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What is the function of incense and candles to a meditation practice? Are they used in all types of meditation or only some types?

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Incense and candles are not essential to a meditation practice. They can aid in concentration, but they can also become an emotional crutch if we become attached to them. I did the ritual of lighting candles and incense during my practice for a few weeks, and quickly got tired of it.

If you are practicing vipassana (a.k.a insight meditation) as opposed to samatha (a.k.a tranquility meditation) then it's really not necessary to create that kind of environment. In fact in vipassana we want to become free from external dependencies, so creating a certain type of environment might actually be counterproductive to the practice.

I'm one of Venerable Yuttadhammo's students, and he teaches vipassana in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. Check out his videos and/or book if you haven't already.

Unfortunately I can't comment on samatha practices, as I haven't been taught in that area.

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    I agree. At the beginning of my practice I had an altar and all that, just because I thought that was what you were supposed to do. Once I realized it had little to do with the actual Buddhist practice it all gradually went away. These days I don't even have a buddha statue, there is no need. That being said however for some people these rites and rituals may be grounding and important to the practice. It can be a way of building habitual practice so if it works for someone that's fine, if not, that's fine as well.
    – Sāmaṇera Jayantha
    Jun 26, 2014 at 13:27
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    @Jayantha , that's a good point. As a beginner it is hard to know if you're adding extra things because you think you're supposed to. Or possibly skipping important things because you don't yet understand or appreciate them. That's what makes a site like this so helpful. :-)
    – Robin111
    Jun 26, 2014 at 15:56
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Incense

Incense sticks, especially sandalwood ones are good cleansers. They cleanse the entire room or the surrounding area, preparing the area for a peaceful meditation or prayer. Not only for prayer, burning incense in rooms used by patients or emotionally affected places also helps in cleaning the energy in those areas.

Candles or Lamps

While incense is used for cleansing, candles, lamps and other lights energize the surrounding area. Lit lamps are considered a symbol of enlightenment in many traditions.

Both of these when used in a meditation hall provides the perfect environment for a peaceful and fruitful meditation.

Hope this answer helps you. :)

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It depends on what you're goal is with meditation. There are different meditations and people meditate with different motivations and goals. With some goals incense is useful. With others it can be a hindrance. As meditation is experiential you can actively map or watch your own state of consciousness to see what the incense is doing. Is it helping or hindering?

There needs to be a distinction made between those who are meditating to be calm and relaxed, to feel better and those who are trying to move into states beyond all mental fluctuations. They are different enterprises.

I've been taught that meditation is fundamentally about involution of consciousness (turning consciousness inwards). As you go deeper you move away from the part of the mind that is related to the five senses. You enter deeper states of inner silence. Sensory input makes your mind react this inner silence is affected by fluctuations of your mind.

Incense affects your sense of smell which is a very basal sense. It goes deep into your brain. This results in deeply rooted reactions in the mind. Incense thus produces mental fluctuations which limits your ability to enter no mind states. Note that some people meditate in darkness with no sounds or smells to help the process of involution. The senses are starved of stimulus. So if your goal is to move beyond mind into complete silence then incense may hinder you as it stimulates the smell sense resulting in mental fluctuations at a deep level in mind.

Alternatively some incense has a calming effect on the mind and many people use it to achieve a sense of calmness and relaxation. So if you are meditating for calmness and relaxation then it could help you. Clearly Buddhism uses incense for many practices and rituals. But do Buddhist practitioners who are attempting to reach states of no mind use incense?

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I don't think it is important to create such rituals in meditation practice. I haven't encountered any description of such in my readings of Suttas.

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For meditation NO need any candles or incense things. just Focus your mind for one thing & meditate. but you should in a calm Quite place to do meditation

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