Zendo Altar

As is customary in the Zen, school, the primary figure on the mail altar is Manjusri Bodhisattva, the manifestation of prajna wisdom. Manjusri holds a two-edged sword which cuts through delusion and gives rise to wisdom. This is sometime expressed as “taking away life and giving life” in one action. In Manjusri’s left hand, he holds a scroll of sutras, the teachings. The statue of Manjusri on our altar, riding on a lion, was sculpted by Yoshitaku Kuroda, the youngest brother of Maezumi Roshi.

Certain items on the altar are placed in direct line with Manjusri, and all other items in symmetry on either side of the altar. This is a general rule for altar arrangements.

In direct line with Manjusri, you will find a cup filled with water, symbolizing purity and fluidity. Next in line is the incense bowl, although in it you will find lavender buds which serve as a smokeless offering. The bronze pieces were all gifts of the Kuroda Family, the founding family of ZCLA.

On either side of the altar, a tall candle on the right symbolizes the light of wisdom and the element of fire. On the left, a vase of flowers symbolizes impermanence, transiency, and the earth element. The verse in a frame requests protection while we ourselves walk the path to Buddhahood. The kyosaku or waking stick, is placed on one side of the altar, when it is not being used. Manjusri is flanked by greenery.

The brown mat (haishiki) in front of the altar is used by the abbot for bowing.

It is our practice to always approach the altar with utmost respect. Primarily, we think of all Buddha and bodhisattva figures as representations of our own essential nature. To bow to Manjusri is to bow as Manjusri; to bow to Buddha is to know oneself as Buddha. However, we also offer our humble appreciation to the founder of the Buddhist tradition, and to all our ancestors, and to the great power of the Bodhisattva ideal. Essentially, our aim should be the recognition of the non-duality between our own True Nature and that of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, just as we practice to recognize the non-dual nature of self and other, whether that be a teacher, a fellow sangha member, a person on the street, or the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space.