Chinese Incense Culture · The Way of Incense Appreciation
Essentials of Incense Appreciation · Four Essentials and Six Practices
Incense appreciation comprises four essentials and six practices: first purity, quiet, and reverence; then discernment, observation, appreciation, and realization—only then does one enter the samadhi of incense.
Four Essentials of Incense Appreciation
- Purity: purity of environment, purity of utensils, purity of body and mind—free from interfering odors.
- Quiet: a quiet room and a quiet mind are needed to finely discern the layers of fragrance.
- Reverence: reverence for the incense, for friends, and for this moment—this is the etiquette of the incense gathering.
- Appreciation: without haste or agitation, savor in detail the three stages of top, heart, and base.
The Six Matters of Incense
There is also the saying of the "Six Matters of Incense," referring to the six steps of incense appreciation:
- Discern: First discern the category of incense material (agarwood, sandalwood, dragon, musk...).
- Purify: Purify the room and the vessels, as described above.
- Kindle: Kindle the fire, arrange the ash, prepare the charcoal.
- Observe: Observe the gathering and dispersing of the smoke, the warmth and moisture of the ash.
- Savor: Draw near the nose and savor three times, discerning sweet and bitter, clear and turbid.
- Awaken: Through incense enter stillness, and turn back to observe one's own mind.
The Four Essentials and Six Matters all return to the cultivation meaning of theTen Virtues of Incense. To truly get hands-on, one may begin by practicingincense heating over a fire separatorandseal incense.