Flowers used in Buddhist worship signify that human life is not permanent but short lived like the life span of a flower.
Buddhists wedding ceremonies are not performed by monks. The ceremonies may go on for days at a stretch.
The creator of Zen Buddhism was a south-Indian prince, Bodhidharma, who became a monk. It is said he spent nine years staring at a wall in meditation. This wall was the wall of a cave in Mount Songshan, Hunan Province, China.
In Japan they have Bodhidharma “wish dolls” that have no eyes. When your wish comes true, you paint in the eyes.
Butter sculptures are an interesting feature in Tibetan Buddhism. Monks shape sculptures out of butter, constantly dipping their hands in cold water to keep the butter from melting. These sculptures are kept at family shrines and monastery altars as offerings.
Mounds of stones with the inscription ‘Om mani padme hum’ on each stone are a common sight in Tibet. On coming across such a mound, devout Buddhists walk around it clockwise, offer a prayer and then move on.
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