Half Bow (According with propriety can win people’s respect)

1. Stand with your palms together. [See Standing (Essential Guidelines 1-4) and Palms Together (Essential Guidelines).] Your vision should be focused on your middle fingertips.

2. Slowly make a half bow (approximately 60 degrees). Form the Dharma Realm Samadhi Mudra with the hands, three centimeters above the navel. The back of your neck should press close to your collar. Your head should not be lean to the side or tilt too low.

3. Slowly bring your back to an upright standing position.

4. Relax your shoulders. Form the Vairochana mudra and raise your hands between your brows. Do not lower your head. Focus your eyes on the tips of your index fingers. Then release the mudra, bring your hands down, and return to a standing position with palms together in front of your chest.

5. If your hands are holding a Sutra, image, or a recitation book, you should not make a bow or half-bow to anyone. Instead, lift the object with both hands up to the level of your eyebrows.

The Dharma Realm Samadhi Mudra: The right palm is placed on top of the left palm, and both lay flat naturally. The tips of the two thumbs should touch, making a straight line. The hands are naturally held one inch above the navel.

The Vairochana Mudra: Wrap the middle, fourth, and little fingers of the left hand around the same fingers of the right hand. The tips of the two thumbs should touch. Place the index fingers together in an upright position.

Bowing (The rite of touching the head to the ground with hands upturned to receive the Buddha's feet)

1. Stand with palms together. [See Standing (Essential Guidelines 1-4) and Palms Together (Essential Guidelines).] Your vision should be focused on the fingertips of your middle fingers.

2. With palms together, slowly make a half bow while bending the legs.

3. While in a squatting position, stretch the right hand out first and touch the bowing cushion. Next kneel on both knees.

4. Then place your left hand on the bowing cushion, stretching it farther out than the right hand. After that, move the right hand out until it is even with the left. (If bowing without a cushion, the heels are kept up and the body rests on the heels.)

5. Place the forehead on the cushion and close hands. Then turn the hands and open palms upward, stretching them out past the forehead, as if to reverently receive the feet of the one bowed to.

6. While the head is down, contemplate. Then rise.

7. Close the hands. Next turn the hands and open palms down while simultaneously lifting the head and raising the body.

8. Slide the right hand back in to where it first touched the bowing cushion when squatting to bow and at the same time bring the left palm to the middle of the chest.

9. Use the right hand to push yourself up from the bowing cushion. Slowly straighten your back and legs. Then take the right palm and place it together with the left palm. Return to a standing position with palms together.

10. After making three prostrations, rise and make a half bow.

 Walking(Walk like a soft breeze that doesn’t even ripple the water)

1. The upper half of the body is in the same posture as for standing. [See Standing (Essential Guidelines 1-4).]

2. Lower the eyes until they are 30% open. Look at the spine of the person in front of you. Be careful not to glance to the side in order to avoid weaving to the left and right.

3. Take small steps and maintain a one-person space between yourself and the person in front of you. Take care not to vary your distance based on discriminations between men and women.

4. If you leave too much space between yourself and the person in front of you, take bigger steps to close the distance; if your distance becomes too close, shorten your stride, but continue to move at the same speed. Be careful not to suddenly speed up or slow down to avoid stopping and starting erratically. When you leave your place to start walking, keep your palms together and stay in order. When you see others bowing to the Buddha, do not walk in front of them. If you must do so, then place your palms together and quietly pass.

Sitting in Meditation (Sit like a bell)

1. The upper half of the body is in the same posture as for stand-ing. [See Standing (Essential Guidelines 1-4).] Be careful not to slump or stick your chest out.

2. Relax your body, put your legs in full lotus and sit erect.

3. Form the Dharma Realm Samadhi Mu-dra with your hands, and place them on your abdomen or lap.