Upvote:0
You should look at your alter especially when your mind is angry or disappointed. This will help your mind to come to its senses.
The Buddha is the Spiritual Doctor. When your mind is sick, it should visit the Buddha. If you don't visit Doctor Buddha when your mind is sick, how will your mind find a cure & heal itself?
Upvote:2
The sutta below states that a memorial shrine or monument or stupa (and by extension, a statue or painting) is meant for making the mind of the beholder calm and happy. It's a source of inspiration.
So, you don't have to feel guilty or avoid looking at the Buddha icon when you feel negative emotions.
Instead, you should look at it exactly when you need to feel calmness and peace, and reflect on who the Buddha is, what he attained and what he taught.
"There are four persons, Ananda, who are worthy of a stupa. Who are those four? A Tathagata, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened One is worthy of a stupa; so also is a Paccekabuddha, and a disciple of a Tathagata, and a universal monarch.
"And why, Ananda, is a Tathagata, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened One worthy of a stupa? Because, Ananda, at the thought: 'This is the stupa of that Blessed One, Arahant, Fully Enlightened One!' the hearts of many people will be calmed and made happy; and so calmed and with their minds established in faith therein, at the breaking up of the body, after death, they will be reborn in a realm of heavenly happiness. And so also at the thought: 'This is the stupa of that Paccekabuddha!' or 'This is the stupa of a disciple of that Tathagata, Arahant, Fully Enlightened One!' or 'This is the stupa of that righteous monarch who ruled according to Dhamma!' — the hearts of many people are calmed and made happy; and so calmed and with their minds established in faith therein, at the breaking up of the body, after death, they will be reborn in a realm of heavenly happiness. And it is because of this, Ananda, that these four persons are worthy of a stupa."
DN 16