Historic Buddhist Statues Destroyed in Maldives by Extremists. Why?

(PHOTO CREDIT: "Light of Buddha" by Loster20 for Free Digital Photos.net)

Similar to the Afghan Islamic Taliban’s destruction of the priceless Buddhist and other historic artifacts in 2001, an Islamic Extremist group has vandalized and destroyed precious Buddhist and Hindu statues in the Maldives which can never be made the same again to preserve the history. 

JAMES: This kind of destruction is derived from extremist beliefs, which are almost always rooted in fear of anything different. Any extreme, (whether liberal, conservative or religious) is dangerous because when you believe that you alone are good, and anything not like you is bad, then you're more likely to justify intolerance, destruction and death. The really sad aspect of this story is how anybody can be so consumed with fear and hatred that they feel the need to lash out in such a way.

A person that rotted with rage can not help but be miserable. Deep down inside, in their private moments of reflection, they must be suffering deeply. It's tragic that they can't see that they don't have to live this way to feel happy. Destroying an ancient statue is tragic, but statues crumble with time anyway. Yet hatred never ceases in its ability to destroy happiness, lives, families, countries and whole planets.

~I bow to the Buddha within all beings~

Tibetan Monks not Bothered by Mandala Destruction

May 25, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The little boy spotted the pile of colored sand and couldn't resist. Slipping under a protective rope, he danced all over the sand, ruining the carefully crafted picture.

Never mind that it was the creation of Tibetan monks who had spent two days on the floor of Union Station, meticulously pouring the sand into an intricate design as an expression of their Buddhist faith.

They were more than halfway done with the design -- called a mandala -- on Tuesday when they ended their work for the day and left. The little boy showed up later with his mother, who was taking a package to a post office in the hall.

''He did a little tap dance on it, completely destroying it,'' said Lama Chuck Stanford.

The monks saw the destruction Wednesday.

''No problem,'' said Geshe Lobsang Sumdup, leader of the group. ''We have three days more.''
AP

James: I heard about this story on several non-Buddhist news feeds and have to giggle a bit at the surprise from people that the monks are not bothered by the child's "dance." For many of us know the mandalas are always wiped away and the sand released into a near by river. Therefore symbolizing impermanence through the sweeping away and inter-being through the merging of the sand with the water. Hence the destruction of sand mandalas is just as sacred a process as the construction of them.

So in reality this child was actually a benefit to the monks by helping perform a sacred task. Thus in that context I find the whole thing quite cute and a good lesson in not taking ourselves too seriously and becoming attached to even the most beautiful, seemingly precious things.

Sometimes children are our best teachers.

~Peace to all beings~