The etiquette of kneeling and worshiping while offering incense
It is advisable to follow the Buddhist system. The method of worshiping is different from the common system. The method of worshiping is detailed as follows:
(1) Two hands (Ten fingers together) and palms (slanted upward) as chest, stand in front of the futon, with both feet in a figure eight position, the distance between the left and right heels is about two inches, and the distance between the toes is about eight inches;
(2) Point your right palm downward and press it on the center of the futon. Keep your left palm still, spread your knees and kneel on the futon
(3) Press your left palm on the left side in front of the futon;
< p>(4) Move your right palm from the center to the right side in front of the futon, with the two palms about six inches apart;(5) Press your head on the futon between the two palms;
< p>(6) Turn the palms of both hands outwards (palms facing up, intending to hold the Buddha's feet with both hands, and hold the feet with the head and face in salute);(7) Turn the fingers of both hands over, still pressing on the futon the original place;
(8) Lift your head away from the futon;
(9) Move your right palm to the center of the futon;
(10) ) Lift the futon with your left palm and place it in front of your chest like palms together;
(11) Use your right palm to push up (leave both knees off the futon at the same time) and bring your left palm together as your chest. This is One prayer should be at least three, and if there are more, three numbers should be added together, such as six, nine, twelve, etc.
After bowing, there is one more salute, such as the secular bow, which is called interrogation. Just after bowing, when you put your hands together on your chest, you should put the joined palms slightly downward (at this time, bow) and bring them close. Abdomen. Then place the right palm inside the left palm, fold it into a fist position, and slowly raise it from bottom to top to be in line with the eyebrows (at this time, you have already bowed straight), then slowly lower your hands with your palms together as chest, palms upward, and fold your right hand to The left hand is at the top, and the two thumbs are connected. This is the Great Samadhi Seal (the Amitabha Seal is the left hand folded to the right and the rest is the same as the Samadhi Seal). This is after worshiping the Buddha, just lowering the head slightly, and then letting go of the hands.
Monarchs and ministers kneel down to worship
The ancients believed that if you don’t kneel down, it’s not called worship. Worship, in ancient times, meant to salute. According to the etiquette regulations of the Zhou Dynasty, strict regulations were made on the movements and objects of kneeling and worshiping. They were divided into bowing one's head, bowing one's head, and empty one's head, which were called "zhengbao". When performing the bowing ceremony, the worshiper must kneel down, place his left hand on his right hand, and support it on the ground. Then, he slowly kowtows to the ground and stays for a long time, with his hands in front of his knees and his head behind his hands. This is the most important of the "Nine Bows". etiquette. It is generally used for courtiers to pay homage to the king and to worship ancestors. (Later, it was used for monks to raise one hand to salute people, also called "Ji Shou".")
When performing the first salute, the rest are the same as Ji Shou. The difference is that when praying, you must kowtow quickly, with your forehead touching the ground. Worship. It is usually used to salute from the bottom to the top. (The two poems of "Dunshou" are also used at the beginning or end of letters, and are also used at the beginning and end to express respect for others.)
The lines are empty. When doing the first salute, you should kneel down on the ground, cup your hands together, and lower your head to your hands, keeping your heart level but not touching the ground. Therefore, it is called "empty head" and also called "hand worship". This is a kind of men's kneeling ceremony in the "Nine Bows". .
Others include vibration. Not only do you have to kneel down and bow your head, but you also have to "jump" after praying. Usually during funerals, worshipers often beat their chests, stamp their feet, jump and cry to express their feelings. Extremely sad, fierce prayers, that is, when bowing, bow the head first, and then empty the head; good prayers, when bowing, bow the head first, and then bow the head; odd bows, odd is an odd number, that is, one bow; praise bows, that is, bow again, Three times of worship. In ancient times, the most important thing was to pray again.
Supreme worship is a kind of kneeling ceremony for women in ancient times. After kneeling, they first put their hands on the ground and then lowered their heads. Therefore, it is also called "hands-down". Su means "hands-down". Therefore, in order to show respect to the other party in correspondence, women often bowed "hands-down", which is the origin.
After the Han Dynasty, high seats and stools gradually appeared, and people no longer "sit on the floor", which caused great changes in the original "kneeling and sitting" ceremony. It still exists, but it has become a symbol of hierarchy, and it is mainly used in official circles. For example, ministers worship the emperor, minor officials worship the master, and slaves sometimes have to perform three kowtows and nine bows. Customs such as offering sacrifices and celebrating birthdays are still passed down from generation to generation. Later, the addition of daqian (bending the left knee forward, bending the right leg backward, leaning the upper body slightly forward, and drooping the right hand during the salute) and bowing (clasping the hands together, cupping the hands). It was not until the victory of the Revolution of 1911 and the overthrow of the feudal monarchy system that had lasted for thousands of years that this kind of kneeling ceremony ended, and it still remains today when worshiping gods and ancestors.