Dear Bob,

I appreciate your intent and your motivation to preserve the intregrity of
the Three Jewels. Your devotion and bodhicitta are apparent with your name,
Bodhirakshita (Protector of Awakening/Enlightenment). However I am simply trying
to remind you that there is more than one way to look at this situation. Karma
is not fixed, and no singular discernable event or condition will inevitably
lead to another. I'll grant that there are things that we can be fairly sure
about, through insight and higher states of awareness and realization, but
remember that the only ones who thoroughly understand the entire interdependent
mechanics of karma are the fully awakened victorious buddha-tathagatas. (Excuse
the bad poetry.) In emptiness, there are no permanent stable characteristics or
signs which are truly existent. Though the bikinis might be offensive to you, i
suspect there are many Buddhists, even monks, nuns, roshis, lamas and the like,
that would not be offended, or even have a quite
different reaction from your own. This is not to negate your feeling or
position, or saying that you are wrong in your perception. Where did you read
that bearing a Shakyamuni or Avalokiteshvara image on one's genitals is a direct
cause for rebirth in hell realm. Buddhism does not have the teaching that there
is anything impure with one's body, only that it is insubstantial, impermanent,
extremely dissatisfactory, and definitely not worth clinging to. Also, i don't
think it is very skilful to other sentient beings to suggest that they be quiet,
as if my opinion, or others' opinions, are inherently inferior to one's own.
This is not the spirit of the Buddha's tradition of enlightened altruistic
intent and free inquiry, nor that of the Dalai Lama. Yes, I did look at the
bikinis. I pray that they may bring some benefit to those who view them. In the
Lotus Sutra it says that even a small child who molds a clay image of the Buddha
is ultimately destined for anuttarasamyaksambodhi. I hope
this clarifies my intention and brings brings benefit. This is in the spirit of
discourse and lovingfriendliness.

Sincerely,
Erick Eevensen


Hi Angela

I don't appreciate his post at all. I was trying to activate people to
take
action about something which is not only offensive but is also
extremely
negative for those wearing them. Wearing the Buddha's image to cover
one's
genitals is a cause for a long rebirth in the hell realms. I suggest if
one
doesn't want to participate rather than sabotage those trying to
motivate
it's better to keep quiet.

Have any of you bothered to look at the bikinis before commenting?

Regards
Bob Gould





May all mother sentient beings, boundless as space, have happiness and the
causes of happiness.
May they be liberated from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May they never be separated from the happiness which is free from sorrow.
May they rest in equanimity, free from attachment and aversion.

"...in the experience of yogins who do not perceive things
dualistically, the fact that things manifest without truly existing
is so amazing, they burst out in laughter"
--Longchenpa

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