enjoy the show or how to learn from what is fake

[Jundo]

By the way, as anyone around here knows, I don't mind a bit of cheap show to get some Dharma across ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fnMQNuLX0E

Of course, we don't have much of a budget for special effects and good editing, so it can all be pretty chintzy.

Sometimes it may go too far ...

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

Gassho, J

[Jinyo]

Just to say I don't much like all the gold and bling - much prefer the natural world - but the gold and bling exists and to my mind that's all the programme is showing.

Sure there is a meta-narrative there to be deconstructed but in common parlance these sites of 'architectural' or sheer spectacle significance are referred to as 'The Seven Wonders'. That doesn't mean that a person applying that label believes in their heart they are true spiritual wonders of buddhism.

But - as Jundo says - for some worshippers perhaps they are.

... and maybe it's possible to buy an ice-cream - walk through disneybuddhaland - and deconstruct thousands of years of culture/belief/and practice all at the same time.

I'd like to think the average TV audience are not so naive that they can't work it out.

Gassho

Willow

[Taigu]

No dear Willow, no Bro,
But that s enough for today.
Silence.

Gassho

T.

[Kokuu]

Hi all

I think it would be a mistake to judge this programme as a study of religion rather than the majestic buildings and art inspired by religious devotion. As with Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and the other world faiths, Buddhists have seen creating sculpture and temples as part of their religious practice, making the unseen visible. Who among us does not have a Buddhist image or representation somewhere in our house to inspire our practice and remind us of why we are practicing?

Whether or not the programme did a decent job of presenting the nature of Buddhist thought is quite another matter but I suspect that was an add-on to the main aim of presenting the artistic treasures of Buddhist countries that have been produced. So, perhaps more useful to the art historian than the Buddhist or Buddhist scholar, and a testimony to human creativity rather than spiritual development. For us, the seven wonders of the Buddhist world may be more likely to be people or texts. For the non-Buddhist majority audience, the beautiful stupas and temples will probably be of far greater interest.

Gassho
Andy

[Myosha]

Thank you.


Gassho,
Edward

[Jinyo]

No dear Willow, no Bro,
But that s enough for today.
Silence.

Gassho

T.

agreed Taigu - silence ..... the only thing that is truly golden.

Deep bows,

Willow

[Shokai]

Jundo;
May Buddha help us when you get a bidget [scary] Seriously tho, I was told I read ALL THE SUTRAS When I pushed the lazy susan containg a huge ount of volumes in the pagoda at Narita-san. Also, we enjoyed visiting many temples, gaudy and auster, from Sendai to Fukuoka, ringing temple bells, ; tying paper fortunes too tree branches, buying trinkets and gauking at the opulence. Hey, you attract more flys to honey than vinegar. And like someone we know says, "Its all good!"
Thank you Taigu and all for this thread
gassho, Shokai

Sent from my Note 2 using Tapatalk4

[Heisoku]

I too have visited many sacred Buddhist sites and temples, from caves and golden buddhas in Thailand to huge carved statues in mountainsides and stupas with relics in China. They are in beautiful places, and look and feel amazing. But they are not what I find when I sit. Gassho.

[Tiwala]

There's a secret they don't want you to know.
If you stare at the nice places long enough,
You'll see there, too,
The body of the buddha,
Smiling at stray dogs mating

Gassho, Ben

[Rich]

Enjoyed the tour of the 7 'wonders' of Buddhism. Not havng any plans to go to these 7 places, this will suffice. The real buddhism was in the interviews with the buddhist nun in katmandu and the zen teacher in Hong Kong. Bettany Hughs is over the top in trying to create drama and excitemment.

[Shinzan]

I thank Jundo for the "cute" video with the blender. You never know what the next lesson needs to be for the other guy, or for myself. I showed the blender video to my friend, who maybe got a little better idea about what zen is. We had a good chuckle, laughter as medicine.
_/\_ Shinzan