Miscellaneous Photos

[tiltbillings]

Probably the best thing to do when posting photos is post them as attachments, and please do make sure they are not really large photos.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

Blogger won't let the picture be embedded in this post, but this link has a picture I took in the Shrine Room at FWBO HQ in Bethnal Green, London. It's interesting how the facial features on Buddha rupas often in time come to reflect the facial features of the locals.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Cs6nnWpg90/R ... GP0017.JPG

Metta,
Retro.

[zavk]

It's interesting you say that, Retro. Years ago when I visited the FWBO centre on Little Lonsdale St, I remarked that their Buddha rupa had Caucasian features. Turned out it was sculpted by one of their members.

[thornbush]

And the sculpture must have been a Stargate fan here when h/she made a Maitreya statue
http://www.meditationinliverpool.org.uk ... reya-2.jpg compared with http://www.geocities.com/j33photos/phot ... gate_6.jpg

[Fede]

If I may be so bold, this is also true of Christian Statuary...I mean, whoever heard of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Hebrew girl?
I think people go with what is familiar.
This is not such a controversial issue in Buddhism, given that we actually really do not have any idea what the Buddha looked like (though of course, knowing what we do about the indigenous inhabitants of the area, we could make a relatively shrewd guess) and that he really wasn't too keen on images being made of him anyway.
As far as I am given to understand.

So, strictly speaking, these images/statues, are not of the Buddha.
They're of our imaginative notion of the Buddha.
They're representative, not figurative.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

My humble shrine at home.



Metta,
Retro.

[Ben]

Nice one, Retro!

[David N. Snyder]

"Every species creates God in their own image." Star Trek Next Generation

[David N. Snyder]

Greetings,

My humble shrine at home.

Beautiful!

Is that the Majjhima Nikaya on the altar? What about the Anguttara Nikaya???

Anguttara Nikaya rules.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings TheDhamma,

Is that the Majjhima Nikaya on the altar? What about the Anguttara Nikaya???

Anguttara Nikaya rules.

Better tell Bhikkhu Bodhi to hurry up with his AN translation then

Metta,
Retro.

[David N. Snyder]

Better tell Bhikkhu Bodhi to hurry up with his AN translation then

PTS has the complete translation of AN in English, but yes, Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation I am sure will be much better.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings TheDhamma,

PTS has the complete translation of AN in English, but yes, Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation I am sure will be much better.

I plan to order Bhikkhu Bodhi's full AN translation when it comes out. Until then, I'll finish up MN (I'm up to about MN 93) and then venture towards the Wisdom Publications issuing of DN... which presumably I'll drop like a hot potato once I get the AN!

Metta,
Retro.

[zavk]

Nice altar, Retro.

I've been meaning to get a Buddha rupa. Where did you get yours?

Metta,
zavk

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Zavk,

I've been meaning to get a Buddha rupa. Where did you get yours?

A good Dhamma friend in Thailand sent it my way.

Metta,
Retro.

[sherubtse]

Greetings,

My humble shrine at home.

Beautiful!

Is that the Majjhima Nikaya on the altar? What about the Anguttara Nikaya???

Anguttara Nikaya rules.

Personally, I'd opt for the SN on my non-existent altar.

With mnetta,
Sherubtse

[Ben]

Hi Zavk

Nice altar, Retro.

I've been meaning to get a Buddha rupa. Where did you get yours?

Metta,
zavk

Keep an eye on the Theosophical Bookshop in Russell Street, Melbourne. They sometimes have quite acceptableThai-style rupas that don't have the mass production or garden gnome look. I picked up a 30cm bronze(?) statue for about $120 about 18 months ago. The Theosophical Bookshop also has no shortage of a number of Tibetan-style rupas, but they are small and very expensive - probably due to the gold paint. They're not my cup of tea. Another place to go is some of the Asian antique shops at the Kew end of Victoria Street. I found a painted solid alabaster Mandalay-style rupa - it would have been about 50-60cm in height. It was incredibly beautiful and exactly what I was looking for. However the price at around $2,000 - I could have financed a trip to Burma and returned with one (if not more).
If you are ever driving to Bendigo, apparently there is a Buddha shop on the way in Malmsbury. My wife brought home a beautiful wooden thai rupa that is painted black with some gold highlights from there.
No doubt you'll see my small collection when you come down here to interrogate me!
Cheers

Ben

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Ben,

If you are ever driving to Bendigo, apparently there is a Buddha shop on the way in Malmsbury.

Any info you can find out about this would be appreciated... if I'm out that way again, I'll certainly be interested in checking it out!

Metta,
Retro.

[Ben]

OK Retro,
Malmsbury is pretty small and it consists of the one strip of shops on either side of the Highway. If I know my good wife, it would be within sight of the Malmsbury Bakery! I'll get more precise directions tonight when she's home from her hoof-trimming workshop.
Kind regards

Ben

EDIT: I just spoke to her and it is in the main drag (Calder Hwy/Mollison St), close to the Bakery but it is not called 'the Buddha Shop' but something else. Kylie said you should go into the backroom as 'they have heaps of them there'.

[retrofuturist]

Thanks Ben.

Metta,
Retro.

[zavk]

Was looking through some old pics and found this of a man doing walking meditation in a small Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia.