Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya
Melbourne

Those who created the Bamiyan Buddha statues may have done so to show their gratitude towards BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s profound teachings. BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s request to His disciples was, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-he who sees the Dhamma sees meƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, in other words those who ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Understand and practiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ the Dhamma. I believe Buddha refers to those lay disciples and monks who understand and observe their respective precepts immaculately.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ To date thereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s not a single statue depicting the serenity, tranquility, calmness, radiance and deep penetration embedded in its features like in a Buddha Statue. This is the reason why if anyone, irrespective of his or her faith, stands in front of this statue, transforms instantly into a compassionate being, even temporarily.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Recently I saw a news item where some Germans are prepared to re assemble these Buddha statues that were blasted off in 2001. It may not be important to know what actually motivated them to come to this conclusion, either as a mark of respect to a pragmatic philosophy or just to restore historical icons that were lost to the culture lovers!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Having said so, Buddha also taught us, that we live in an impermanent World, everything is subjected to decay, destruction inclusive too.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There are annual pilgrims who go to India to Worship the Scared sites once lost to the jungles. I am ignorant whether same people (pilgrims) visited in numbers to Venerate, Worship these Bamiyan statues too or just some visited as in the spirit of tourists to see the marvel of the statues!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Therefore I tend to believe, in the past, these statues were seen only by those who use to take the land route from the European countries to the Asian subcontinent. If I am talking only of Sri Lankans, obviously they were reasonably wealthy to take this journey and the rest of us, who saw and heard about these statues of late, felt sad and cursed those heartless sadistic, blasting the historical icons that stood for nearly 1500years or more, adding a picturesque value to otherwise a barren land.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However on hearing the news of this wanton destruction, the Buddhist in the Globe did not loose their senses to declare a fatwah (killing spree) on the ignorant perpetrators. Anyway the way World is moving these days, what guarantee or safe guards do we have to believe a similar fate would not be in store in the future for re-built Bamiyan statues.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Hence, I leave the question ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-is it necessary to restore Bamiyan statuesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya
Melbourne