[Buddha-l] Bewildering temple in Bangkok

[Franz Metcalf]

Eko et al.,

I thought the same thing when reading Chris's post. One time the relics tour came here to Los Angeles, it was housed in a Sikh-dominated yoga center. Evidently, those Sikhs don't know who to worship, either. It was a lovely experience to see the images and relics, especially with my little daughter who, at nine months, said her very first word there: "Buddha," though I suspect she might have actually been attempting to say "bottle" or perhaps just "blah blah" (what she generally says when I talk about Buddhism to her, eight years later).

As Richard and Dan seem to agree (!), Thai Buddhism as actually practiced is a much broader affair than Buddhist sympathizers want to think. So the temple in question could well be a particularly ecumenical Thai temple quite separate from any relic tour. They ought to have been selling amulets, too.

Franz

On Feb 27, 2013, at 9:21 AM, Eko Noble wrote:

> Greetings,
> 
> Chris' description sounds like this particular Thai temple could be hosting the Tibetan FPMT Buddhist sponsored  Maitreya Heart Shrine relics tour, and that it has been mounted within one of their existing shrine halls, thus explaining the cultural mix objects and images of veneration.  For more information see:
> 
> http://www.maitreyarelictour.com/
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Eko Noble