From news.scruz.net!bulb.garlic.com!news.vbc.net!vbcnet-west!knews.uk0.vbc.net!vbcnet-gb!azure.xara.net!xara.net!news-feed.inet.tele.dk!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!howland.erols.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.ispn.net!not-for-mail Wed May 7 12:40:57 1997 Path: news.scruz.net!bulb.garlic.com!news.vbc.net!vbcnet-west!knews.uk0.vbc.net!vbcnet-gb!azure.xara.net!xara.net!news-feed.inet.tele.dk!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!howland.erols.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.ispn.net!not-for-mail From: "The Puddies" Newsgroups: talk.religion.buddhism Subject: Re: Water and Buddhism? Date: 7 May 1997 11:14:45 GMT Organization: Internet Services Provider Network Lines: 40 Message-ID: <01bc5ad8$d3e44700$24bc85d0@evelyn-s-pc> References: <3370217E.3841@bconnex.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: monroe-406.dialup.frontiercomm.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1155 sandyc wrote in article <3370217E.3841@bconnex.net>... > I have a simple query I'm hoping someone out there can satisfy. And > that query is this: What is the Buddhist relation to water? I ask this > in the same sense that Christians baptize; and, similarly, that ancient > Romans had to cross a body of water before they could enter the > underworld. Are there potent symbols of water in Buddhism? These are > not well phrased questions but I am not yet sure of exactly what I seek. > > Sandy Campbell. Sandy, Buddhists use water in ceremonies often, just as many other religions do. It is used as a purification of the mouth, symbolic of speech, prior to empowerment ceremonies, and during them, for the same reason, with the additive of a bit of saffron as a flavoring agent. We also place bowls of water on our home shrines, for the purpose of representing clear mind, unsullied by mud or other impurities. We also use the bowls of water as a symbolic offering of thirst quenching pure water to all beings. Evelyn > -- ****************************************************** Peter and Evelyn Ruut ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._ `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.___.`) (_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-' _..`--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ' (il),-'' (li),' ((!.-'' "We are what we think, all that we are arises with our thoughts" The Dhammapada ******************************************************