What To Do With A Buddha Statue?

[phetaroi]

Sometime within the next few months I will be moving to Thailand for my retirement. Here in the States I have a Buddha statue (yes, I am Buddhist) that I acquired in Thailand. As I plan my move, I have to make some decisions about what to bring to Thailand and what to leave behind. What should I do with my Buddha statue? It is probably the average size that most Thais would have in their home, so while not huge, it is rather bulky. Options I have thought of include:

1. Packing it up and taking it back to Thailand.

2. Taking it to a Thai temple here in the States.

3. Advertising on Craigs List to give it to someone deserving for free.

4. Other ideas?

Thanks!

[Brucenkhamen]

Sometime within the next few months I will be moving to Thailand for my retirement. Here in the States I have a Buddha statue (yes, I am Buddhist) that I acquired in Thailand. As I plan my move, I have to make some decisions about what to bring to Thailand and what to leave behind. What should I do with my Buddha statue? It is probably the average size that most Thais would have in their home, so while not huge, it is rather bulky. Options I have thought of include:

1. Packing it up and taking it back to Thailand.

2. Taking it to a Thai temple here in the States.

3. Advertising on Craigs List to give it to someone deserving for free.

4. Other ideas?

Thanks!

I think option 1 might be illegal in Thailand, besides you can always buy a new one when you get there.

Giving it away to a local Buddhist is probably the best bet.

[ChiangraiTony]

Sometime within the next few months I will be moving to Thailand for my retirement. Here in the States I have a Buddha statue (yes, I am Buddhist) that I acquired in Thailand. As I plan my move, I have to make some decisions about what to bring to Thailand and what to leave behind. What should I do with my Buddha statue? It is probably the average size that most Thais would have in their home, so while not huge, it is rather bulky. Options I have thought of include:

1. Packing it up and taking it back to Thailand.

2. Taking it to a Thai temple here in the States.

3. Advertising on Craigs List to give it to someone deserving for free.

4. Other ideas?

Thanks!

[ChiangraiTony]

Personally, I would elect option #1. First, I do not believe it is illegal. Secondly, if you are lucky enough to relocate to Thailand maybe your Buddha is right for you. If you let it go, maybe luck can change. Take it and believe...Good luck!

[Brucenkhamen]

Personally, I would elect option #1. First, I do not believe it is illegal. Secondly, if you are lucky enough to relocate to Thailand maybe your Buddha is right for you. If you let it go, maybe luck can change. Take it and believe...Good luck!

Why would the possession of a statue affect your luck or lack thereof?

[khaowong1]

Donate to a local Buddhist temple where you live. You can always find one here in Thailand.

[Pseacraft]

Brought all of ours back to LOS when we returned over two years ago. They were in our HHG shipment which cleared customs. Don't see what the issue is since they were all originally from LOS and none of them are considered antiquities which is what the law is about. If you decide to not bring it back, it would be best to take it to a local Wat in your area. Lots of things are based on unfounded superstition but you never know...and I have enough bad karma and negative merit to overcome.

[ChiangraiTony]

Personally, I would elect option #1. First, I do not believe it is illegal. Secondly, if you are lucky enough to relocate to Thailand maybe your Buddha is right for you. If you let it go, maybe luck can change. Take it and believe...Good luck!

Why would the possession of a statue affect your luck or lack thereof?

[ChiangraiTony]

Personally, I would elect option #1. First, I do not believe it is illegal. Secondly, if you are lucky enough to relocate to Thailand maybe your Buddha is right for you. If you let it go, maybe luck can change. Take it and believe...Good luck!

Why would the possession of a statue affect your luck or lack thereof?

Why do you think there are more Buddha images in Thailand then there are people? Why do you think Buddist pray or meditate and have the Buddha image? Buddha images are also made from incence ashes, why do you think that is? If you do not know the answer to these questions then maybe you should just donate your Buddha. Best of luck to you!

[phetaroi]

Why do you think there are more Buddha images in Thailand then there are people? Why do you think Buddist pray or meditate and have the Buddha image? Buddha images are also made from incence ashes, why do you think that is? If you do not know the answer to these questions then maybe you should just donate your Buddha. Best of luck to you!

I don't know the significance of there being more Buddha images in Thailand than there are people. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

A Buddha image is a means of focusing meditation and thought. In a discussion with a monk several years ago I lamented the difficulty of visiting a Buddhist temple in the States in order to learn more about Buddhism. His response disappointed me at first. "You see everything here in this temple? The building, the decoration, even the Buddha statue? They have nothing to do with Buddhism. Everything you need for Buddhism is here (he touched my head). Easy to learn about Buddhism. Buy a book." Of course, then he added the kicker: "Difficult to learn about yourself."

I have three Buddha images. The one image of which I am speaking could include incense ashes as an ingredient,]. The other two do not. Keeping that in mind, why do some Buddha images contain incense ashes? I do know that burning incense is compared to burning karma by gaining merit through good works. I am not clear how you think that answers the original question.

Rather than saying, "If you do not know the answer to these questions then maybe you should just donate your Buddha," it would have been more helpful for you to share the answers to the questions you asked. That would have helped others, including myself, learn.

[SeerObserver]

Personally, I would elect option #1. First, I do not believe it is illegal. Secondly, if you are lucky enough to relocate to Thailand maybe your Buddha is right for you. If you let it go, maybe luck can change. Take it and believe...Good luck!

Why would the possession of a statue affect your luck or lack thereof?

Why do you think there are more Buddha images in Thailand then there are people? Why do you think Buddist pray or meditate and have the Buddha image? Buddha images are also made from incence ashes, why do you think that is? If you do not know the answer to these questions then maybe you should just donate your Buddha. Best of luck to you!

Anyone come up with an answer for this, even a superstitious one?

[snuggzzz]

I would take the Buddha statue with you. You are meant to be together.

[camerata]

Why do you think there are more Buddha images in Thailand then there are people? Why do you think Buddist pray or meditate and have the Buddha image? Buddha images are also made from incence ashes, why do you think that is? If you do not know the answer to these questions then maybe you should just donate your Buddha. Best of luck to you!

Anyone come up with an answer for this, even a superstitious one?

It's likely that every Thai Buddhist has at least one amulet either for protection or (sometimes) investment. They are given away at various functions and temples. Incense ash is just one of the various sacred substances involved in the hocus pocus of making an amulet. The most revered amulets of Somdej Toh, for example, contain shell lime, Phong Vises (holy powder), assorted flowers from shrines, rice remains after his consumption, lotus, banana, ashes from incense urns, honey and tang oil.

[harrry]

Remember if you do bring it here you may have problems taking it back again unless you get all the required paperwork for export of a Buddah image.

[rockyysdt]

Personally, I would elect option #1. First, I do not believe it is illegal. Secondly, if you are lucky enough to relocate to Thailand maybe your Buddha is right for you. If you let it go, maybe luck can change. Take it and believe...Good luck!

Why would the possession of a statue affect your luck or lack thereof?

Why do you think there are more Buddha images in Thailand then there are people? Why do you think Buddist pray or meditate and have the Buddha image? Buddha images are also made from incence ashes, why do you think that is? If you do not know the answer to these questions then maybe you should just donate your Buddha. Best of luck to you!

Anyone come up with an answer for this, even a superstitious one?

I think ChiangraiTony was referring to the superstitious & animism side of Buddha statues.

As unenlightened Buddhist practitioners are still grounded in the "I", the other use of Buddha statues is to help focus the mind on ones path.

If ones aim is to follow Buddhas teachings, then if thoughts of the Buddha statue & good luck are harbored then one should ween themselves off these.

Clinging to superstition inhibits growth.

Edited April 10, 2009 by rockyysdt

[meelousee]

Personally, I would elect option #1. First, I do not believe it is illegal. Secondly, if you are lucky enough to relocate to Thailand maybe your Buddha is right for you. If you let it go, maybe luck can change. Take it and believe...Good luck!

Why would the possession of a statue affect your luck or lack thereof?

Amulets and Buddha statues have been made of consecrated (crowned) materials.

Some statues made from old coins, coins that are dropped into a pond for good luck, coins or jewelry given to the temple or old damaged statues they are then melted at a given time and day to pour into new molds and monks say prayers, chant and further bless the object being created. They are essentially transferring power to that object. This is a very strong belief shared by most Thais and many other Buddhists.

The materials used in Amulets are varied some with as many as 200 different crowned ingredients. The photo attached is one such amulet a mass chanting of Somdej Kaiser.

The consecration ceremony took 3 years and the collection of materials took 25 years. This amulet has 200 ingredients and having one is equal to having all the top amulets ever created.

To have ones luck changed is realy karma, but faith and belief also changes ones luck.

Edited April 18, 2009 by meelousee

[meelousee]

Humm attachment gone?

any way this is the Kaiser that was supposed to be in the previous post

Edited April 18, 2009 by meelousee

[camerata]

any way this is the Kaiser that was supposed to be in the previous post

I like the "crackled" finish on this amulet. Any idea how it's done?

[mouchlino]

Personally, I would elect option #1. First, I do not believe it is illegal. Secondly, if you are lucky enough to relocate to Thailand maybe your Buddha is right for you. If you let it go, maybe luck can change. Take it and believe...Good luck!

Why would the possession of a statue affect your luck or lack thereof?

Why do you think there are more Buddha images in Thailand then there are people? Why do you think Buddist pray or meditate and have the Buddha image? Buddha images are also made from incence ashes, why do you think that is? If you do not know the answer to these questions then maybe you should just donate your Buddha. Best of luck to you!

Anyone come up with an answer for this, even a superstitious one?

That's it and with a lot of good luck WISHED for We all want it!

[meelousee]

any way this is the Kaiser that was supposed to be in the previous post

I like the "crackled" finish on this amulet. Any idea how it's done?

It is all in the ingredents, remeber the amulets are baked at around 800 degrees F. So some ingreedients expand while other contract causing a cracked finish.

I have two examples on my web site that show green cracks and others show black or brown cracks VERY nice too. I love them very attactive.

One has yellow cracks and the theives at Montien have tried to buy that pim every time I show up to ask about a new one.

First example: Somdej Kaiser

Second example and a nice one: Wat Rakang

This one is nolonger for rent but Photo is good: CKN Photo

[phetaroi]

As the OP, I thought I would get back about what I did. I went to a small Thai Buddhist temple in northern Virginia and donated the Buddha in a sala that had quite a few Buddhas of all sizes.

[jerrylee]

Humm attachment gone?

any way this is the Kaiser that was supposed to be in the previous post

Thank you.

[truthfulfox]

Sometime within the next few months I will be moving to Thailand for my retirement. Here in the States I have a Buddha statue (yes, I am Buddhist) that I acquired in Thailand. As I plan my move, I have to make some decisions about what to bring to Thailand and what to leave behind. What should I do with my Buddha statue? It is probably the average size that most Thais would have in their home, so while not huge, it is rather bulky. Options I have thought of include:

1. Packing it up and taking it back to Thailand.

2. Taking it to a Thai temple here in the States.

3. Advertising on Craigs List to give it to someone deserving for free.

4. Other ideas?

Thanks!

you should take your God where ever you go! You will need so much once in thailand ! LOL

[Texpat]

My wife is a Buddhist. I'm not.

She has only one buddha statue and put it in her carry on.

She wans't amused when I stuffed the bag under her airline seat.

It belonged in the overhead bin. OK, whatever. I'm tolerant like that.

[gk10002000]

Remember if you do bring it here you may have problems taking it back again unless you get all the required paperwork for export of a Buddah image.

Please explain in a bit more detail. I thought the export law was for antiques, but some people seem to be saying they have problems shipping out or flying out with routine buddha souvenirs, key chains, modern sculptures etc. Surely it can't be prohibited to buy those and take home? Where does the paperwork come in for souvenirs? Is this a huge trap and tourist trick for tourists?

[phetaroi]

Please explain in a bit more detail. I thought the export law was for antiques, but some people seem to be saying they have problems shipping out or flying out with routine buddha souvenirs, key chains, modern sculptures etc. Surely it can't be prohibited to buy those and take home? Where does the paperwork come in for souvenirs? Is this a huge trap and tourist trick for tourists?

STOP! While I can't answer the whole of your question, I have to strongly disagree with the situation being "a huge trap and tourist trick for tourists". I have read warnings about this issue over and over and over. If anyone has been "trapped" in regard to this issue, then they failed to do even the most minor review of buying things while visiting Thailand.

[camerata]

The wording on the MFA site has changed since the last time I looked:

"Instruction on the Export of Antiquities or Buddha Images from the Kingdom of Thailand

1. Buddha images, Bodhisattva images or related fragments, part of ancient monuments and prehistoric objects, are forbidden to be taken out of the Kingdom. Newly cast Buddha images in complete condition can be exported for worship, cultural exchange or educational purposes with licenses issued by the Fine Arts Department. Not more than 5 pieces per person shall be allowed.

(more information contact to 0 2628 5032) "

[visible]

Take it to donate in local temple and get only The Buddha's teaching to anywhere. Because the Buddha'saying before he passing away that “Whatever Dhamma-Vinaya I have pointed out and formulated for you, that will be your Teacher when I am gone." (It is not the buddha statue ) (Mahaparrinibhanasutta)