Unconditional religion

I recently visited Bangkok, and on my way into the city from the airport, I saw big billboards advising tourists to show respect for images of the Lord Buddha.

The teachings of Buddhism have helped me in more ways than I can possibly explain in this letter, and therefore my immediate sense was also that of wanting to defend and protect a faith tradition, which has given me so much.

But I have since thought more about that initial reaction. Do the teachings, or indeed the symbols of Buddhism really demand respect? Unlike followers of proselytising religions, who see themselves as being in competition with other religions, Buddhism merely wishes to offer solutions to the predicaments of our human existence. Buddhism demands no loyalty; it does not fear being questioned. The Gautama Buddha advised us to "believe nothing until you have experienced it and found it to be true". Furthermore, Buddhism is not exclusive. In encouraging people to learn more about Buddhism, the Dalai Lama says, "Do not try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are."

As for the symbols and images associated with Buddhism, the most common being the image of a Buddha, or a Bodhisattva, in seated meditation, these are, of course, not gods or idols. They are mere material objects, designed to remind us of the teachings and to offer a sense of peace to anyone who sees them. What is so fascinating about these symbols is that even people, who know nothing about Buddhism at all, instinctively feel an attraction to these symbols. I recall seeing tourists visiting Nepal bringing with them prayer flags, dharma wheels and Buddha images, wishing to decorate their homes with these items. They do this because they find, without knowing why, that these items bring positive energy.

If someone were to treat Buddhist symbols with disrespect, that would be shameful, but it is not something that should give rise to fear or a feeling of being insulted. Buddhists know that the human mind can become very sick indeed, and cause people to act in destructive ways. Unfortunately, laws or regulations cannot remedy this dreadful karma -- this can only be done through compassion and understanding. The teachings and the traditions of Buddhism are, in my view, far above any attempt to mock or offend. You may destroy a symbol of Buddhism, but that does not, in any way, make the four noble truths less true. All it does is to demonstrate that the person doing such a thing is uneducated and that he probably suffers immensely.

Visitors to countries with a Buddhist heritage, such as Thailand, should not be prevented from experiencing the power of Buddhist symbols. However, rather than just buying them as souvenirs, visitors should be encouraged to learn a little bit about the symbols and understand why they are so appealing to us humans.

Marcus Baltzer

Muzzling journos

News reports about two Reuters journalists in Myanmar and the closure of print media outlets in Cambodia show the attempts of the government to manipulate the people. They put the governments of Myanmar and Cambodia in a bad light.

Ohayo Tokyo

Airport Link off rails

Every day for more than a week now Airport Rail Link passengers have been subject to long delays and trains have been packed to suffocation levels. This morning I was late for work and endured an extremely unpleasant trip -- packed like a sardine -- before being told that I was not allowed to leave the station because this delayed trip had put my card in the red. So, for something like 20 baht, I was held prisoner. They had no staff available for me to pay because they had a line of a hundred people waiting to buy tickets for the next train. I left them my card and 100 baht and went to work as staff shouted at me that I was not allowed to leave.

It is well known that ARL management's incompetence has led to trains not being repaired or serviced in due time. This may well be the cause of recent delays. Many people are feeling frustrated and upset at the incompetence and complete lack of care ARL shows its customers.

Frustrated Bangkokian

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