• Food, symbolizes Dana, or selfless giving.
• Flowers, symbolize the changing nature of existence; the Buddha taught that all things in this world are in constant change and nothing is permanent.
• Incense, symbolizes the spirit of self-purification and self-dedication; there is a thought that, just as this incense burns, it is our joy to diffuse sweet fragrance.
• Gong: We listen to the resonance of the gong through to the soundless sound upon which meditation depends. The sounding of the gong has three purposes: to announce the service, to mark different phases of tempos during chanting; to aid in meditation; and to go beyond. |
