Disrespect

A forum for beginners and members of other Buddhist traditions to ask questions about Theravāda (The Way of the Elders). Responses require moderator approval before they are visible in order to double-check alignment to Theravāda orthodoxy.
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Hunter
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Re: Disrespect

Post by Hunter »

withoutcolour wrote:Gee I hope being naked in front of a Buddha statue isn't bad because my five Buddha statues watch me get dressed every day!!! :popcorn:

Anyway. The Buddha image isn't really the Buddha, don't be too attached to the image.
Obviously be respectful.
As mentioned before, in certain countries you shouldn't point your feet at the Buddha or take photos with it.
And again, Buddha never wanted statues erected of him, or to be worshiped really. The point of a Buddha statue, at least the way I was taught, is to remind us to be mindful, compassionate, and of the Buddha's teachings. Also, I was taught that bowing at statues of the Buddha is representation of bowing at one's own potential to be a Buddha, one's own compassion and wisdom, and one's potential attainments.

Bottom line is, in public just follow the local customs as to what's respectful.

-wc

Thats exactly how I see it too. Because I have too gotten dressed before my statue of Buddha.
the Buddha said :

"Intention, monks, is karma, I say. Having willed, one acts through body, speech and mind."
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Disrespect

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

See the Lesser Discourse on the Analysis of Kamma
15. "Here, student, some woman or man is obdurate and haughty; he does not pay homage to whom he should pay homage, or rise up for whom he should rise up, or give a seat to whom he should give a seat, or make way for whom he should make way, or worship him who should be worshipped, or respect him who should be respected, or revere him who should be revered, or honor him who should be honored. Due to having performed and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation... If instead he comes to the human state, he is low-born wherever he is reborn. This is the way that leads to low birth, that is to say, to be obdurate and haughty, not to pay homage to whom he should pay homage, nor rise up for..., nor give a seat to..., nor make way for..., nor worship..., nor respect..., nor revere..., nor honor him who should be honored.
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rowyourboat
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Re: Disrespect

Post by rowyourboat »

Once a sri lankan meditating bikkhu said 'ganda keliye budunta mal puja kalath, vesi keliye mala paha kalath ekai'. Roughly translated to 'whether you offer flowers to the buddha or offer faeces to a toilet it is the same'. He was trying to shock his sri lankan disciples from their attachment to the buddha and trying to get them to see that everything is sankhara which were anicca dukkha and anatta. Some people found this quite difficult to swallow, others with vipassana insight could understand where he was coming from.
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PeterB
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Re: Disrespect

Post by PeterB »

I think that kind of response ( that of the Bhikkhu ) has to be contextualised rowyourboat.
In a context of those who may have been raised with an exaggerated and perhaps superstitious fear of certain kinds of imagery it might be a good corrective.
But the westerners have been raised with a widely internalised distrust of authority and with an iconoclastic view of the sacred.
This can lead westerners to many years of resistance to instruction, and of attempting a D.I.Y approach to Dhamma in a fruitless attempt to reinforce an independence that they in reality do not have . That in fact does not exist.

We should show respect to Buddha Rupas , not because we will go to hell if we don't, but because if we don't, at a deep level we are disrespecting ourselves and our best aspirations.
Incidentally, I don't think that getting dressed in front of a Buddha Rupa shows disrespect.
mythree
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Re: Disrespect

Post by mythree »

i think it's people's attitude towards buddha.am from Sri Lanka couple of months ago SL government banned Akon concert here in colombo because of his video women dancing in swimming dress in front of buddha statue( Sexy Chik video). because the way we asians think of some matters are far different from the western thought.i have seen in some western countries they put buddha statues in coffee shops, bars, toilets so for as asians we think thats disrespect because he is a NOble Human who has been worshipped by more than 2550 years by billions of people. so buddha statue is not for bring luck or to attract people or a brand name. the buddha statue was build by Kushan Kings the only purpose is to worship and as a guide to attain liberation. so we dnt like it to be use as commercial item
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plantgirly
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Re: Disrespect

Post by plantgirly »

I saw this video on youtube about a group in Bangkok who were (and are) dealing with this same issue. From what I could tell most uses of Buddha's image and name are disrespectful. It seems from their standpoint that Buddha is meant for only the utmost respect and even using the Buddha's name is not ideal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C611Bmo0khM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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waimengwan
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Re: Disrespect

Post by waimengwan »

I think the karmic result of disrespecting the Buddha, one will find it hard to meet Buddhist teachings, Teachers and even if one listens to the dharma one will develop wrong views towards the dharma. Spiritual progress will be extremely hard for us. Also out of deep ignorance we have this behaviour towards the Buddha, we will be ignorant in future lives and conduct actions that creare even more ignorance in us.
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Paribbajaka
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Re: Disrespect

Post by Paribbajaka »

I can see both sides of this issue. I will openly admit that I (origianlly) came from the "DIY" school of Dhamma practice, and that over time I've naturally moved towards a more traditional stance. Being mindful of not pointing feet twoards Buddha statues, not discussing worldy matters in front of them, being respectdul towards them are not just great practices in mindfulness but great practices in a quality I definitely lack and that I think most of us do: humility. Treating these statues respectfully and in a manner we're unaccustomed to are huge blows to the ego and excellent for Dhamma.

On the other hand, there can be an awful lot of discouragement attached to abiding too closely to traditional idea of respecting Buddhist images too. One of my friends has a Tibetan style Buddha tattooed on his leg. He was in the grocery store a few weeks ago and was reprimanded by an elderly Chinese woman for being disrespectful and not having the tattoo on the upper part of his body. He told me the story later and commented how he was fairly certain that "Buddha wouldn't care where the tattoo was" (I neglected to mention that in some Theravadin circles ANY Buddha tattoo might be problematic). To him it is a constant reminder of, as has been discussed, his highest ideals. To the Chinese lady it was an affront to those same ideals. It's especially tough as, barring surgery, he can't really fix the situation.

This is one of those topics that's very much in the grey area of culture and religious tradition, and while there are some uses that are obviously one thing or the other (a lot of products on theworsthorse.com spring to mind), I think much of this territory needs to be navigated by the living part of the Buddhist tradition (i.e. all of us.)
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Mkoll
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Re: Disrespect

Post by Mkoll »

Dear friends,

Sorry to revive a dead thread but I would like to know exactly what it means by "pointing feet". I go to a Dhamma talks where Theravada bhikkhus speak. I can't sit cross-legged the whole time without serious pain so I bring my knees up towards my chest and hug them or fold my legs so that both of them are pointing in one direction. I try not to point my feet at anyone when doing this but this is really impossible because the feet will point at things on their path to their resting place and when resting they will be pointing at someone if I'm surrounded by people. Does this count as pointing feet or does pointing feet mean physically and intentionally lifting one's leg up and using it to gesture towards a specific object? I do hope it's the latter...

:toilet:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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mikenz66
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Re: Disrespect

Post by mikenz66 »

I wouldn't worry too much, just try your best to be respectful, and observe what others do. In the circles I move in, people try to either sit cross-legged, or use the "mermaid" posture http://www.dhammathai.org/e/meditation/page2.php, http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/As ... G-C-1.htmland of course the feet will be pointing at someone, but not to the front, which is the point.

Image

:anjali:
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Ajisai
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Re: Disrespect

Post by Ajisai »

There is is this popular place in Paris called the Buddha Bar, where basically people drink alcohol and eat in front of a big Buddha statue. I can't help but find this disrespectful, especially towards Buddhist values. The Buddha statue is just there for exotism...

A picture of the place:
Image
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Disrespect

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

The story of Venerable Sāgata is relevant. When he became intoxicated, he lay down with his feet pointing towards the Buddha. This was the occasion for the laying down of the rule for monks not to take even a drop of alcohol.
The next day, when Sāgata went for alms, he was invited to various houses, where the inmates plied him with intoxicating drinks. So deep were his potations that on his way out of the town he fell prostrate at the gateway. The monks carried him, and at the monastery they laid him down with his head at the Buddha’s feet, but he turned round so that his feet lay towards the Buddha. The Buddha pointed out his condition to the monks, using it as an example of the evil effects of liquor; and he made this the occasion for the passing of a rule against the use of alcohol. Vin.iv.108f.; the story: is also given as the introduction to the Surāpāna Jātaka (J.i.360 ff.) which, too, was taught on this occasion; cf. AA.i.178f.
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robertk
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Re: Disrespect

Post by robertk »

Wow awesome restaurant. But I can see Thai people getting upset for sure.
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