Katrina Rosales
Burning incense is a common practice in Buddhism, but its meaning and use vary across different schools of Buddhism. Incense is burned at altars and during daily chanting or meditation practice to focus attention, create a pure space, and soothe the mind. It is also offered as a sign of respect to a revered person or the Buddhist divinities. The origin of incense in Buddhism is unclear, but it is mentioned in the Pali Canon, scriptures that date to the life of the Buddha.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Incense offering | To focus attention and create a pure space for chanting or meditation practice |
| Incense burning | To purify the space, to show respect, to sanctify the space, to commemorate occasions such as funerals, to ward off bad luck, to repel insects |
| Incense as a timer | To know how long one has been meditating or praying |
| Incense type | Direct burning, indirect burning, loose incense, stick incense (bamboo-cored, coreless or solid), cone incense |
| Incense extinguishing | Waving the incense stick, fanning the flames with hands, holding the sticks straight up and jerking them down |
| Incense bowl | Ceramic or metal bowl filled with old incense ash, fine clean sand, uncooked rice |
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What You'll Learn
Incense as a purifier
Incense is a universal ritual in Buddhism, with its use stretching back to the beginning of human history. It is mentioned in the Pali Canon, scriptures that date back to the life of the Buddha. The burning of incense is an ancient practice found in all schools of Buddhism.
Incense is commonly seen as a purifier, with its sweet fragrance cleansing the air. It is used to purify the space, whether that is a meditation hall, temple, or one's own room. It is believed to create a tranquil and peaceful mood. The act of burning incense is also a way to show respect and to symbolically purify your space. It is often used to soothe one's mind and aid in meditation practice. The smell of incense is also believed to evoke the presence of Buddhist divinities.
In some schools of Buddhism, incense may have a particular symbolic meaning. For example, three sticks burned together might signify the Three Treasures or Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha (the Buddhist community). In Buddhist and Taoist cultures, incense is burned to commemorate various occasions, such as funerals, special ceremonies, daily prayers, paying respects to ancestors, and warding off bad luck.
The type of incense and method of burning may vary depending on the school of Buddhism and regional differences. For example, in Asian temples, huge coils of burning incense may be suspended from the ceilings, while Western Buddhists typically use stick or cone incense. There are two main types of stick incense: coreless or "solid" incense, which burns completely away, and incense with a bamboo core, which is more commonly used. There is also loose incense, which is burned by dropping grains of incense onto hot charcoal or embers.
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Incense as a timer
Burning incense is a universal ritual in Buddhism, with the practice stretching back to the beginning of human history. It is mentioned frequently in the Pali Canon, scriptures that date back to the life of the Buddha. Incense is burned for a variety of reasons, including as a way to show respect, to purify a space, to aid in meditation, and to symbolise the Three Treasures of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
Incense can also be used as a timer to measure the duration of a task, such as meditation or prayer. Direct-burning incense, which can be lit with a flame and then immediately blown out, will continue to burn until it is completely burned up or extinguished in water, sand, or dirt. This property of direct-burning incense makes it suitable for use as a timer. By judging the length of the incense stick and observing how much it has burned, one can estimate the elapsed time.
The use of incense as a timer can be especially useful during meditation or prayer sessions. By choosing an incense stick with an appropriate burn time, one can ensure that their practice stays on track and does not exceed or fall short of the intended duration. This can help maintain a consistent routine and provide a sense of structure to one's spiritual practice.
In addition to its practical use as a timer, the burning of incense also holds symbolic significance in Buddhism. The act of lighting incense and allowing it to burn slowly can represent the passage of time and the impermanence of all things. As the incense stick gradually burns down, it serves as a visual and olfactory reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the importance of making the most of the present moment.
The fragrance of the burning incense also plays a crucial role in its function as a timer. As the incense burns and its scent fills the air, it can help create a sense of calm and focus, enhancing one's meditation or prayer experience. The aroma of the incense can also serve as a subtle cue, signalling the beginning and end of the allotted time without disrupting the flow of one's practice.
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Incense as an offering
Burning incense is a universal ritual in Buddhism. It is a common offering made to a revered person as a sign of respect. In fact, according to the Pali Canon, scriptures that date to the life of the Buddha, incense was offered alongside flowers, food, drink, and even garments. Today, incense is offered at temple altars and home altars. When visiting temples or attending services, people offer incense by placing it in the temple's incense burner, typically a large metal urn.
The use of incense in Buddhist temples is one way to create a sense of peace and sanctity. Buddhist temples mainly use scented wood and herbs to offer a pleasant, aesthetically pleasing-smelling smoke. Incense is commonly seen as a purifier, its sweet fragrance cleansing the air, purifying one's thoughts and actions, and creating a tranquil mood. It is believed to help soothe the mind and aid in meditation practice. In some schools, incense may have a particular symbolic meaning. For example, three sticks burned together might signify the Three Treasures, or Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha or the Buddhist monk community.
The smell of incense is also believed to symbolise Buddha dharma, a truth that awakens us. When offering incense at memorial services, the fragrance is a reminder that a loved one's physical form has disappeared, but through our memories, thoughts and feelings, our connection to that person remains. The act of burning incense is also believed to help accumulate "good" karma or merit that extinguishes sins and enables one to go to the Pure Land when they die.
In terms of the types of incense used, stick incense is much more commonly used in a Buddhist temple. There is also a kind of loose incense that is burned by dropping grains of incense onto hot charcoal. The coreless or "solid" incense variety is more appropriate for Buddhism because it burns completely away, but the bamboo-cored incense stick is more commonly used. In some Asian temples, huge coils of burning incense are suspended from the ceilings.
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Incense as a sign of respect
Burning incense is a universal ritual in Buddhism, and it is mentioned frequently in the Pali Canon, scriptures that date back to the life of the Buddha. Incense is burned at Buddhist altars all over the world, and it is also offered at temple altars. Incense is often offered before chanting or meditation to focus the mind and create a pure space.
The use of incense in Buddhism is thought to stretch back to the beginning of human history. In ancient times, incense was offered as a gift to revered persons, alongside flowers, food, drink, and garments. This tradition of offering incense as a gift or offering is a sign of respect.
In some Buddhist traditions, such as Jodo Shinshu, incense is burned during sermons to repel insects, following a story in which the Buddha was giving a sermon and a disciple swatted a mosquito. The use of incense in this way is also a sign of respect, as it avoids the needless taking of life.
The smell of incense is also significant in Buddhism. It is considered a "divine odour", evoking the presence of Buddhist divinities. The fragrance is thought to symbolise the Buddha dharma, a truth that awakens us, and it is believed that, like the smoke of incense, the dharma subtly sinks into our bodies and minds.
In Buddhist and Taoist cultures, incense is burned to commemorate various occasions, including funerals, special ceremonies, daily prayers, and paying respect to ancestors. It is also used to ward off bad luck and create a sense of peace and sanctity.
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Incense as a symbol of the Three Treasures
Burning incense is a universal ritual in Buddhism, though its meaning and use vary across different types of Buddhism. In general, incense is used to purify the space and create a tranquil mood. It is also used as an offering of respect and welcome to the Buddhas, akin to putting flowers on the table when you are expecting guests to dinner.
In some schools of Buddhism, incense may have a particular symbolic meaning. For instance, in Nichiren Buddhism, three sticks of incense burned together are meant to represent the Three Treasures (or the Three Jewels/Triple Gem in Mahayana and Theravada traditions): the treasure of the Buddha, the treasure of the law or the Dharma (the Buddha's teachings), and the treasure of the priesthood or the Sangha (the community of Buddhists). In the Theravada tradition, the three sticks of incense are placed as an offering in front of a statue of the Buddha.
The number three is significant in Buddhism, and burning three sticks of incense together is believed to be auspicious. The act of burning incense is also a symbol of the unity of oneself, the Buddha, and all beings, as well as a visual reminder of impermanence. The Zen school of Buddhism believes that unlit incense represents the potential in unawakened beings, and once it is lit, the ephemeral smoke mirrors the transitory nature of life.
The fragrance of the incense is also symbolic. It is said to be the fragrance of pure ethical discipline, which emanates from people who possess it. The smell of incense is also thought to echo the smell of the Pure Land, the realm where Pure Land Buddhists believe they will be reborn if they devote themselves to the Amida Buddha and perform good actions.
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Frequently asked questions
Burning incense is a universal ritual in Buddhism. It is believed to purify the space and create a tranquil mood for meditation. It is also used to show respect and as a way to accumulate good karma.
There are two main types of incense burning in Buddhism: direct burning and indirect burning. Direct-burning incense can be lit with a flame and then blown out, while indirect burning incense requires a separate heat source like charcoal.
The two types of direct-burning incense are coreless or "solid" incense and incense with a bamboo core. The coreless variety is more appropriate for Buddhism as it burns completely away, but the bamboo-cored variety is more commonly used.
Indirect-burning incense, also known as loose incense, is typically made of wood or herbal powders. It is burned by dropping grains of incense onto hot charcoal or embers.
In Asia, it is considered disrespectful to blow out the flame of an incense stick. Instead, the correct practice is to wave the stick to put it out, fan the flames with the hands, or hold the sticks straight up and then jerk them down quickly.
