On 7/23/08 4:17 PM, "va" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Umm...According to a roshi/zen master, for people in India (and > probably elsewhere) he/his statue represents the closest they get to > God (this despite Buddha preaching an 8-fold path/concepts as against > idol worship). In some Japanese temples (idols) there is no idol, > whilst in almost every Indian Buddhist temple there is a statue. Not > sure how/why it is so differently practiced across nations. Did I > mention the intense difference of opinions, practice and customs > between Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana followers.......
In Bangkok there is the statue of the Emerald Buddha - which is really tiny but is supposed to have great powers - up on the pedestal that reaches at least 10 meters high. Plus not to mention the huge gold Buddha that resides in another temple (the name escapes me). Buddhism is equivalent in these parts to Hinduism in terms of idol worship (of the Buddha). The majority of overseas visitors to these Bangkok temples are Japanese. - divya
