RESPECTING THE BUDDHA IMAGE

Namo Buddha Ya Namo Dharma Ya Namo Sangha ya*
Generally The Buddha taught us many different ways of accumulating wholesome deeds.
The first limb is of paying homage, it is mainly to show respect and there are three kinds, for instance physically, verbally and mentally. That is to antidote the pride and defilements of ignorance.
When one pays homage with ones body, that is to show respect physically by touching the five points of the body on the ground, when one pays homage through ones speech, than one offers prayers and quality to the Buddha and when one pays homage from the mind or heart, that means you try to raise strong faith and devotion.
So generally when you make full prostration, first you have a full consecration image of the Buddha, it is important that person when doing prostration should visualize that its being done in the present of following an enlightened one himself and with this in mind, one therefore makes offering of body devotion as well as making a vast forms of offering as if one is right in front of the Buddha in person. So for instance, when one goes on a philgrimage to pay homage to the holy site, it is important that one projects the Buddha's image. One sees image of the Buddha or as a symbol of body that is the image of the Buddha. Symbol of Buddha speech, that is scriptured Symbol of his enlightenment, which is STUPA. Saying them as really quality of the Buddha to observing the three holy qualities of body, speech and mind, than one makes offering such as paying homage and it is said that if one performs with strong faith and devotion, it is a very effective way to accumulate a vast amount of merits.

The practice of seven limbs prayers in daily life
Firstly, to pay homage to Buddha at least three times thru prostration by body speech and mind. Second to make your offerings of the best quality with pure mind of motivation.
Third is to confess of any unwholesome actions or negative deeds and to purify the bad karma in front of Buddha image. To make a promise that the unwholesome actions or mistakes not to be made again. Fourtly, rejoicing the wholesome deeds by oneself and others, we are able to get the same result of merits.
Fifth, to request to Buddha to turn the wheel of dharma again and not to pass into Nirvana and to continue to stay or to remain with us. Sixth, praise to Guru Buddha for supplication prayers for long life and blessing to us. Seventh, to dedicate merits to all mother sentient beings for our own enlightenment as soon as possible.

*This article is written personally by Venerable Ashak Rinpoche. Only the spelling and some of the words has been edited to maintain the meaning of its content. Should there be anything that has been left out in the article, your forgiveness is greatly appreciated. Sadhu!