Schools > Students > Ages 15-16 > Worship and celebration > Shrine room etiquetteShrine Room Etiquette
Why do Buddhists bow?
Like so many aspects of Buddhist practice, there are as many answers to this as there Buddhists - it is an individual affair. However, most Buddhists put their hands together and bow when they see a buddhist shrine as a sign of respect. It is like saying they feel OK with the Buddha and are open to learning from him. A disciple bows to a master for this reason. In the same way, karate students bow to their sensei (teacher) when they enter the dojo (training space). By lowering their heads they are doing a ritual action that symbolises accepting the guidance and discipline of a teacher. When we do a ritual action like this it can be more powerful than just thinking, because it is a bodily action and that gives it more weight, has more influence on our minds.
A bow could be little more than a slight nod of the head, or could be a full-length prostration, where the front of one's body is against the floor, with one's nose pressed against the ground! You can imagine the effect that could have on one's ego or pride! It is actually a sign of maturity to acknowledge that someone is greater than oneself - not putting oneself down but recognising that objectively they are better in certain respects. If one doesn't have a sense of reverence, receptive to something higher, then we won't aspire to become greater than we already are.
What do you think about this?