Buddha to Buddha

[pedro1985]

What do you think about http://www.buddhatobuddha.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ?

It's a fashion brand which uses "Buddha" as their brand symbol. In the newspaper this morning I read the fashion brand is organising a party and their slogan for their Buddha party is: "Have fun, Eat, Listen, Dance and Enjoy your evening. Nothing is obligatory. Everything's possible. Be yourself and anything can happen!" It's a party that promotes the use of alcohol, and all other things that Siddharta Gautama told his followers to stay away from.

I remember the Arab world getting angry about a cartoon about their profet. So am curious what most of you think of this fashion brand using the name of Buddha to promote these things. In the party room they place a big statue of a sitting buddha and offering entertainment, alcohol and all such things. Seems like making fun of the Buddha's teachings and using his reputation to make money.

See image: http://www.sabinek.nl/blog/wp-content/u ... buddha.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kim OHara]

My guess is that their misuse of the Buddha's image is more likely ignorance and disrespect than outright malice.
If it was in my part of the world, I would probably object to the business owner, but I wouldn't go much beyond that - there are much more important things to worry about.

Kim

[nathan]

Nice party, I'll have a ginger ale and a sparkler.

[Fede]

The Buddha was a man, not a God.
I think, were he alive today, he'd shrug it off, pretty much like any sensible person would, caught in the headlights of Mistaken identity.

I mean, these things come, they stay a while then they go....

It's all just another day in the life of....

I think turning up to the party and making a fuss, would just make "you" look a bigger idiot.

Things like this thrive on attention.

so?
Ignore it.

best thing.
Otherwise a mere bagatelle of an irritation becomes a major pain in the profundis.
And all because "you" got a little bit indignant over it.....

[Parth]

Would not worry much as Fede said

these things come, they stay a while then they go

It might actually do some good, some of the people who come to these parties may have otherwise never heard of Buddha let aside his teachings. Might see his statue today, read his teachings tom, might undertake Vipassana day after. A long shot but possible !

Though am not encouraging / endorsing participation in such parties

Regards

Parth

[pedro1985]

yeah, I think it's best just to ignore it and let it be. I will look at it as an opportunity to practice unattachment to images or symbols related to the buddha. It's rather silly indeed to get annoyed by it.

Though I don't think that many people will look up his teachings when they see the statue of the buddha. In fact, where I live there are a lot of stores that sell drugs legally and the buddha statue is a symbol connected to the use of drugs here. Many people have buddha statues here at home. Sometimes I ask people why do they have the statues, and they say it looks cool and when they use the drugs then they look at the buddha and feel connected to the buddha, because when you are on drugs then you are in the "buddha-zone".

When I ask them what the buddha teaches, they think it has to do with the use of drug and that he is some sort of god with superpowers, and when I tell them what he really teached, then they say that it is really stupid teaching.

Sometimes I get bothered by it, because the teachings are important to me and it gives a foundation to my life. Sometimes I can get offended by how the statues of the buddha are used by others. But then everytime such a feeling arises, I will repeat parts of suttas in my mind silently to help remind me that I should use this as an opportunity to practice the Dhamma. So, I guess in a way it is good that people use the statues in a disrespectful way.

[Bodhisurfer]

I note with a wry smile that on their web page there is a little sentence that says:
'Please be aware that items in the collection of Buddha to Buddha are protected by copyright worldwide.
Buddha to Buddha will not hesitate to protect the interest of the company, its employees and its investments.'

I dont think that the company is making fun of Buddhism, more just trying to associate itself and its products with the alternative 'cool' culture that often claims to follow Buddhism.

I agree with the previous posters that its a shame to see the Buddha's image used to promote things that are very un-buddhist but are'nt we in the time when the Dhamma is suposed to be lost? And did'nt the Buddha discourage the use of images?

[pedro1985]

but are'nt we in the time when the Dhamma is suposed to be lost? And did'nt the Buddha discourage the use of images?

I'm not sure what you mean. Are we in the time now when the Dhamma is supposed to be lost?

[Dan74]

I am not fussed at all. We are talking about jewelry here, items that either most of us here or our partner use. Nothing evil. I don't feel I own the word "Buddha" and if they want to use it, if people use Buddha statues to prop their doors, etc what can I do? I don't worry about these things.

[Goofaholix]

I note with a wry smile that on their web page there is a little sentence that says:
'Please be aware that items in the collection of Buddha to Buddha are protected by copyright worldwide.
Buddha to Buddha will not hesitate to protect the interest of the company, its employees and its investments.'

Perhaps if there were copyright laws 2500 years ago we wouldn't be in this position.

When does a word coined by one religious group cease to be the property of that group and belong to everybody to do what they like with?

If somebody were to advertise a Jesus party I think it would be pretty unambiguous what type of party it was.

[Parth]

Dear Goofaholix,

You wrote:

Perhaps if there were copyright laws 2500 years ago we wouldn't be in this position.

When does a word coined by one religious group cease to be the property of that group and belong to everybody to do what they like with?

If somebody were to advertise a Jesus party I think it would be pretty unambiguous what type of party it was.

I understand your attachment / respect / love for Buddha but actually by subjecting / proposing to subject Buddha to copyright laws we are limiting him thereby causing the biggest disrespect to him, he was and is a universal teacher and does not belong to any specific religious order / sect. He taught 'Dhamma' not Buddhism, in entire tipitika you would not find the word 'bauddha' i.e. pali eq of buddhist. By similar conjecture what if Nepal /India / Northern regions of India were to talk about copyright on Buddha given that it is here he was born and taught Dhamma in that region, this would be so very unfortunate.

We all should be extremely thankful to him for just having been there and to our fate for having taken birth when his teachings are still available and practise Vipassana diligently.

Metta

Parth

[pedro1985]

I understand your attachment / respect / love for Buddha but actually by subjecting / proposing to subject Buddha to copyright laws we are limiting him thereby causing the biggest disrespect to him, he was and is a universal teacher and does not belong to any specific religious order / sect. He taught 'Dhamma' not Buddhism, in entire tipitika you would not find the word 'bauddha' i.e. pali eq of buddhist. By similar conjecture what if Nepal /India / Northern regions of India were to talk about copyright on Buddha given that it is here he was born and taught Dhamma in that region, this would be so very unfortunate.

We all should be extremely thankful to him for just having been there and to our fate for having taken birth when his teachings are still available and practise Vipassana diligently.

Metta

Parth

You are absolutely right! Thanks.

[Goofaholix]

I understand your attachment / respect / love for Buddha but actually by subjecting / proposing to subject Buddha to copyright laws we are limiting him thereby causing the biggest disrespect to him, he was and is a universal teacher and does not belong to any specific religious order / sect. He taught 'Dhamma' not Buddhism, in entire tipitika you would not find the word 'bauddha' i.e. pali eq of buddhist. By similar conjecture what if Nepal /India / Northern regions of India were to talk about copyright on Buddha given that it is here he was born and taught Dhamma in that region, this would be so very unfortunate.

We all should be extremely thankful to him for just having been there and to our fate for having taken birth when his teachings are still available and practise Vipassana diligently.

Buddha means the "One who knows", it's a quality of knowing and isn't limited to one person 2500 years ago.

[Parth]

Buddha means the "One who knows", it's a quality of knowing and isn't limited to one person 2500 years ago.

Correct ! and any such person is a universal teacher and limiting / trying / proposing to limit such a person to copyrights would be limiting him / her and showing disrespect to him / her and such a person no longer belongs to any religion / sect. Buddha as a word is generally used for sammasabuddha, and last Sammasabuddha was Gautama the Buddha.

Metta

Parth

[Goofaholix]

Correct ! and any such person is a universal teacher and limiting / trying / proposing to limit such a person to copyrights would be limiting him / her and showing disrespect to him / her and such a person no longer belongs to any religion / sect. Buddha as a word is generally used for sammasabuddha, and last Sammasabuddha was Gautama the Buddha.

So not a kind of party then.