Every faith has its religious objects, including statues and images. Like Buddhists the world over, I have a statue of the Buddha in my home. It is kept in an appropriate place, in keeping with the highest respect we give the Lord Buddha. A sacred object like a statue should never be used as an ornament or decoration.
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| The Buddha Bar in Washington |
We Buddhists are appalled and disgusted when we see statues of the Buddha used for secular purposes, largely by non-Buddhists. We are shocked to see Buddha statues and Buddha images used to decorate houses, gardens, pubs and places of entertainment.
Buddhists feel insulted when they see names like the “Buddha’s Bar”. You see such names in Melbourne and other cities in Australia and in the Western world.
There was a recent TV clip about a bar complex called “Neverland”, to be opened soon in Melbourne, with a big statue of the Buddha at the entrance. This is totally unacceptable to Buddhists. In many bars and nightclubs in Melbourne, Buddha statues are used as ornaments on the bar counters where liquor is sold and consumed.
I saw the same thing in a Gurkha restaurant in Flinders Street. I spoke to the barman about it. He said it was a management decision, but that he would convey my message to the owner. When I visited the bar some weeks later with office colleagues, I saw the statue still there. In protest, I walked out, saying I would never have a drink or a meal there.
R&B singer Akon has recorded a video with a Buddha statue in the background and two bikini-clad girls. Quite rightly, the Sri Lanka government refused him a visa to visit Sri Lanka.
Buddhists are generally peaceful, with compassion and loving kindness towards others. At no time in world history have Buddhist countries been involved in religious wars.
Malin Abeyatunge,
Australia |
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