On any given day, hundreds of motorists zip along the three-lane stretch of Gold Star Boulevard near the Harr auto dealerships, with few of them knowing that a Buddhist house of worship sits nearby.
It’s understandable, given that the Linh Son Temple is in a cottage tucked snugly on a small parcel at Gold Star and Ruthven Avenue that is surrounded by businesses.
But folks, very shortly, are going to take notice.
The giveaway ?
The 12-foot, 4-ton statue of the Buddha that will sit outside the temple through June 5.
The large statue — made of rare, translucent jade and valued at $5 million — is touring the world to promote universal peace.
“The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace” drew crowds totaling at least 4 million as it made its way through Asia, Australia and, most recently, some East Coast American cities.
Worcester is the only New England stop for the statue, which was blessed by the Dalai Lama.
The Venerable Man Shing, an assistant at the temple, said the timing of the tour is important, given that people in Worcester, as well as all around New England, are struggling with unemployment, homelessness, the threat of terrorism and “eternal uncertainty.”
“The Jade Buddha is a symbol of hope and strength in a time when deep cynicism and hopelessness darken the horizon,” said Venerable Man Shing. “At this time, it is quite evident that people feel disempowered and have lost faith in the institutions that once served society.
It is my hope that the presence of the Jade Buddha will inspire people through its transcendent beauty.”
Valerie Sampson, a Holden resident who helped organize the trip to Worcester, said various activities are scheduled for the public during the statue’s exhibit, including the dedication services tomorrow morning.
There will also be dharma talks, opportunities to listen to chanting by Buddhist monks, ceremonies honoring the dead and a display of relics.
A complete schedule is available at www.jadebuddha.org.
“Our hope is that everyone, irrespective of their religion, will take a moment to reflect upon peace: peace for families and friends, peace at work, peace in their minds,” said Ms. Sampson.
The tour of the statue began in Vietnam in the spring of last year and is expected to last for several years.
The Buddha will be permanently enshrined at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion Buddhist facility in Victoria, Australia.
The statue is modeled on the figure of the Buddha that is displayed at the Mahabodhi stupa in Bodh Gaya, India.
The Indian sculpture is believed to resemble the historical Buddha most closely.
The statue project took five years to complete and the stone was carved out of an 18-ton boulder found in the Yukon region of Canada.
Workers yesterday were busy setting up the statue in the temple’s small parking lot.
The visit to Worcester was made possible thanks to the lobbying efforts of Thich Nu Tri Hoa, the temple’s abbess.
Buddhism is the world’s fourth largest religion and was founded in India between the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.
Its founder, Siddhartha Gautama, a prince, believed that suffering is the main trouble for humans and is derived from attachment to transitory things.
Meditation to learn to ease this suffering and the observance of moral principles are at the heart of Buddhist practices.
In some quarters, Buddhism is referred to as a non-theistic religion since Gautama, the Buddha, or “awakened one,” never claimed to be divine.
Author : Bronislaus B. Kush
Source : http://www.telegram.com
