A Representation of Life

If you’ve been to a Buddhist funeral or memorial service, you’ve likely been invited to sprinkle “senko” (incense) on some glowing black joss sticks laid on sand in a shallow urn.

I’ve been to many such services in my lifetime, and took the practice as a simple act of reverence and obeisance. But at the most recent one I attended, the Buddhist “bonsan” (priest) talked about a significance — an allegory, if you would — that the ritual represented.

Holding up a joss stick, he said it represented the recently deceased’s body — his life, clean and perfect at birth. Then, one end is lit and slowly burns to the other end, presenting a glow in the dark.

That glow is the person living his life, slowly moving along the physical body, until the glow has consumed it completely. When the glow goes out, the fire of life has left the body.

During the incense ceremony, one picks up from grains of incense and sprinkles it on the glowing joss stick.

Immediately, smoke appears, spreading a fragrant scent into the air. That scent is experienced by everyone present, and according to the bonsan, represents the effect the deceased had on all who knew him. The more he accomplished, the stronger the scent.

Now, I admit that I’ve probably interpreted the bonsan’s observations quite liberally. But I think it makes a lot of sense.

My joss stick is glowing very brightly, and the incense smoke is very aromatic today.