Offended Buddhists

[Ishin]

To me, it's an oxymoron, however it came to my attention today that there is a whole movement afoot trying to get people to stop using Buddha as a decoration.

The general theme seems to be "Buddha is not for decoration respect is common sense" see knowingbuddha.org or 5000s.org. We had some discussion recently about cultural appropriation and apparently there are quite a few people ticked off by the fact that Buddha is used as a decoration or tattoos.. etc.

I'm curious what people's thoughts here are about that. What do you feel is "appropriate" or "offensive"?

Gassho

Sat Today
lah

[Rob H]

Even before I began my first steps with Buddhism, I found that simply walking through a temple or looking at a Buddha statue brought me a sense of tranquility.
My wife is not Buddhist, religious or anything in between but she feels calmer in the same scenarios.
Our eldest daughter doesn't practice Buddhism but her room is decorated with various Buddhas, lines of text etc and it brings her peace also.
I can't imagine the Buddha being offended by this and as such why should we?
This is my humble opinion only.
Great topic for discussion btw.

Gassho.
Rob.
ST

[lorax]

I don't think this is an issue. The word "zen" has been applied to all sort of things, activities. Does the misuse of the word diminish our practice? Not really and in fact can in some cases open conversation. Does use of the Buddha's image for decoration or garden accents really diminish our practice? I don't think so. I have always felt when I come across an image of Buddha being used for decoration or sitting in a corner of a garden it is like running into an old friend. Thanks for being there on my journey.

SAT TODAY

[Ryumon]

Pfft.

Gassho,

Kirk

[Hoseki]

Hi,

My personal opinion is that if it isn't cause harm I should try to let any offense I have go. I'm very opinionated so its not easy but I think its the right way to do it. At the end of the day the image of the Buddha is just an image. I understand that seeing people using something that is sacred to me painful but if they aren't hurting others that pain is something that I have to deal with. Maybe that person is a Bodhisattva in disguise trying to provide an opportunity for practice . Basically, if something is sacred to me but not someone else what reason would I try to get them to stop except to alleviate my pain.

I just wanted to add that I think these kinds of discussions are useful because get us thinking about how to live with the precepts. I'm glad Kokuu posted about cultural appropriation. It highlights was in which we might hurt people without realizing it.

Gassho
Sattoday/lah
Hoseki

[Shinshi]

I noticed this in my Facebook feed from the Thich Nhat Hanh group. If you haven't seen it there is an ongoing discussion there.

We sort of touched on this issue in another thread earlier this year.

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?16933-What-to-do-with-tiny-Buddhas

In that thread I wrote this

My take on this is that object is not sacred in and of itself - it is our interaction with the object that makes it sacred or secular. So the whole world can be (is) sacred if we view it that way and it can be secular at the same time - depending on how we engage with it.

So, for me, I don't get upset by people who do things like put Buddha statues in their car or house as long as they aren't malicious in their intent. If someone is using a religious symbol as a way of expressing hate or intolerance that is something completely different.

It can be an opportunity for a little education, or to open a dialogue with that person about what Buddhism meas to you.

And maybe having the Buddha around will make them feel a little better. Or maybe even spark in interest in learning more about Buddhism.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Jundo]

Folks who are respectful or honor Buddha can have a problem with some things like the following. That includes some Zen folks. Many Asian folks take this question seriously, as if l put your kids or spouse on a bathroom wall.

Personally, l don't because l am a "Buddha is everywhere, and all, beyond clean or dirty" kind of guy.





However, l also was one of the few people to thank the Taliban for blowing up the two big Buddhas in Afghanistan, thus confirming that all composite things are truly impermanent. So, l am kind of a overly accepting even for a Buddhist maybe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKyeSZdTXqQ

Gassho, J

STLah

[Seibu]

Thanks for this discussion: I got nothing more to add, and thank you Jundo for your teachings. The part about the Buddhist statues made me laugh really hard. It is a valuable lesson though.

Gassho,
Jack
Sattoday/lah

[Geika]

It does not personally bother me. Shozan made a good point about how it doesn't diminish our practice, and I agree. However. If I was in a country or temple where it was offensive, I would not wear a Buddha!

Images are just images. Depending on where they are, they mean different things. It's all transient.

Gassho

Sat today, lah

[Horin]

I dont understand -like in jundos post- both, the folks that feel offended by stuff like that, but also i dont get why i should print buddha on several things. I do not have any aversion nor attraction towards that.

I have some buddha statues in my flat as a reminder, i have a little stop and stand still for few seconds e.g. when i recognize them when i come home or leave to work..

i think buddha became a symbol for many people (like the taoist yin/yang symbol), filled with lots of ideas that are beyond buddhism or worshipping..so, i have seen a buddha in a house of a non buddhist muslim, i have seen a buddha statue in the house of a materialist person that is chasing after money, or other people that dont affiliate with buddhism.. so what? At least theres buddha in every flat house, corner, street, forest, lake, stone, cell, atom :-)

Gassho
Stlah,
Ben

Enviado desde mi PLK-L01 mediante Tapatalk

[Jakuden]

I dont understand -like in jundos post- both, the folks that feel offended by stuff like that, but also i dont get why i should print buddha on several things. I do not have any aversion nor attraction towards that.

I have some buddha statues in my flat as a reminder, i have a little stop and stand still for few seconds e.g. when i recognize them when i come home or leave to work..

i think buddha became a symbol for many people (like the taoist yin/yang symbol), filled with lots of ideas that are beyond buddhism or worshipping..so, i have seen a buddha in a house of a non buddhist muslim, i have seen a buddha statue in the house of a materialist person that is chasing after money, or other people that dont affiliate with buddhism.. so what? At least theres buddha in every flat house, corner, street, forest, lake, stone, cell, atom :-)

Gassho
Stlah,
Ben

Enviado desde mi PLK-L01 mediante Tapatalk

I was actually quite amused when an old friend of mine posted on Facebook a photo of a huge statue he had acquired for thousands of dollars on his travel overseas, and proclaimed that she was a goddess of protection for his opulent dwelling. It was actually a standing Buddha, almost as tall as a person. I find the thought of the Buddha complacently present amidst his greed and garishly excessive, self-centered lifestyle (he is rather proud of being such, I'm not saying anything he would dispute) to be somehow perfect.

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[Cooperix]

I agree with Kirk.

Pfft.

gassho
Anne
~lahst~

[Ishin]

Thanks all for your thoughts and comments. This group which seems to be largely Thai, from my perspective seems to be missing my view of what Buddha is and is not. Getting "triggered", as my kids would put it, about people adopting images of Buddha reflects a certain kind of diety worship/view of the Buddha outside one"self". I am with Jundo on this one and I do not recall the entirety of the tale which ends with.. "Where isn't Buddha?"

Gassho
Ishin

Sat today-lah

[Jundo]

Thanks all for your thoughts and comments. This group which seems to be largely Thai, from my perspective seems to be missing my view of what Buddha is and is not. Getting "triggered", as my kids would put it, about people adopting images of Buddha reflects a certain kind of diety worship/view of the Buddha outside one"self". I am with Jundo on this one and I do not recall the entirety of the tale which ends with.. "Where isn't Buddha?"

Yes, but let the Thai people be the Thai people. And you know what? That view has probably been the overwhelmingly majority view for 2500 years (maybe even back to the time when the Buddha was alive himself).

I even read a recent Buddhist discussion about the famous Koan where Master Danxia Tianran burned the Buddha Statue on a cold night, and it was thought by a scholar that even then he would have bowed first, then before burning briefly "deconsecrated" the statue (literally, Buddha Statues have ceremonies in Zen temples in which "life" is put into them by painting in the eyes with an ink brush). Here is one such "Eye Opening" Ceremony for Soto group in the USA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO5MRGeIejk

A more elaborate Korean version. I believe the string circulates the power among all participants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCycUnBS_c8

Gassho, J

STLah

[Jundo]

PS - By the way, no place else worth sticking this ... so will drop it here. Apparently from a couple of years ago, I never knew! I wonder how Martians treat their Buddhas?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIBOfM0vewY

I think it is like finding Jesus in burned toast.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/arielknutson/people-who-found-jesus-in-their-food