The Confessional Samadhi of the Lotus Sutra, page 5

1. Adorning and Purifying the Bodhimandala

In a suitably quiet and secluded place, one prepares and adorns a special room to be the place for the Bodhimandala. In a special place one is seated at a proper distance from the Bodhimandala. In the Bodhimandala, placed well like a high throne, one places a single copy of The Lotus Sutra. It is not necessary to place any other images¹, sarira², or other Sutras with it. One only enshrines The Lotus Sutra. One may place banners, canopies, and various other offerings around it.

Upon entering the Bodhimandala at the break of dawn, one should sweep the ground, sprinkle fragrant water, and cover the earth with fragrant paint. One lights fragrant oil lamps, spreads flowers, and burns incense.

One offers service to the Three Treasures³ so that they will endow one with the power to fathom the tendencies of the mind and ultimately adorn and purify one's thoughts. Why is this? This is because the practitioner's inner mind must deeply revere the Three Treasures in order to transcend the threefold realm⁴. Now, in desiring to reverently request and offer service to the Three Treasures, how can one make light of the mind? If one is unable to root up one's own resources and wealth in offering service to the Great Vehicle, one will ultimately be unable to summon up wisdom and feel that which is noble. One's deep sins will not be extinguished. How can Samadhi possibly be inspired?

2. Purifying the Body

Before entering into the Bodhimandala, one should take a bath in fragrant hot water and put on clean clothes. Whether one wears a monk's patch robe or more contemporary clothing, one must not hold one's clothing to be superior to those of others. One should have clothes that are especially used for entering into the Bodhimandala. After leaving the Bodhimandala to go to unclean places, one should take off one's pure clothes and wear clothes that are for daily activities. Then one should clean one's special clothes again before re-entering into the practice of the Bodhimandala.

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Footnotes

1. Images: Visual representations - pictures, statues, etc.

2. Sarira: Relics of past Buddhas or saints, ashes, remains, possessions, which were used as objects of worship

3. The Three Treasures: (S. Tri Ratna): The Buddha (The Teacher), The Dharma (the Teaching), The Sangha (The Taught)

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