[Buddha-l] Re: Maitreya statue discussion

[Sally McAra]

eric wrote....
>>>  
There is something else involved as well: the question of the relation
between intensity and meaning. Is the meaning of a big statue different
form a small one? Does the big statue give a more lasting karmic
imprint? Is retoric connected with meaning? Or perhaps does a big statue
express a different meaning: like megalomania? Are the proponents of the
project aware of the difference between form and meaning and the problem
of perspectivity? I can understand why people do mantras or make
manistones, but is that the same as the wish to construct a huge statue?
(I remember the loudspeaker war that goes on between the big mosque and
the main monastry in Leh.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Sally writes in reply.
Yes, I agree that this massive statue expresses a whole lot of things
besides those that the designers (and builders, if it ever goes ahead)
intend... Of course, symbols and objects can be read in many ways. Also,
some people on this list wprobably work with translation theory and have
thought about how their attempts to render something from one language
to another is fraught with difficulties because one cannot ever get the
"original" intention of the writer, only an approximation, and this is
very subject to interpretation. And then there is the matter of what the
readers do with it...!
Same with objects, I think, but with added dimensions of the material
qualities of the object, the resources and capital (social, cultural,
economic etc) involved, etc.

The FPMT argue that the bigger the statue, the greater the merit (more
atoms dedicated to the cause, more money donated, so more donors making
money, more fame means more people see it and so they get karmic
imprints etc etc). And then there's the people who associate it with
megalomania, idolatry, yet another imposition on the land, etc... . So
it all depends on one's perspective. Perhaps Jessica Falcone will be
exploring the variety of perspectives in her phd. I've done a similar
exploration of the stupa project in Australia (and am currently waiting
to hear back from my supervisors on what I *hope* is my penultimate
draft).
Cheers
Sally
-- 
  Sally McAra
  sallymcara at fastmail.fm

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