Buddha's Birthplace To Be Developed To Make Merit For Their Majesties

[webfact]

Buddha's birthplace to be developed to make merit for Their Majesties

By The Nation

A former deputy leader of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai Party yesterday revealed a plan to develop Buddha's birthplace in Nepal as part of merit on behalf of Their Majesties the King and the Queen.

The project, which would need no more than Bt50 million, will be officially announced on January 20 at Bangkok's Wat Sa Ket. The work will start in March and should be completed by October.

After visiting Nepal and noticing that Buddha's birthplace - covering 6,000 rai - wasn't as developed as it should be, Sudarat Keyuraphan managed to get approval from the World Heritage Committee and a licence to develop the area. She has asked Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Architecture to help design the project.

She said the project would include putting up a sign providing details of the area, a plaza large enough for 500 people near the Bodhi tree where Buddha received enlightenment, as well as some toilets and a pavilion for pilgrims. They would also set up a sign saying that the people of Thailand had developed this site for the merit of Their Majesties.

Somdet Phra Phuttacharn (Somdet Kiaw) will oversee the religious side of the project as the advisory board's president, while Sumet Tantivejkul will be the board's layman president, Sudarat said. She has invited donations for this project via the soon-to-be-founded Lumpini Development Fund.

-- The Nation 2011-01-06

[thaicbr]

Unbelievable.... Thailand can not even sort out it's own heritage sites (Ayutthaya) and yet they are meddling with other countries sites..... Maybe there is a reason Buddha birthplace is NOT developed. Because it is better the way it is..and follows his teachings better.

[Samuian]

a pilgrims shoppingmall a la Siam Paragon run by King Power Group would be nice...

[Genericnic]

Having been to Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini (also spelled Lumpini), Nepal (for some reason, the story never clearly identifies the town) about 10 years ago, I can say that it does not need more development. There were already way too many tour buses that came to the area even back then.

The story also mentions that they want to put a plaza up near the bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Unfortunately, that occurred in Bodh Gaya, which is located in India rather than Nepal.

There is already a very nice Thai monastery there that I had the pleasure to visit.

David

[camerata]

Bizarre. No mention of asking the Nepalese government about it.

[phetaroi]

Unbelievable.... Thailand can not even sort out it's own heritage sites (Ayutthaya) and yet they are meddling with other countries sites..... Maybe there is a reason Buddha birthplace is NOT developed. Because it is better the way it is..and follows his teachings better.

Hmmmm. Considering that Thailand is still a third world country (yes, I know that's a debatable definition), I've been rather impressed with the development of Thai historic sites.

[Buchholz]

After visiting Nepal and noticing that Buddha's birthplace - covering 6,000 rai - wasn't as developed as it should be, Sudarat Keyuraphan managed to get approval from the World Heritage Committee and a licence to develop the area. She has asked Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Architecture to help design the project.

She said the project would include putting up a sign providing details of the area, a plaza large enough for 500 people near the Bodhi tree where Buddha received enlightenment

The story also mentions that they want to put a plaza up near the bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Unfortunately, that occurred in Bodh Gaya, which is located in India rather than Nepal.

The former Bird Flu Minister is banned from politics for 5 years and it's not because she's exceptionally intelligent.

[Xangsamhua]

Bizarre. No mention of asking the Nepalese government about it.

Sounds like a self-promotion project for Khun Sudarat, or/and perhaps a business venture - she's a property developer, isn't she?

As one of the listed financiers of the red shirts in May this year, she was barred from conducting any financial transactions. I assume this has been lifted.

[Xangsamhua]

Sudarat might be better to invest the money, from whatever source, in some worthwhile project in Thailand if she wants anyone to benefit from it.

That the Buddha was born in the current site of Lumbini seems to be in considerable doubt, though he may have been born there and then lived his first 30 years or so in what is now Tilaurakot (the ancient Kapilavastu), some 27 kms from Lumbini.

http://worldamity.wo...has-birthplace/

See also Allen, C. The Buddha and Dr Fuhrer (2008) pp. 262-263.

It's a bit like the Bethlehem-Nazareth story, both Jesus and the Buddha being said to have been born in one location, but thereafter returned to the family's place of residence, where they remained for about 30 years (disregard the flight into Egypt fable, which only occurs in Matthew's highly tendentious gospel).

In effect, the present Lumbini site is quite possibly just an iconic theme park, of no more value to Buddhists than as a locale in which they can fulfill the Buddha's apocryphal suggestion (recorded in the Parinibbana Sutta) that all should endeavour to visit the four holy places of his birth, enlightenment, first sermon and parinirvana.

[khaowong1]

a pilgrims shoppingmall a la Siam Paragon run by King Power Group would be nice...

[khaowong1]

Having been to Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini (also spelled Lumpini), Nepal (for some reason, the story never clearly identifies the town) about 10 years ago, I can say that it does not need more development. There were already way too many tour buses that came to the area even back then.

The story also mentions that they want to put a plaza up near the bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Unfortunately, that occurred in Bodh Gaya, which is located in India rather than Nepal.

There is already a very nice Thai monastery there that I had the pleasure to visit.

David

David, David, David... we're talking about a rich Thai investor here, who is or was in a lot of trouble with the Royal family and the current government. You really don't expect them to get all the historical facts correct, do you?

[khaowong1]

Having been to Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini (also spelled Lumpini), Nepal (for some reason, the story never clearly identifies the town) about 10 years ago, I can say that it does not need more development. There were already way too many tour buses that came to the area even back then.

The story also mentions that they want to put a plaza up near the bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Unfortunately, that occurred in Bodh Gaya, which is located in India rather than Nepal.

There is already a very nice Thai monastery there that I had the pleasure to visit.

David

I just looked at the Thai monastery that David provided the link for, how in the world could you get any better than that?

[Svenn]

I sure hope they cut out all the ghastly vegetation there when they develop it and pave most of the area, or at least cover it with lawns with pinwheels and statuettes... let's not forget a large parking terminal for the buses and food courts. I think they should also take out the bodhi tree that's there and replace with a plastic, more durable one... with portraits of their majesties on top of course.

[yellow1red1]

What schools / sects have a doctrine allows one to buy merit for another?

Does the purchaser get 0 merit or multiple for being so selfless?

Isn't is kind of 'assuming' to think the Recipients in the above headline need merit? eh

Can one trade one flavour of merit for another?

I have some extra merit that I will trade for a protection amulet?

might need it after this post

Is the foregoing tongue in cheek, laughing one's bag off at delusion allowed here?

Anyway, I hope the lady has a sliver of good intentions!

"When we discriminate between friends and enemies, how can we ever want to help all sentient beings?"

[Brucenkhamen]

What schools / sects have a doctrine allows one to buy merit for another?

Does the purchaser get 0 merit or multiple for being so selfless?

Isn't is kind of 'assuming' to think the Recipients in the above headline need merit? eh

Can one trade one flavour of merit for another?

I have some extra merit that I will trade for a protection amulet?

might need it after this post

Is the foregoing tongue in cheek, laughing one's bag off at delusion allowed here?

Anyway, I hope the lady has a sliver of good intentions!

"When we discriminate between friends and enemies, how can we ever want to help all sentient beings?"

I'm looking forward to the day we can exchange merit for carbon credits.

[healthcaretaker]

Having been to Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini (also spelled Lumpini), Nepal (for some reason, the story never clearly identifies the town) about 10 years ago, I can say that it does not need more development. There were already way too many tour buses that came to the area even back then.

The story also mentions that they want to put a plaza up near the bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Unfortunately, that occurred in Bodh Gaya, which is located in India rather than Nepal.

There is already a very nice Thai monastery there that I had the pleasure to visit.

David

I disagree with you. I have been to both Lumbini and Bodhgaya much after you.

Both places need to be further developed to be more tourist friendly. Lumbini especially has very poor road and transport system. Those NICE temples are all constructed with the finance of some individuals or government from the respective countries. The Nepalse government is NOT supporting the place or Buddhism. The India side is slightly better with more activities and tourists facilities but still far from good.

I can see that both countries are not really promoting Buddhism. It's a great pity because both places are so interesting and worth more than a visit. Just imagine if every Buddhist will to make just 1 visit in a life time, they should see more tourists than London or Bangkok.

Yes, we see tourists and some tourists buses but very much lesser than Bangkok's Grand Palace.

[surayu]

Bizarre. No mention of asking the Nepalese government about it.

Asking for permission? In Thailand?