invite the Bodhisattva into the statue yourself (it would be better if Master or other eminent monks can bless it).
  2. You can obtain the precious statues of the Bodhisattvas and Dharma Protectors of the Guan Yin Method. For details, please see the precious statues of Bodhisattvas.
  3. Bodhisattva statues cannot contain animal components, such as bone, leather, hair, ivory, etc.
  4. If you have obtained a statue of Bodhisattva, you should set up an altar as soon as possible, otherwise it would be disrespectful.
  5. At the same time, avoid offering too many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that have been offered and worshipped cannot be taken down from the altar casually. If you must take them down, you must recite the Great Compassion Mantra seven times, the Heart Sutra seven times, and the Great Repentance to the Buddha seven times, asking the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for forgiveness. At the same time, you must send at least 21 small houses to each Buddha and Bodhisattva. After taking down the Buddha and Bodhisattva statues, wrap them in red cloth and place them flat in a clean place at home or take them to a temple for connection);

After choosing an auspicious day and time to set up the Buddhist altar, you must follow the consecration process and respectfully invite the Bodhisattva to enter the statue. See Buddhist altar placement for details.

  1. After setting up the altar, you should burn incense every morning and evening (if conditions are limited, you must at least burn incense in the morning; when it gets dark, you should draw the curtains to prevent spirits from entering, but you can leave the windows open), and the water for the Bodhisattva should also be changed every day;
  2. If you are away on business, you should burn incense every day, once in the morning and once in the evening;
  3. Apart from the offerings, the less things on the altar, the better (avoid scriptures, matches, lighters, amulets, and incense, which can be placed under the altar). Keep it clean and do not place anything unclean or not in accordance with the Dharma (such as gourds, pearls, Dharma instruments, meat, food, cakes, candies, etc.);
  4. The altar can only be used to worship Buddha and Bodhisattva statues. If other religions such as Taoism, Taoism, Western religion, etc. are to be worshipped, a separate altar must be set up;
  5. Do not place sundries or other books under the altar. You can usually place scriptures and Buddhist instruments.
  6. When burning incense on the altar, the environment must be maintained. For example, if the altar is near a TV, do not turn on the TV when burning incense. Do not move the Buddha statues and offerings when the incense and oil lamps are lit.
  7. At night, the lights around the altar should be on, and the altar should be illuminated (if there is a light on the altar itself, it can only be turned on when the oil lamp is lit, and it should not be kept on all the time);
  8. Any Buddha or Bodhisattva statues, offerings or materials cannot be placed in the air, but must be supported by a table, cabinet, shelf or other floor-standing object.
  9. After the Bodhisattva is enshrined, do not touch it casually. Generally, it does not need to be wiped. If there is a lot of dust, you can use a new cloth dipped in clean water to wipe it gently during the day, and recite the Heart Sutra while wiping. If you have to change the position, you must first burn incense and tell the Bodhisattva that you want to change the position, recite the Great Compassion Mantra 3 times and the Heart Sutra 3 times, and then wait until the incense is out before moving.