Putting animal figurines on the altar

[Dolce Vita]

I have just learned something new and interesting yesterday. I went to visit my friend yesterday and on his altar, I saw some elephants, nicely arranged. This is something I have not seen of, he explained to me that those animals are also offerings to the protector. Offering animals signifies that when we need help, protector can come even faster, because he has all the resources he needs to help us. Nice... a nice idea for me to decorate my altar.

[Positive Change]

One can offer many types of animal figurines on the altar... for example: horse, lion, cat, dog, goat, phoenix, etc. However, as with offerings to our Lama or Guru, whatever that we find precious or that we love, we offer, as it comes from the heart with a pure motivation. I love making offerings on my altar!

When it comes to the different types of offerings, can someone explain to me what the individual offerings mean? For example, water, candles, food, precious jewels, etc etc... It sounds dense of me but I have always loved making offerings but sometimes i just wonder what the deeper significance and/or meaning behind it...

[DharmaSpace]

Thats interesting yeah I saw a lot of animals on the altar of another protector before. In the entourage of the protectors there are all kinds of beings all ready to be of service to the dharma.Will keep an eye out for animal figurines then.

[Dolce Vita]

In the typical 8 sensory offerings, from left to right, they are namely:
1) water - drinking water offered to the Buddha, represents Buddha's speech,
2) water - water offered to the Buddha to clean, represents Buddha's body,
3) flower - represents sight,
4) incense - represents smell,
5) candle - represents mind (represents also Buddha's mind),
6) perfume - represents touch,
7) food - represent taste,
music - represent hearing

By making the 8 sensory offerings, we are creating causes for us to be reborn in a favourable place where we will have all the resources we need to continue our Dharma practice. It also represents our wish to be free from the attachments created by our 5 senses.

I think in a way by offering the things that we like to Buddha, we are also trying to offer our attachment to these things to Buddha. When we are very attached to something, we are creating sufferings to ourselves because if we ever lose them, we will become very sad, then we suffer.

[thor]

I have heard a story about offering animal figurines from my Lama. It was specifically related to the dharma protector Setrab. When Lama Loden Sherab was bringing Setrab from India to Tibet, the journey was long and tiring, and the landscape was barren and empty, unlike the lush forests and jungles of India. As they journeyed along, Lord Setrab began to 'miss' the landscapes of India. As an offering to Setrab, Lama Loden Sherab then manifested a lush jungle surrounding them, complete with tigers, elephants, etc and Setrab was very pleased with this offering.

So our offering animals on the altar is reminiscent of this significant offering by Lama Loden Sherab to Protector Setrab. If you read the Kangso of Setrap, there is a section which mentions various animals including cocks, snakes etc.

[nagaseeker]

 
i had about 10 animals figurines offered on my protector altar , not really sure what does it mean but i guess it is a good thing to do ~ 

i even though of making a diorama that looks like india's lush forests ,the scale is about 3ft by 5 ft , with a small waterfall on the left and put a 12 inch of Setrab statue in the middle of the jungle with lots of animals figurines around it . On the right is a snow mountain which represent Tibet .... . Never done any diorama before so the project been stalling for months .Will post up the picture of it once i get it done~!

[shugdenprotect]

Thanks to everyone for this informative post. It is always awesome to learn the significance f the most intricate details of Dharma!

Besides, the significance of the offering, I also learn from my Guru that making offerings to the Buddha is an opportunity for us to develop a habit of generosity. It may be surprising "news" that some practitioners find it hard to offer objects up to the Buddhas. Perhaps, in being too engrossed in worldly matters, we do not realize that the Buddhas have no use for all the objects we offer up to them. This is the level of their compassion and wisdom: even in making offerings to the Buddhas, it is US WHO BENEFIT.

In making offerings, we learn to overcome miserliness, which is one of the causes of being reborn in the hungry ghost realm.

[kris]

I would think that offering anything which we like to the Buddha is an offering. May be your friend like the cute animals, and he offers them to protector to make connection. I felt what object we offer does not really matter, as long they are something we like (can be MP3 player, etc).

To me, offering is a way to counter our attachments.

[michaela]

What is the significance or the meaning of offering animals in the altar?  I understand that we offered anything that is precious to us to the holy beings.  But, are there any specific meanings for offerings animal figurines in the altar?

[negra orquida]

Thanks for sharing, Dolce Vita =D

In the typical 8 sensory offerings, from left to right, they are namely:
1) water - drinking water offered to the Buddha, represents Buddha's speech,
2) water - water offered to the Buddha to clean, represents Buddha's body,
3) flower - represents sight,
4) incense - represents smell,
5) candle - represents mind (represents also Buddha's mind),
6) perfume - represents touch,
7) food - represent taste,
8 ) music - represent hearing

I just learnt today another interpretation for the offering of flowers and incense.  Offering of flowers could also represent the impermanence of beauty, as a beautiful flower will eventually wilt and die.  Incense: straight and tall incense sticks represent direct single pointed focus for Dharma.

[Poonlarp]

I have heard a story about offering animal figurines from my Lama. It was specifically related to the dharma protector Setrab. When Lama Loden Sherab was bringing Setrab from India to Tibet, the journey was long and tiring, and the landscape was barren and empty, unlike the lush forests and jungles of India. As they journeyed along, Lord Setrab began to 'miss' the landscapes of India. As an offering to Setrab, Lama Loden Sherab then manifested a lush jungle surrounding them, complete with tigers, elephants, etc and Setrab was very pleased with this offering.

So our offering animals on the altar is reminiscent of this significant offering by Lama Loden Sherab to Protector Setrab. If you read the Kangso of Setrap, there is a section which mentions various animals including cocks, snakes etc.

Yes, I also heard the similar story before, but I also found another version regards Lord Setrab:

Setrab is an enlighten protector who has no attachment towards anything, the story was told this way because Setrab wanted to create more chance for people to do offerings to gain more merits and have stronger connection with him.

I think both also make sense. 

[Gabby Potter]

Thank you Positive Change for clearing my questions. I have always had, I would say questions or doubts on what to offer and what not to. I have learnt that we can offer anything we love as long as it doesn't involve killing.

[Pema8]

I didn't know about water offering representing Buddha's speech and Buddha's body.

Thank you for bringing this up and clearing. It will give more meaning to my offerings.

[Dondrup Shugden]

I have a beautiful crystal elephant gifted to me by my Dharma sister and I have always put it on my altar.  Glad to know that it is in order.

It is true that making offerings to the Buddha should be items that we love and in such a way will remove our acute attachment to materialistic items.

More important though is to offer all our wrong doings and wrong views so that we can rid of them.  I asked my Guru whether such an offering is really not fair to the Buddhas and is very bad.  I was then told that the Buddhas do not have the Karma to be affected by all our ''nasties'' but will purify them.  How wonderful, I also realise that in such an offering, we become aware of our own ''nasties'' and do our best to also rectify same.

As the saying goes "GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES".

[grandmapele]

That's interestting. It surely would be very visually pleasing if we add animal figurines to spruce up the altar. Just wonder if only certain types of animals are encouraged or all types of animals