We always treat texts as if they had the power themselves to liberate us. In fact, by carrying through meditation and practice with these texts, they do have the power to free our minds - through our own efforts!

So rather than throw texts on the floor or on a chair where we sit, stepping over them, throwing them in the garbage when we are finished with them, we treat them with the greatest of respect in accordance with what they offer us. We treat them as if they themselves are holy objects, placing them high on our bookshelf, possibly in a special spot. We treat them better than we would treat our most valuable and fragile material object because they have a value to us more profound than the finest crystal, the most expensive sculpture, or the most delicate porcelain. Material objects cannot compare to what these texts offer us.

You may see students tap a holy image or text on their heads if they drop them on the ground by mistake. This is a habit born out of the respect for these images that represent, the teachings we have received by the teacher who has been so kind as to preserve them for us, and for the Buddha for bringing this knowledge of our own true nature to us. So, by carrying through this practice of Respecting Texts, we are really respecting ourselves at the same time because they represent the possibility that we can recognize our Buddha Nature.

Further, we in fact create the environment conducive to training our mind in loving-kindness, compassion, and so on through this respectful approach. We hope this helps clarify instructions you might see printed on practice books regarding the care of the texts themselves.