Offerings

Ever wonder why joss sticks, fruits and flowers are seen at the altar of Gods, Deity, etc? Here's my unresearched view. If I'm not mistaken, joss sticks are used as a timing device. In the old time, there are no digital watches and hence, people burn joss stick to time themselves. So why did people burn 3 joss sticks when praying? Isn't one is enough? Besides timing, joss stick are scented so as to create a fragrance environment. However, I can't help to think whether the fragrane air we breathe contains carbon from the joss stick.

Fruits and flowers are offered most likely due to olden times when Buddha is sitting under the Bodhi tree, people bring plates of fruits or flowers to offer Buddha after He has finished his meditation. Most likely because of the picture, people still offer fruits and flowers in front of Buddha's image.

Though I don't see the logic why this is still done today like watch replacing joss stick and fruits and flowers offering to Buddha when He is no longer there, it is a great tradition to keep.