Carrie ([info]chickieleighc) wrote in [info]buddhists,
@ 2006-11-17 08:49:00
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Current mood: mellow

While in Maui last week, I was fortunate enough to stumble upon the Lahaina Jodo Mission. I took a few moments to visit the statue of Buddha and do a few prostrations. I didn't stay very long because there weren't any signs and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be there or not. I didn't want to impose on anyone. It was a lovely visit anyhow, and I thought I'd share some pictures here. I hope to go back someday for a more thorough visit.

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Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


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[info]owl_clan
2006-11-17 08:55 am UTC (link)
Awesome. But what are those two worm-looking things on Buddha's upper lip?

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[info]gillan
2006-11-17 01:33 pm UTC (link)
Is that a righteous 'stache?

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[info]koanbred
2006-11-17 09:01 am UTC (link)
Beautiful! Thank you!

metta

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[info]chimerasumi
2006-11-17 09:38 am UTC (link)
May i ask where in the world this is, im thinking Japan from the little i read on the attached site an will look futher to it.

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[info]chickieleighc
2006-11-17 09:45 am UTC (link)
It's in a town called Lahaina, on the island of Maui in Hawaii. The mission was founded by Japanese immigrants. :)

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[info]owl_clan
2006-11-17 09:48 am UTC (link)

So I take it the wormy mustache is a Japanese thing?

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[info]chickieleighc
2006-11-17 09:52 am UTC (link)
That would be my bet, but I honestly have no clue. :)

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[info]lady_novembre
2006-11-19 05:49 pm UTC (link)
I don't think palm trees are native to Japan. :P

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[info]mindfulness
2006-11-17 10:03 am UTC (link)
That sculpture really evokes to me the presence of a person in deep meditation. Something about the posture and expression; it's not passive, yet it's not moving. I suppose like single point attention or mindful concentration.

Thanks to you for sharing the pictures.

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[info]ocha_no_hanashi
2006-11-17 10:47 am UTC (link)
The colour of that statue.

Looks like it belongs in another dimension.

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[info]faithzan6el
2006-11-17 12:56 pm UTC (link)
Beautiful.

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[info]ekajati
2006-11-17 01:37 pm UTC (link)
Wow, such beautiful photos, make me homesick since I grew up in Hawaii. Next time don't feel like you are imposing on anyone - all of the Pure Land and Shingon temples which I have visited have always been very welcoming, even right before New Year's when they are at their most busy. If you are ever on Oahu visit the Byodo-In temple on the windward side and the Shingon temple on Sheridan St. near Ala Moana shopping center.

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[info]fabucat
2006-11-17 01:56 pm UTC (link)
thank you for sharing the beautiful photographs with us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[info]fivebells
2006-11-17 02:23 pm UTC (link)
Thanks. Those are terrific.

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[info]mayutzu
2006-11-17 02:27 pm UTC (link)
Thanks for those photos! That is Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Wisdom and Compassion who frees all beings from suffering by accepting them into the Land of Bliss (aka Pure Land). And for those who asked, that is indeed a mustache: Buddhas and bodhisattvas in East Asia not infrequently sport mustaches. In fact, one of the most common bodhisattvas to have a mustache is Avalokitesvara (aka Kwan-yin/Guanyin/Kannon), which is ironic since Avalokitesvara is also the bodhisattva most frequently portrated as female. I've even seen people talking about vaguely androgynous Kwan-yin statues, going on about how Kwan-yin is a female, all while they failed to notice that the particular statue they are discussing has a mustache and is therefore clearly intended to be male.

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[info]nobody_
2006-11-17 04:32 pm UTC (link)
Perfect place for a statue of Amida! Hawaii is not that far from the Pure Land itself, it seems (I have never been there myself, alas).

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[info]lovestohateyou
2006-11-17 03:54 pm UTC (link)
I really like the third one.

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[info]ryama
2006-11-17 04:42 pm UTC (link)
Wow! Great pictures. The trees and the temple reminded me of Okinawa.

Jodo-syu and Jodo-Shinsyu are related. Shinran was a student of Honen, the founder of Jodo-syu. Once mainstream Buddhists accused Jodo-syu of being monotheistic, only worshiping Amitaba and demeaning Gautama, Jodo people pleaded Gautama was as important as Amitaba since Gautama was the one taught the contemplation of Amitaba to Queen Vaidehi, but these two Buddhas were different. On the other hand, Shinran thought Gautama was the avatar of Amitaba. But, this Daibutus is Jodo-syu's, so this Daibutsu may be Amitaba, not Gautama.

Mustache may be a hidden message that women have to become a man in order to enter 浄土(Jodo). Jodo(Pure Land) is only for men, and women are impure, so women have to go through transsexualism in order to be pure. 変成男子(henjou-nanshi) or transformation to a man.　穢土(edo) is the Defiled Land, which is this Saha world, therefore, a place we live with women is defiled. Jodo vs. Edo, pure vs. impure, men vs. women, so women ultimately have to abandon womanhood. So I bet Jodo women were experiencing gender identity disorder.

However, in the 20th century, Jodo-Shinsyu had the 19th amendment. Now they say in Jodo, people become genderless and sexless. I think Jodo-syu has also amended their doctrine. So, if you chant "Namu-Amidabutsu," you are promised to be castrated or spayed or whatsoever. So, Edo is a sexual world, while Jodo is only for a neutered man person.

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[info]mcraven333
2006-11-17 08:47 pm UTC (link)
Thank you for the information. I've been taught that Pure Lands had very violent beginning and that, unfortunately, political involvement with Theravada has really corrupted it in Sri Lanka, in particular. These sects are not explicitly violent, though, but they think that enlightenment in this age is not possible, and were not popular in India, but grow, largely by relationship to somewhat brutal political regimes into Asia. The Pure Landers believed they were living at the end of the Kali Yuga, so apocalypticism creeped in, as it did with Tibetan Vajrayana and Shambhala warrior myths. Regardless, the photographs are beautiful.

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[info]tundrababe
2006-11-19 04:17 am UTC (link)
Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing. :-)

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[info]lady_novembre
2006-11-19 06:37 pm UTC (link)
Wow, those are so amazing! Thanks for posting them! :)

And, would you (or anyone else since people seem to be replying to comments) happen to know the symbolism/significance of the stretched earlobes on the statue?

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[info]chickieleighc
2006-11-20 05:44 am UTC (link)
:) From what I recall, it is said that Buddha, before becoming enlightened, was a member of a very rich royal family. In those days, the rich virtually draped themselves in jewelry, including heavy gold earrings. When he went out to seek enlightenment, he discarded all the riches, leaving just his empty, stretched earlobes. That is why it is typical to see Buddha with those earlobes in all images of him -- they symbolize his earthly beginnings as a layman prince.

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[info]lady_novembre
2006-11-20 08:24 am UTC (link)
Ah, I see! Thank you!

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