Superstitious

There are many superstitious things that Buddhist believes in. Things that they can collect merits such as burning a lot of incenses, asking or monk’s blessing, getting merits by visiting Buddhist holy sites and so forth. To my understanding, burn incense is to remind us of our virtue. Do we have any virtue? Fruit offer is to remind us whether we have cultivated our self or not? Flower offer is to remind us phenomenon is impermanent. There won’t be any merit to collect if we don’t use these to reflect on ourselves.

During the trip to Sri Lanka, our tour guide BH offered some incenses to me. I said no thank you. I have my own incense, right inside me to offer to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. She also gave me a plate of flowers so that I could offer it to the Buddha at the Tooth temple. She insisted that I must have this. I could not go in with empty hands. Sigh. Someone in the group asked: “How come some plates have lotus flowers and my plate has none?” I asked: “Does it matter?” Does a lotus flower awaken you to enlightenment?

Our group seemed to enjoy the blessings from the monks. They requested the Thai monks in Thailand to bless them. When we were at the Sri Dalada Maligawa Tooth temple at Kandy, they got the blessing from various head monks. AC asked why I didn’t ask for blessing. I said thank you very much, I have my own blessing. I don’t dare to take up anyone’s blessing from now on. I have learnt my lesson back in the year 2013 India trip. 

I walked around the Bodhi tree at the Kelaniya temple. AC asked: “Why did you walk around the tree? Are you asking for any merit?” I said: “No, I am not asking any merit. I walk around the tree because I see this tree as I see Buddha. I see Buddha’s teachings. I see impermanence. I see a great man who stroke for liberation not for himself but for all human beings. I pay respect to my great teacher.” Why on earth would I ask for merit in this way?

Buddha taught us in The Kalama sutta:
Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.