question about taking care of a buddha statue

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mario92
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question about taking care of a buddha statue

Post by mario92 »

hi all dhamma wheel members, i want to know: how to dispose a buddha image?, like a statue, i believe in kamma, but i dont know the effects of doing this or of not taking care very well of a buddha image. ( i change the title of subject hoping to understand better that taking care of a buddha statue could be beneficial regarding kamma)

Thank you
Last edited by mario92 on Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
perkele
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by perkele »

Hello!

A Buddha image is not alive. You can hack it into pieces without any remorse.

:spy:

But why do you want to throw it away? Is it ugly?

Maybe you could still give it to someone who likes it. :broke: Just an idea.

:anjali:
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Kim OHara
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by Kim OHara »

perkele wrote:Hello!

A Buddha image is not alive. You can hack it into pieces without any remorse.

:spy:

But why do you want to throw it away? Is it ugly?

Maybe you could still give it to someone who likes it. :broke: Just an idea.

:anjali:
We normally show respect to the image as a symbol of the person we respect.

Finding a good new home for it is probably the best idea.
Failing that, disposing of it respectfully is best - not tossing it in the bin with the coffee grounds, etc. In another thread on this topic, someone suggested finding a place for it in a park or forest, in the fork of a tree.
Along the Mekong River there is a cave full of 'retired' Buddha images - see https://www.flickr.com/photos/jraptor/4238952815/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pak_Ou_Caves

:namaste:
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SarathW
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by SarathW »

Go to a Sunday market craft shop and ask whether they need it or have a garage sale.
Why do you want to dispose it.
Isn't this the so called real Buddha's immage.
In that case you can keep it as a meditation object.
See the beauty in the ugly.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
paul
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by paul »

Christian op-shops and Buddha statues:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=11767465
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Dhammanando
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by Dhammanando »

perkele wrote:Hello!
A Buddha image is not alive. You can hack it into pieces without any remorse.

I think the OP is using 'dispose' in the older sense of 'arrange' or 'set up', not the modern sense of 'get rid of'. In Spanish the cognate verb 'disponer' still retains the same meaning as the Latin source.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
SarathW
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by SarathW »

I always wonder what the meaning of "at once disposal".
:)
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
perkele
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by perkele »

Dhammanando wrote:
perkele wrote:Hello!
A Buddha image is not alive. You can hack it into pieces without any remorse.

I think the OP is using 'dispose' in the older sense of 'arrange' or 'set up', not the modern sense of 'get rid of'. In Spanish the cognate verb 'disponer' still retains the same meaning as the Latin source.
Ah... now that makes much more sense, knowing that Mario is from Mexico, and also speaks about taking proper care of the statue. And "to throw away" would mean "to dispose of" after all. :computerproblem:


Sorry Mario! It seems I misunderstood you. I thought you wanted to throw away (= dispose of) the statue. But it seems you want to know how to arrange / where to put it properly.

I have no idea. Superstitious people might say that you should put it into a higher place, where it receives the respect it deserves etc. etc. And probably that is what most everyone would do normally anyway. If they have a Buddha image then it is a symbol of respect, and they put it into some elevated place probably. And that is what I would probably do as well if I had one.

But I think you can also put it in your garden or wherever you think it fits. I have seen plenty of Buddha images in the gardens of people in the villages around here. I like them as a decoration in that setting.

There will be no "bad karma" or anything terrible happening to you if you put it under the table, or upside-down.

:buddha1:
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mario92
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by mario92 »

Thank you all and Venerable Dhammanando for the answers :)
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mario92
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by mario92 »

I have a buddha statue, I had put the buddha in a better place, clean place in my garden, where there is a tree with flowers at the higher level i could put the buddha. Thank you for your answers.
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mario92
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by mario92 »

Dhammanando wrote:
perkele wrote:Hello!
A Buddha image is not alive. You can hack it into pieces without any remorse.

I think the OP is using 'dispose' in the older sense of 'arrange' or 'set up', not the modern sense of 'get rid of'. In Spanish the cognate verb 'disponer' still retains the same meaning as the Latin source.
Venerable Dhammanando what is your posture with buddha images and the kamma of taking care of them?
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: How to Display A Buddha Statue?

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

The Buddha clearly stated that it is intention that is called kamma, not mere action.

You clearly have a wholesome intention to treat the Buddha respectfully, so you won't be making any bad kamma.

There are various cultural traditions regarding Buddha images: to place them on a high place, not to point the feet towards them, not to put them in toilets, nor anywhere they may be trodden on, e.g. by placing books on the floor.

P.S. You might want to edit your first post to change the title, to avoid any further confusion for those who may visit it later.
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Dhammanando
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by Dhammanando »

mario92 wrote:Venerable Dhammanando what is your posture with buddha images and the kamma of taking care of them?
I think my position would be the same as Ven. Pesala's.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
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mario92
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Re: how to dispose a buddha statue

Post by mario92 »

Thank you venerable ones
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zerotime
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Re: question about taking care of a buddha statue

Post by zerotime »

Can I add, never do business with Buddha statues requesting benefits and similar things. Never.
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