Incense in early buddhist texts

I quote from David Oller (www.japanese-incense.com) :

"There are three incense materials which are associated in early Buddhist texts with three families found in the Garbhakosa mandalas. Aloeswood is in the center and associated with Vairochana. This is called the Buddha Family, and symbolizes the transmutation of the "poison of ignorance." Sandalwood is associated with the Padma or Lotus Family and symbolizes the transmutation of the "poison of attachment." Clove is associated with the Vajra or Wisdom Family and symbolizes the transmutation of the "poison of aversion." These incense may be used individually for a specific practice, or in combination as an "Almighty Incense" Sometimes these three poisons are called "The Three Unwholesome Roots" For those who have studied the Pratitya Samutpada (Twelve-fold link of conditioned arising) you know that both attachment & aversion arise out of ignorance.

Zen master Dogen says it this way:

"In attachment, blossoms fall; in aversion weeds spread"

He leaves out the mention of ignorance, perhaps because Vairochana symbolizes Emptiness.

In the Vajradhatu mandala five families are presented. The two additions are the Karma Family which is associated with jealousy, and the Ratna Family associated with pride. The incense material for the Karma Family is Turmeric, and the incense for Ratna is Borneol Camphor."

From this information, we can make the following table:

Attribution	Family	Incense
ignorance	Vairochana (Buddha)	Aloeswood
attachment	Padma (Lotus)	Sandalwood
aversion	Vajra (Wisdom)	Clove
jealousy	Karma	Turmeric
pride	Ratna	Borneol Camphor

 

 

 

 

 

 

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