SACRILEGE OF BUDDHA STATUE FOR UNHOLY PURPOSES.
Posted on December 5th, 2009
Malin Abeyatunge
Religious statues, images and any other material relating to various religions are sacred to each faith. The Buddha Statues and Images are the most sacred objects to all Buddhists in the world. I, myself a Buddhist and have placed the BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statue in my home at a very
appropriate place in keeping with the highest respect I have for the Lord Buddha.. All Buddhists do the same thing in their homes all over the world and never use it as a decorative piece or an ornament in side the house or outside in the garden. Many Buddhists daily pray in front of the Buddha statues at home, or in temples or in specially selected area in oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s garden where the Buddha statue is placed.. Almost every house has small space allocated to place the statute of Buddha for followers to pray. But. I am appalled and disgusted to see to the extent of the use of Buddha statues for unholy purposes mainly by non-Buddhist business people. It is sad and devastating to see that Buddha statues, images are being used by non-Buddhists as ornaments to decorate houses, gardens, pubs and other entertainment centers. Whilst the statues of Jesus Christ or Virgin Mary are placed in a very appropriate places in Christian houses, the Buddha statues are placed as a decorative pieces of ornament on a coffee table or in some inappropriate corner. Another extremely distressing sight is the use of the name of Buddha for bars such as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s BarƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in Melbourne and many more in other cities in Australia and in the western world.
Buddha means the person who attained Enlightment (Nirwana) and I cannot fathom how a liquor bar can be a place to reach such a sublime state of mind. I observed in a recent TV clip about a bar complex called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-NeverlandƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to be opened soon in Melbourne, with a big statue of the Buddha at the entrance to the bar (this is what I saw on the TV clip). This is totally unacceptable to Buddhists. I have seen in many liquor bars,, night clubs in Melbourne where Buddha statues are being used as ornaments on the bar table where they sell and consume liquor. Adding insult to injury, I saw this being replicated in a Gurkha Restaurant in Flinders street. I spoke to the barman about it and he said itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the management decision but he would convey my message to the owner. A couple of weeks later, I went to the same Restaurant with some of my office colleagues and Buddha statue in the liquor bar was still there. As a mark of protest, I refused to have meals and walked out.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The important thing is that according to the five percepts of BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s teaching for ordinary laymen, refraining from taking intoxicants is the 5th percept. While The Buddha has preached to avoid taking intoxicating drinks, very image of the Buddha is used in places where they sell and consume liquor!.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Another aspect of abuse of Buddhist icons are when these are placed in the gardens of the elite and even ordinary people who are non-Buddhists as an ornamental piece of decoration among the most common seminude statues of Venus etc. If the BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statue is placed in a higher place with the intention of praying or meditation, that is acceptable but using as a decorative piece of ornament needs total condemnation.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Another place that BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statues and images are being used freely and inconsiderately are the Fashion Walks famously known as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Cat WalksƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Most of the popular famous fashion designers in the world have been using BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s very big statues and images in the back ground whilst the semi nude young girls do their cat walks. Those fashion designers who are guilty of using Buddha Statues in those cat walks should consider to stop this acts of sacrilege . Instead, Virgin MaryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statue would be more suitable for such events.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What I cannot fathom is why they do not use the Statues of Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, the Hindu Gods or The Koran in liquor bars, home gardens, fashion shows as a piece of ornamental decoration? Why only the Statue of Buddha which is the most scared thing to Buddhists? Is it a subtle move by insensitive breed of people to humiliate Buddha and the Buddhists. The use of BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statues and images in unsuitable places have become pandemic like the Swine Flu. Unless, all Buddhists of all countries get together and make one big voice of protest against using the BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statues as ornaments, this will continue. Let us start it from Australia to educate the Non- Buddhists not to use BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statues as an ornamental pieces. For this we need the media patronage.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Buddhists are generally peaceful with compassion and loving kindness towards others. In the world history hitherto, Buddhist countries have never been involved in religious wars. But allowing non-Buddhists to humiliate the religion or its Symbols and keeping quiet should not be taken by the unscrupulous, insensitive and commercially minded as a license for them to carry on regardless, I have no intention of setting Buddhists against non-Buddhists on this issue. My message is to see that non Buddhists do not sacrilege BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Statue and to give due respect where it is due as we all respect religions and religious symbols.
December 6th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
ACCORDING TO BUDDHAS TEACHING , AFTER THE PASSING AWAY OF HIM DHAMMA OF HIM TO BE TREATED IN FIRST PLACE. EARLY BUDDHAS FOLLOWERS ERECTED DAMMA CHAKRAYA, BUT NOT THE IMAGE OF BUDDHAS. BUT EVENTUALLY GREEK AND ROMAN ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCE LED THE PRESENT IMAGE ERECTING PROCESS.
WRONGLY BUDDHISTS JUMP INTO CONCLUSION THAT EVERY IMAGE, PICTURES APPEARS IN WHATEVER FORM BELONG TO BUDDHA. THIS IS % PRESENT WRONG. THERE IS NO AGREED STANDARD OF BUDDHAS IMAGE. SOME OF THE SAID DECORATIONS, ICONS, IMAGES AND ORNAMENT MAY BE BELONG TO TAPASAYA(HERMITS) OF INDIA OR OTHER PERSONS ELSEWHERE.
OTHER THING IS THAT YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE WENT TO AUSTRALIA , BECAUSE YOU ASSUME THAT THEIR VALUES ARE HIGHER THAN SINGHALA VALUES. YOU COULD NOT IMPOSE YOU INFERIOR VALUES ON THEM. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT THOSE VALUES IN THAT COUNTRY BEST THING IS TO LEAVE!
December 6th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
Dear Jayawardena, Lankaweb is a website I regularly visit as it is rich with value added comments. Unfortunately you need to do much better to meet that expectation.
According to you version of events, it seems that time works backward, I mean, after today we get yesterday. It is hilarious to suggest that images were used as part of religious activities due to “GREEK AND ROMAN ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCE”. What a lie! The worshipping of idols started with Hinduism, nearly seven thousand years back when there was no Greek or Roman empires, in fact, long before the arrivals of these criminals escaping Asia to the western hemisphere. Even these half-animal civilisations borrowed most of the ancient knowledge created by Ancient Sinhala Civilisation with their original heritage and later through Hindus who sold knowledge for a dime as far back as three thousand years just like these days. I hope you use Greek next time to comment, as you do not have an iota of understanding of Buddhism or the idolisation of Buddha.
Refer your comment about inferior Sinhala values, there is no need to impose Sinhala values on English (I prefer to use the common word than a name of a colony) as you seems to think that the highest values are those exhibited by animals by calling Sinhala values as inferior, not humans who exercise full control over their natural instincts like Sinhala. Whether you like it or not, English could have been wild animals if they did not steal values and customs from Chinese, Sinhala, Hindu etc. Some of you have forgotten that they started wearing monkey suits (dress that shows your true monkey shape) by wholesale copying of Chinese clothing and also the paper thing. Guess what they were wearing/doing before that.
You are asking migrants who are not prepared to embrace English values to leave from one of their colonies that carry the infamous terra nullius tag. I wonder why you can not ask English to leave the same way because their values are as good as of those who we used to put to death by cutting throats, by hanging or by impaling during ancient times compared to the great values inherited by the native population in that colony. You look like a more English than English kind of person (like whiter than white) as I am yet to find a true English man who could spell out English values that are great. Are you referring to great English values such as stealing, deception, murder, pillage or genocide that they hold world championship for?
By the way, the first religious symbol that was created by the humanity long before the coming to being of the scoundrels you adore was the male genitalia used for worshipping, which was washed with water, creating the first sort of cool drink known to the mankind. Do you think that it was inspired and made by Greeks, Romans or English? They may have also created our Viswakarma kulaya that excels in such art who served our ancient Sinhala kings for at least thirty thousand years.
December 7th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Dear Editor, here is another display of great English values compared to inferior Sinhala values. “A teenager has been accused of stabbing a man 14 times to rob him of 20 cents in Melbourne’s west, Australia.” (Sourced from Sydney Morning Herald).
December 7th, 2009 at 12:26 am
Mr Jayawardena, you are either sadly mistaken or impaired in your judgement. There cannot be other images appear to be same as that of Buddha. The only one rather similar to Buddha’s image is Mahaweera of Jaina religion in India. These images have their own symbolisms. Do you have any other images similar to Virgin Mary or Jesus? The answer is ‘No’. It is not true to say that just bacause somebody goes and lives in some other country it is because of the higher values of that country. It is only the for the economical values they migrate to another place but not for any cultural, social and spiritual value. Most of the Sinhalese in Australia living as Sinhalse not as Australians. They still value their own culture. You might also one of them living in Australia and when you say, “you can’t impose your inferior values on them….” you have down graded yourself by making Australians superior to you. (Nihal Fernando – Sri Lanka)
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December 7th, 2009 at 1:28 am
WELL GENTLEMEN YOU SAYS THAT GREEK AND ROMAN CIVILIZATION INFLUENCE THAT LED THE DHAMMA CHAKRAYA GRADUALLY INTO BUDDHAS IMAGE CARVING IS A LYE. THIS IS WHAT THAT TEACH IN PERADENIYA UNIVERSITY RE OUR HISTORY. YOU MAY CLARIFY FROM NATIONS TAKSALA IF YOU WANT.
YOU CAN STILL READ WHAT ROBERT KNOX REORDERED IN HIS EDA HELA DIVA BOOK ABOUT THIS COUNTRY. IT RECORDED THAT WHEN FAMILY FRIEND SPENT NIGHT IN A HOME , THE CHIEF OCCUPANT(HUSBAND) GAVE HIS WIFE OR ONE OF HIS DAUGHTERS TO THE FRIEND FOR PLEASURE. BROTHERS OF SAME FAMILY KEPT ONE WOMEN , WE CALL THIS PRACTICE EKA GEI DIGA KAMA . IN SOME PLACES SEVERAL WOMEN KEPT ONE MEN . THIS WAS THE MARRIAGE SYSTEM IN OUR COUNTRY. ONLY THE ADVENT OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION WE GOT ONE MAN ONE WOMEN FAMILY SYSTEM. OUR EDUCATION WAS IN DECAY. THANK TO MISSIONARIES WE GOT SUPERIOR EDUCATION SYSTEM.
WHEN HENRY OLCOTT ESTABLISHED BUDDHISTS SCHOOLS IN SRI LANKA HE NEVER TRIES TO COPY THE OLD PIRIVEN SYSTEM, INSTEAD HE ESTABLISH WESTERN TYPE SCHOOLS. SO ANY ONE CAN UNDERSTAND WHO IS HAVING SUPERIOR VALUES AND WHO IS HAVING INFERIOR VALUES.
December 7th, 2009 at 6:59 am
The writer states that Buddhists are generally peaceful and compassionate and kind to others. If you really want to maintain this image I suggest that you ask your compatriats in Sri Lanka to stop the systematic persecution of people of other faiths. Frequent burning and ransacking of churches, assaulting worshippers, desecrating Christian statues with human feaces have been the hallmark of these bigots (unfortunately incited by people clad in yellow robes). One’s faith cannot be destroyed by violent acts. This is totally contrary to the teachings of Lord Buddha.
December 7th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Dear Editor, thank you for allowing comments by jayawardena, as it is really of revealing nature. What a pathetic university is University of Peradeniya. I am one of the cattle who came out of that cattle house who is ashamed of almost everything I learnt there. Unfortunately I have also proven that as a fact. Being built by English to create servile domestics, do you expect them to know the truth? Please believe the following text after reading it as you did at Pera. Buddhist images were originally carved out using computer-generated images. Now, please repeat this text in the future, as it could be the truth according to you.
What a disgusting idiot was Robert Knox who had no idea of the local civilisation. Being used to live like a slave alone with nobody to seek help in dire circumstance, he escaped the virtual hellhole seeking fresh air. I wonder whether he had told that Sinhala fathers have sex with their children as they sleep together cuddled in one place? As someone living in a hellhole, I must admit that I am even scared of letting small children from similar cultural backgrounds to come close to me because I know what comes to the mind of these two-legged barbarians who never had our kind of human feelings. For them, a child is a crude prey for evil kind of sex and to bash to death. Please learn a bit about these two opposing cultures before reading garbage from Robert the dog.
You sadly forget that Sinhala civilisation is the only naturally evolved civilisation that has many versions of life styles within a single system. All the others that came later as offshoots of this civilisation (We can prove it) have dictatorial/one man/woman rules that you fail to understand. The marriage rule you said was created by a mad woman. Why not check with a local family, how they react to your bizarre claim of local sexual conduct. Obviously you will find that kind, a very small minority, even today among the local population. It seems that Robert was exposed to such a family, only kind friendly to outsiders in our society. In west, you call them prostitutes. I am sure if you try the kind I refer to, the most advanced group who developed modern values, you will lose your tool (protruding and hanging objects) if you try that with them living in Lanka. So even Buddha learnt the third Sil pada from your masters according to your version of history.
Your comments about Education system are hilarious. Thanks to missionaries we got an education system that produces people like you and me. You already proved what it is worth. I suggest that four legged animals are better and more intelligent than those coming out of your great institutions (I can prove it. Animals can at least manage their affairs alone). Can they do anything other than what you already proved, I mean, repeating what they were told. Unfortunately, this kind of education was originally invented by Hindus, who happen to repeat the same things for the last six thousand years.
You say Henry Olcott established superior western value based schools. I know who have come out of those places. It looks like you were the first to embrace westerners who invaded. Obviously it is nothing for you as your people were just pretenders to local culture. What you forgot was that there was another group who were in the middle, I mean wearing trousers under sarong type. Olcott gave them the opportunity to creep into your world. Unfortunately, you forget my type, that still carry the original values after all those years of occupation. Please try to appreciate the wonders of nature in its true colours than through your monoview.
I am not surprised at your thinking, as I too have had a history of believing what I was told. As an example, I believed that I came from India as told by others until I met true Indians and came to know their character, just like the way I found about westies. Today I use F word to engage them almost every time. By the way, I have become such a smart ass, I believe nothing told by others, and have my own ways to find what I want to know. You should try a moment to stand on your legs, as you seem to think that it is normal to stand on your head, I mean, you should try to question the veracity of your own claims.
YOU EPITOMISE OUR PLIGHT TODAY. UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE THE SOLUTION AND YOU ARE JUST HELPING TO VERIFY IT. By the way, did you mean Thaksila? If so, for me it is the last thing in the world to seek help from Hindus unless I wish to drink waste liquids. I am not surprised even if you create the hypothesis that English brought Sinhala migrants from England to work in tea plantations.
PS: Dear gemgem, Buddhists may be compassionate, Sinhala people are different. They hunt down criminals.