Outside Context

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Fri May 22
The Lama Temple of Beijing: Today we visted the famous Beijing Lama Temple and took a look at what must be the biggest statue of Maitriea I have ever seen. 13 meters high! Tibbetan Buddhism always slightly freaks me out as it is very unique to the country. I can see influences of Hinduism, yoga and Chinese mystical theory deep within it. The statues of demons eating entrails, while standing on human bodies and also having sex are not to be examined too closely. Connecting such things to the smiling visage of HH the Dali Lama is not easy. I can’t help but wonder what the Buddha himself (here relegated amongst many Buddhas past, present and future) would make of it all.

The Lama Temple of Beijing: Today we visted the famous Beijing Lama Temple and took a look at what must be the biggest statue of Maitriea I have ever seen. 13 meters high! Tibbetan Buddhism always slightly freaks me out as it is very unique to the country. I can see influences of Hinduism, yoga and Chinese mystical theory deep within it. The statues of demons eating entrails, while standing on human bodies and also having sex are not to be examined too closely. Connecting such things to the smiling visage of HH the Dali Lama is not easy. I can’t help but wonder what the Buddha himself (here relegated amongst many Buddhas past, present and future) would make of it all.