bowing

"The Buddhist practice of bowing to the Buddha . . . diminishes one's habits of self-importance, pride, and arrogance. It is also a good physical exercise that can make the body strong. . . ." (WM 38)

"Bowing is an important practice in Buddhism. It involves a full prostration-the placing of the forehead, forearms, and knees on the ground in a total gesture of reverence and of worship. It is usually done before an image of the Buddha, a Bodhisattva, a sage, or before a holy text. It is a misconception, though, to think that the worshipper is bowing to a statue of the Buddha, to a wooden or stone or clay image. The Buddha we bow to is the Buddha inside our true minds, the pure good, and perfect spiritual nature that has no shape or form. Images of the Buddha are simply symbols of the real thing." (PDS, Feb. 1984, p. 4)

Seven Ways to Bow

"There are seven different ways that people bow to the Buddha:

"1) The first is 'arrogant bowing', and describes a person who, although he or she bows to the Buddha, still has a mark of a self. When someone like this bows to the Buddha, it is forced and is accompanied by thoughts like this: 'What am I doing bowing to the Buddha? Why do I have to bow to him?' A person like this becomes annoyed at being forced to put his head down. He sees everyone else bowing and feels that if he does not bow along with them, he will stand out, and so out of embarrassment he bows to the Buddha. Although he bows, his mark of self is still not empty; on the contrary, he is filled with arrogance. . . .

"2) The second kind of bowing is called 'seeking for fame'. This category describes one who hears others praising a cultivator saying, 'That person bows often and really cultivates vigorously; he bows to the Buddhas, he bows to sutras, and he bows repentance ceremonies. He is truly a diligent cultivator. Upon hearing the praise of this cultivator, he also wishes to be recognized as a cultivator, and so he begins vigorously bowing to the Buddha. Although he finds pleasure in bowing, he does not truly bow to the Buddha; he is bowing for recognition. He is seeking recognition as a cultivator, and the pleasure he finds is in that recognition and in his dreams of fame. . . .

"With the first, arrogant bowing, you see others bowing, and so you bow along, but you think to yourself, 'Oh, this is really superstitious. Of what possible use could it be?' The second, 'seeking for fame', is not performed because you believe or do not believe; you bow because you see someone else bowing and receiving offerings, respect and others' praise. Since you too wish to receive offerings, respect, and praise, you bow to the Buddha.

"3) The third is called 'bowing with body and mind concurring'. . . . It describes a person who bows when he sees others bowing. In mindless imitation, both his body and his mind go along with what everyone else is doing. He doesn't have the slightest concern as to whether bowing to the Buddha is beneficial or not, or whether it is reasonable or superstitious. You do not seek for recognition; you just follow along with everyone else, you body and mind concurring. This kind of bowing has no real benefits and no real faults.

"4) The fourth kind of bowing is called 'wise and pure'. 'Wise' refers to the functioning of wisdom, and 'pure' refers to the development of purity. It describes one who uses true wisdom to purify his body and mind. People who are wise use this method to bow to the Buddha, and by doing so, they purify the Three Karmas of body, mouth, and mind.

"When someone uses this fourth method to bow to the Buddha, his bodily karma is correct inasmuch as he does not kill, steal, commit sexual misconduct, and so in this way his bodily karma is purified. When he uses this method to bow to the Buddha, he entertains no thoughts of greed, hatred, or stupidity, rather he possesses the wisdom born from singlemindedly and respectfully bowing to the Buddha, and so his karma of mind also becomes pure. When someone bows to the Buddha, he also recites the Buddha's name, and by doing so, or by holding and reciting Sutras and mantras, his mouth karma is also correct and devoid of any harsh speech, false speech, irresponsible speech or duplicity and is thereby purified. When the Three Karmas of body, mouth, and mind are pure, this is called 'wise and pure bowing', with which one uses true wisdom to bow to the Buddha.

"5) The fifth kind of bowing is called 'pervading everywhere throughout the Dharma-realm'. . . . It describes one who, when bowing, contemplates: 'Although I have not yet become a Buddha in body, the nature of my mind fills the Dharma-realm. As I bow before this one Buddha, I bow everywhere before all Buddhas. I am not just bowing before one Buddha; my transformation bodies bow before each Buddha, simultaneously making offerings to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.'

"Consider that 'everything is made from the mind alone', and so one's mind totally pervades the Dharma-realm (see entry). One's bowing practice totally pervades the Dharma-realm. What is the Dharma-realm? All of the Great World-Systems of a Billion Worlds (see world-systems) are contained within it. In fact, nothing is outside of the Dharma-realm. With this kind of bowing, you contemplate your respectful bowing pervading everywhere throughout the Dharma-realm. . . .

"6) The sixth is called 'sincerely cultivating proper contemplation.' One who cultivates proper concentration is one who concentrates his mind and contemplates: 'Bowing to the Buddha is bowing to the Buddhas of the Dharma-realm; bowing to the Buddhas of the Dharma-realm is just bowing to one Buddha.' This is because 'all Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time share one Dharma-body in common, and all Buddhas' lands and ways are identical.' A concentrated mind must be used to bow to the Buddha, to contemplate the Buddha, and to cultivate, so that you will not have polluted thoughts.

"It is not considered to be proper concentration if when you are bowing, your mind runs off to the movies, or to the race track, or goes off hunting, or to a dance hall, a bar, or a restaurant. You need not purchase a ticket for your mind to travel off in all directions. With no travel arrangements at all, suddenly it is in the heavens, and suddenly it is on earth. Sometimes your mind will fly off to New York and then for no apparent reason, it comes back to San Francisco. You think, 'Oh, I was here bowing to the Buddha and then I went to New York, only to fly back to San Francisco again. This must be a spiritual power!'

"In fact, that is not even a ghostly power, let alone a spiritual power. It is nothing more than polluted thought and is called deviant contemplation or improper contemplation. If you cultivate with proper contemplation, you will not have these polluted thoughts. You would bow to the Buddha with an undivided mind.

"'Sincerely cultivating' means that when you bow once, that surpasses one million bows made by someone who bows while having polluted thoughts. And so in cultivating, 'when you reach the gate, you enter.' You should understand this Dharma-door, because if you do not, then when you see others bowing to the Buddha, you will not bow the way they do but instead will think, 'As soon as I'm finished bowing, I'm going to have a cup of coffee, or perhaps I'll have a drink.' People like that have no control over their minds, and after they have finished bowing, they run off to have a drink.

"The problem is not only do they themselves go out to have a drink, but they drag everyone else out with them. That is really pitiful. That is not 'cultivating purely with proper contemplation', but is a form of deviant contemplation, because if you have false thoughts while you are bowing, your worship is devoid of any merit and virtue.

"7) The seventh is called the 'true mark of impartial bowing'. It describes a person who bows and yet does not bow; who does not bow while he bows. When I say this, some of you are thinking, 'You say we should bow and yet not bow, and not bow and yet bow. Therefore, if I don't bow to the Buddha, won't I be bowing to the Buddha?' That is not what I mean. With this kind of bowing, although you bow to the Buddha, you are not attached to a mark of bowing to the Buddha. You cannot distort the meaning and say that while you are not bowing to the Buddha, it counts as bowing to the Buddha. One who speaks in that way is mentally disturbed.

"For example, recently someone told me he had attained the void. That is an extremely stupid thing to say. What is more, people like that cannot be helped, and there is no way to save them because their heavy attachment-nature makes them too stupid.

"The 'true mark of impartial bowing' means that 'I am bowing to the Buddha, I am impartially bowing to the Triple Jewel; I am reverent to the Buddha, reverent to the Dharma, and reverent to the Sangha. Although I bow in this way, I, nevertheless, do not discriminate that I am bowing and 'not one thought is produced, nor is one thought destroyed'. This is the Dharma of the 'true mark of impartial bowing'. It is a Dharma which involves neither coming into being nor ceasing to be: 'When not even one thought arises, the entire substance appears.' When you bow to the Buddha to the point that not even one thought is produced, you cause your body to manifest throughout the entire Dharma-realm. Although your body is bowing here, it is the same size as the Dharma-realm. This is just the true mark that has no mark. You bow until there are no people, no self, no living beings, and no lifespan. You become one and the same substance with the Dharma-realm. Your body is the Dharma-realm; the Dharma-realm is your body.

"Is this not wonderful? Before your body was just a speck on Mount Sumeru, and Mount Sumeru was the size of a dust-mote in the Dharma-realm. But when your reach the point of the 'true appearance which has no appearance,' Mount Sumeru is contained within your Dharma-body. You now contain Mount Sumeru. Is this not wonderful? You contain absolutely everything; everything in the universe is contained within your nature, and you understand everything. The true mark of impartial bowing is an inconceivable state. If you can reach this state while bowing to the Buddha, can you then explain all of its wonderful aspects? No, they are ineffable." (UW 19-23)

(Source: Epstein, 2003: pp. 26 -29)

1) Chinese Mandarin: bai , li bai , ding li ; 2) Sanskrit: vandana, vandaniya...; 3) Pali: abhivadeti; 4) Alternate Translations: full prostration.

See also: faith.

Buddhist Text Translation Society (http://www.BTTSonline.org) References: WM 38-39; SV 57; UW 18-25; PDS "Seven Types of Bowing: What Happens When People Bow"; WOH; TS.

(NOTE: Numerous corrections and enhancements have been made under Shastra tradition and "Fair Use" by an Anonymous Buddhist Monk Redactor (Compiler) of this Online Buddhist Encyclopedia Compilation)

Primary Original Source: The Tripitaka Sutra, Shastra and Vinaya teachings
(as found in the scripture storehouse of the Indian Sanskrit-Siddham, Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese traditions of the Nalanda Tradition of ancient Nalanda University) of Shakyamuni Buddha, and his Arya Sagely Bodhisattva Bhikshu Monk and Upasaka disciples.

These Good and Wise Advisors (Kaliyanamitra) Dharma Master teachers include Arya Venerables Nagarjuna, Ashvaghosha, Aryasura, Kumarajiva, Shantideva, Chandrakirti, Chandragomin, Vasubandhu, Asanga, Hui Neng, Atisha, Kamalashila, Dharmarakshita, Tsong Khapa, Thogme Zangpo, Patanjali, Sushruta, Charaka, Vagbhata, Nichiren, Hsu Yun, Hsuan Hua, Shen Kai, Tenzin Gyatso, Kyabje Zopa, Ajahn Chah, Vasant Lad, and other modern day masters. We consider them to be in accord with Master Hsuan Hua’s "Seven Guidelines for Recognizing Genuine Teachers"

Nalanda Online University's teachings are based especially on the Dharma Flower Lotus Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Shurangama Sutra, the Ksitigarbha Sutra, the Bhaisajya Guru Sutra, the Dharani Sutra, the Vajra Sutra, the Prajna Paramita Hridayam Sutra, the Guhyasamaja, the Kalachakra and their commentaries (shastras) by the above Arya Tripitakacharya Dharma Masters.

At Nalanda Online University we practice daily and introduce you to (via downloadable multimedia MP3 audio and WMV video lectures) the teachings and practices of the Five Traditions transmitted by the Buddha Shakyamuni:

1. Teaching School (Mahayana Sutrayana - Paramitayana - Hua Yan and Tian Tai, Yogachara, Nalanda Prasangika Madhyamika, Theravada Sutta)

See also: Tripitaka (1. Sutras, 2. Vinaya, 3. Shastras or Abhidharma, or Tantra), Taisho Catalog Numbering System, Dharma, and names of individual sutras (such as Shurangama Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra [Flower Adornment Sutra], Lotus Sutra [Wonderful Dharma Flower Sutra], Earth Store Sutra, Dharani Sutra, Brahma Net Sutra, Medicine Master Buddha Sutra, Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, Sutra in 42 Sections, Sutra on the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching, et al.

2. Moral Regulations School (Vinaya Pratimoksha Shila - Bodhisattva Pranidhana - Vajrayana-Samaya - Yogic Yama)

3. Esoteric School (Vajrayana - Mantrayana - Tantrayana - Dharani - Secret School of the Mahayana)

4. Meditation School (Indian Dhyana Samadhi - Shamatha - Vipassana, Chinese Chan, Japanese Zen,
        Tibetan Mahamudra of Kagyupa, and Tibetan Dzogchen of Nyingmapa)

5. Pure Land Devotional School (Bhakti Puja - Buddha-Bodhisattva Mindfulness and Nama Japa --
         Name Recitation of Buddhas Amitabha-Amitayus, Medicine Buddha - Bhaisajya Guru - Akshobhya,
         and Bodhisattvas: Avalokiteshvara-Guanyin-Chenrezig-Mahakala, Tara, Samantabhadra Universal Worthy,
         Manjushri-Kalarupa Great Wisdom, Maitreya Great Loving-Kindness, Mahasthamaprapta Great Strength,
         Ksitigarbha - Earth Store Great Vows, Vajrapani, Vajrasattva,
         Chandraprabha Moonlight Radiance, Suryaprabha Sunlight Radiance, Medicine King Bodhisattva, Medicine Superior Bodhisattva
         and others Dharma Protecting Dharmapala Lokapala Bodhisattvas, Gods and Goddesses)

Compilation Sources for the Above Material on the Teachings of the Buddha:

Primary Compilation Source: Epstein, Ronald B., Ph.D, compiler, Buddhist Text Translation Society's Buddhism A to Z, Burlingame, California: Buddhist Text Translation Society, 2003. ISBN: 0881393533 Paperback: 284 pages. www.BTTSOnline.org www.Amazon.com
http://www.bttsonline.org/product.aspx?pid=118 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881393533/ref=ase_medicinebuddh-20

Secondary Compilation Source: The Seeker’s Glossary of Buddhism, 2nd ed., San Francisco, California: Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada, 1998: www.budaedu.org.tw

Secondary Compilation Source: Muller, Charles, editor, Digital Dictionary of Buddhism [DDB], Toyo Gakuen University, Japan, 2007: Username is "guest", with no password.
http://buddhism-dict.net/ddb - Based in large part on the Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms with Sanskrit and English Equivalents (by Soothill and Hodous) Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass, 1997.

Secondary Compilation Source: Ehrhard, Diener, Fischer, et al, The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen, Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, 1991. 296 pages. ISBN 978-0-87773-520-5 www.Shambhala.com, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0877735204/ref=ase_medicinebuddh-20,
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-0-87773-520-5.cfm

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Sarva Mangalam.
May all be Auspicious.

Arya Bhikshu Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacharyavatara says:
Just as Manjushri works
To fulfill the aims of all limited beings
To the far reaches of space in the ten directions,
May my behavior become just like that.

For as long as space remains,
And for as long as wandering beings remain,
May I too remain for that long,
Dispelling the sufferings of wandering beings.

(Like Ananda says in the Shurangama Sutra introduction to the Shurangama Mantra,
"And even could the nature of shunyata melt away, my vajra-like Supreme Resolve would still remain unmoved.)

Whatever sufferings wandering beings might have,
May all of them ripen on me,
And through the Bodhisattva assembly,
May wandering beings enjoy happiness.

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the sole medicine for the sufferings of wandering beings
And the source of all happiness,
Continue to endure for a very long time,
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Updated May 10, 2008