yeah......
understand.
as one goes along a step at a time deeper into the teachings of the
buddha, one will come across & understand the words of buddha
saying we do not worship him as a god for he said he was never a
god, he calls himself the enlightened one the awakened one. buddha
is a title of a position. buddha is not a word meaning deity or
god. he also did elaborate and encourage the use of buddhas &
bodhisattvas images in buddhist practice as a form of reminder,
concentration & invisible guidance. likewise, the mind can also
just picture an image of him for guidance if one chooses not to
want to use images. prostrating to buddha's image is not
worshipping him, it is an act of giving up our pride and self ego
and ready to absorb and learn the teachings from the teacher -
buddha. we bow to receive the teachings - from above the head, at
the forehead, at the throat, in the heart and fall all the way down
to the floor with our foreheads touching the floor in complete
egoless self to learn the teachings from him. this is not
worshipping at all. we do not just respect buddha alone, we respect
all things all beings equally... from ghost to tiny ants to big
animals to humans or up in heavens cos we are all still in
sufferings and we have to be kind & compassionate. to criticise
is not a good practice. but criticising and pointing out something
is also just a sheer very thin line apart in meaning. pointing out
the correct things & pointing out mistakes (ignorance,
stupidity, wrong direction) is showing compassion & saving
others, neither is that considered criticising nor
condemning.
k, well thanks for exchanging. its good to work the minds in
reality instead of always idling in conditioned dreams.
cheeers!