Buddhist: spices in ritual
Incense and offerings of the temple, and the temple kitchens of East and Southeast Asia.
In Buddhist communities spices appear in monastery kitchens, in festival foods and in incense, with practice shaped by local culture across Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, China, Japan and elsewhere.
In offerings
Incense of sandalwood, agarwood and herbs is burned before images of the Buddha in many countries. Fruits, flowers and sweets are offered at shrines. Practice varies between Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana communities.
In monastery and vegetarian cooking
Many Mahayana monasteries and lay followers keep a vegetarian diet, and some Chinese Buddhist cooking avoids the pungent alliums, such as garlic and onion, using ginger, pepper and Sichuan pepper instead. Sri Lankan temple food uses curry leaf, turmeric and coconut.
In festivals
On Vesak, the day marking the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing, communities share meals and offer alms. Spiced rice and sweets are common in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Details differ from place to place.
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