Also
jukubukku n•§‹Ÿ, butsuhan •§”Ñ or butsushou •§éM. Cooked
rice made as an offering to the Buddha, or very occasionally washed, uncooked
rice. The cooked rice is placed in a special offering dish and is formed
into various shapes. For example, the rice is formed in either a cylindrical
shape, tsukibukku “Ë•§‹Ÿ, or in a cone shape, tsukunebukku
s•§‹Ÿ or sugimori ™·. The number of dishes for rice offering varies
from eight to sixteen depending on the school of Esoteric Buddhism mikkyou –§‹³. At least
two dishes are always placed on the altar, mitsudan –§’d, or dais in
a temple of an Esoteric Buddhist sect. Colored rice is
offered on special occasions: red rice made with red bean liquid, yellow
rice colored with gardenia, green rice from green leaf liquid, and black
rice made with black sesame seeds. Sometimes rice cakes made with glutenous
sweet rice have sweet rice powder sprinkled over them. Generally, nothing
can be offered after noon, but late at night rice gruel can be offered.
At an important ceremony like kanjou ŠÁ’¸, there is no time restriction
placed upon the rice offerings. Aside from rice, offerings of flowers, incense,
and candles are also called bukku. |