Buddha Quote
Sunday May 10, 2026
BowingWhy do some Buddhists not bow when they come across a Buddha
image? Do they not remember the significance of bowing? It is to
pay our homage to the Supreme One while humbling ourselves so
that we can be more willing to learn. We all know well that that
is just a block of wood, ceramic or metal. However, in the
moment of bowing, the Buddha image is envisioned to be the Buddha
Himself. It is taken to represent Him because the Buddha is not
visibly around now, and humans are creatures that need images for
remembrance. Why not bow when it takes only a little time and a
little effort? There are the two common causes (besides sheer
laziness) why one does not:
1. One is attached to the ego and
thus detaches from ceremony, as bowing helps to reduce the
ego.
2. One is already detached from the ego and thus sees no
point in bowing.
Don't ever overlook this simple gesture of
devotion. It is often not enough for us to just understand the
observances in Buddhism; we need to do them to truly benefit from
them.
It should be noted that it is still possible for a
Buddhist to bow with lots of pride in his bowing, bursting with
ego!
Which category do you belong to?
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