pagoda

1) What are the activities organized by Hsi Lai Temple?   (read)

2) Who may participate in these activities?   (read)

3) Is Buddhism taught in English?   (read)

4) What is Humanistic Buddhism? (read)

5) What are the steps to become an official Buddhist?   (read)

6) Why does Buddhism advocate a vegetarian diet for practicing Buddhists?   (read)

7) Why learn Buddhism? (read)

8) Why do people fold their palms? (read)

9) Why do Buddhists bow and prostrate to the Buddha? (read)

10) What is the purpose of prayer beads?   (read)

11) What do lotus blossoms signify?   (read)

12) Was the Buddha a God? (read)

13) Why do monks and nuns shave their heads?   (read)

14) Do all the monastics have incense marks?   (read)

15) What is the role of Hsi Lai monastics? (read)

16) Does Hsi Lai Temple offer tours of the temple? (read)

17) How do we practice Humanistic Buddhism at Hsi Lai?   (read)

18) What is Ch'an Buddhism?   (read)

19) What is Pure Land Buddhism?   (read)

20) What is the Origin of Ch'an?   (read)

21) How is Ch'an Practiced?   (read)

22) Why do Buddhists Wish to be Interred in or Near a Pagoda?   (read)

Do all the monastics have incense marks?

The custom of burning incense marks is unique to Chinese Buddhism. It did not exist in the earliest Buddhism and is not practiced in other countries. When Buddhism first reached China, in about 65 CE, the monastics were held in high regard by the society. During the Tang Dynasty (618 CE - 907 CE), the imperial court ordered that incense mark burning to be incorporated in the precept ceremony in order to prevent people from impersonating the monastics. This custom has been preserved to the present day.

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