Basic Knowledge of the Pilgrimage (4) Worship Procedures
1. Bow once at the temple gate
When you arrive at a temple, stop in front of the sanmon (or niomon), which is the boundary between the secular ground and the spiritual ground, take off your hat, and bow in the direction of the hondō,the main hall of the temple. At this time, be careful not to cross the threshold between the precincts and outside.
2. Purify yourself
After passing through the gate, there is a temizuya (water purification stand).
Wash your hands with the ladle provided and rinse your mouth to purify your body inside and outside. Here's how:
- First, pour some water on your left palm.
- Switch hands and pour water over your right palm.
- Switch hands again and pour water into your left palm, then either sip a little water from your palm and then spit it out or just bring it up to touch your lips.
- Finally, tilt the ladle so that the handle faces the ground, and pour the remaining water from the ladle onto the ground. This cleans the ladle for the next person to use it.
3. Bell ringing
Ring the bell once at the belfry. It is meant to let you know that you have come to visit the principal image. Some temples stop visitors from ringing the bell. Ringing the bell before leaving the temple is considered a bad omen.
4. Go to the Hondō
- Proceed to the hondō and offer one candle and three sticks of incense (for the past, present, and future).
- Put your osamefuda (name slip) and any copied sutras you have prepared into the boxes in front of the hondō.
- There is a bell called a waniguchi in front of the hondō, with a long string hanging down. Ring once.
- Offer some small change. Instead of throwing it in, put it gently into the offertory box as a token of your gratitude.
- After offering money, put your hands together and chant the Heart Sutra.
5. Go to the Daishidō
Worship in the same way as at the hondō.
6. Go to the Nōkyōsho
At the nōkyōsho (temple office), you will receive an onōkyō (goshuin or temple stamp). Also, you wil receive an omie of the principal image of the temple. Put it in your nōkyōchō (stamp book).
As a general rule, you will receive the onōkyō after reading the sutras in each hall, but if you arrive just before closing, you may ask for your onōkyō before reading the sutras.
7. Bow once at the temple gate
Put your hands together at the temple gate, bow once, and leave the precincts. Please do it with gratitude that you have been connected with Buddha by visiting the temple.