Butsudan

Butsudan

A butsudan (佛壇 or 仏壇) is a shrine found in religious temples and homes of Japanese and other Buddhist cultures. A butsudan is a wooden cabinet with doors that enclose and protect a religious icon, typically a statue or a mandala scroll. The doors are opened to display the icon during religious observances. A butsudan usually contains subsidiary religious items called "butsugu," such as candlesticks, incense burners, bells, and platforms for placing offerings. Some buddhist sects place "ihai", memorial tablets for deceased relatives, within or near the butsudan.

Butsudan is a Buddhist shrine ranging from many sizes usually found in temples and homes. The Butsudan is a Japanese word that means Buddha's (butsu) House (dan)." The shrine is placed in the temple or home as a place of worship to the Buddha, the Law of the Universe, etc. Scrolls (honzon) or statues are placed in the butsudan and prayed to morning and evening. Zen Buddhists also meditate before it.

The original design for the butsudan came long before Japan itself. In India, people built altars the size of skyscrapers as an offering place to the Buddha Fact|date=July 2007. When Buddhism came to China and Korea, statues of the Buddha were placed on pedestals or platforms.

Storms blew the statues down and broke them (being so fragile)Fact|date=July 2007. This was an automatic sign of disrespect. To protect the statue of the buddha, or later scrolls, the Chinese and Koreans built walls and doors (like a closet) around it. They could then safely offer their prayers, incense, etc. to the statue or scroll without it falling and breaking.

The Japanese finally welcomed Buddhism after many years of Shintoism. They took in the religion along with the Butsudan. With many new sects being formed, the Butsudan was placed in many temples. The Japanese took the plain walls and doors and elaborately designed them. The butsudan became the focal point of every temple.

After time went on, people began having their own Butsudans installed into the home. Here they could pay respects to the Buddha, or the Law, along with the deceased. Butsudans were carried down the family line.

Today, many people no longer have time or room for their butsudan. They either give it away or discard them completely. Family butsudans are thrown away after hundreds of years of survival. Yet, it still remains the focal part of Japanese, and now international, Buddhist practice.

On the Butsudan is located a statue of the Buddha or a deity. A scroll with writing or pictures of the Buddha can be found in the highest and central point. Water and food (usually fruits or rice) is served beneath the statue or scroll. An incense burner is also found beneath the statue and in the center. Candles and flowers or evergreens are found surrounding the incense burners. Below that can be found the Buddhist bell rung during recitation of prayers.

In some Buddhist sects, such as Jodo Shinshu, have tablets with the names of deceased carved within. Other Buddhist sects, usually do not have these. Other things can be found such as samurai swords, pictures of deceased, etc.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Butsudan — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Un butsudan Un Butsudan (仏壇, Butsudan …   Wikipedia Español

  • Butsudan — Ein Butsudan (jap. 仏壇) ist ein Schrein in einem buddhistischen Tempel oder Kloster, oder auch ein buddhistischer Hausaltar in japanischen Wohnungen zur Dokumentation der Verbundenheit mit dem Buddhismus und zur Verehrung der Ahnen und der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Butsudan —   der, s/ e, schrankförmiger buddhistischer Hausaltar für den Totenkult in der japanischen Familie …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Butsudan — Exemple de butsudan. Un butsudan (仏壇, butsudan …   Wikipédia en Français

  • butsudan — ▪ Buddhist altar       in Japanese (Japan) households, the Buddhist family altar; historically, it was maintained in addition to the kamidana (“god shelf”). The Buddhist altar generally contains memorial tablets for dead ancestors and, in… …   Universalium

  • Butsudan —    Buddhist altar, found in the home of the senior living member of a family. This currently amounts to about 60% of Japanese homes. It generally enshrines the ancestors of the household, for whom Buddhist rites are performed on a daily or less… …   A Popular Dictionary of Shinto

  • butsudan — ˈbu̇tsəˌdän noun (plural butsudan or butsudans) Etymology: Japanese, from butsu Buddha + dan platform, altar : a small household Buddhist altar shelf found in many Japanese homes and bearing typically the image of the principal family deity and… …   Useful english dictionary

  • butsudan — noun A Buddhist shrine, comprising a wooden cabinet with doors that enclose and protect a religious icon …   Wiktionary

  • Butsudan — But|su|dan der; s, e jap.;zu Butsu »Buddha(figur)«> schrankförmiger buddhistischer Hausaltar für den Totenkult in der japan. Familie …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • Altar — For other uses, see Altar (disambiguation). Detail from Religion, Charles Sprague Pearce (1896). Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”