Dhupa
Encyclopedia
Dhupa is, in dharmic religions (such as Hinduism
, Buddhism
, Jainism
, etc), the ritual offering of incense
during puja
to an image of a deity, or other object of veneration. It is also the Sanskrit
word for incense or perfume itself.
The very idea of offering dhupa is personified in the dakini
Dhupa, who is said in the Bardo Thödol
to appear on the third day.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
, etc), the ritual offering of incense
Incense of India
right|thumb|320px|Incense being sold in an Indian market in [[Bangalore]]Indian incense is known as agarbattī in Hindi and other Indian languages. India has a rich tradition of incense making that goes back millennia...
during puja
Puja
Pūjā or alternative transliteration Pooja, is a religious ritual performed by Hindus as an offering to various deities, distinguished persons, or special guests...
to an image of a deity, or other object of veneration. It is also the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
word for incense or perfume itself.
The very idea of offering dhupa is personified in the dakini
Dakini
A dakini is a tantric deity described as a female embodiment of enlightened energy. In the Tibetan language, dakini is rendered khandroma which means 'she who traverses the sky' or 'she who moves in space'. Sometimes the term is translated poetically as 'sky dancer' or 'sky walker'. The dakini, in...
Dhupa, who is said in the Bardo Thödol
Bardo Thodol
The Liberation Through Hearing During The Intermediate State , sometimes translated as Liberation Through Hearing or Bardo Thodol is a funerary text...
to appear on the third day.