Buddha statues appearing in Chicago neighborhoods

[pgdharma]

Using the image of an emerging Buddha as a symbol of peace is a wonderful and creative way to promote peace. This project, Ten Thousand Ripples, is to address urban violence through the installation of 100 Buddha heads on the streets of 10 Chicago neighborhoods. The Buddha heads are to act as a catalyst for each neighborhood to respond with its own programming to address issues of conflict and violence in their community. The Buddha heads were used as a focal point to mend fences, heal rifts and improve the lives of their neighbors. This shows that Buddha represents pure love and peace.

[buddhalovely]

For more on this interesting project, please visit its website, as well as Johnson’s site. Click through to watch a video of Johnson explaining the project. Truly a creative discourse of art and peace.

Ten Thousand Ripples - Art, Civic Engagement, Change

[diablo1974]

This is a vermy interesing projects. Many Buddha heads were distributed to the shop owners of the centre.
U can find Buddha almost anywhere or everywhere. Its a good amd virtuos action! Whoever seen a image of Buddha will have planted the seed of enlightenment.  What about Dorje Shugden, this will be even noticeable but merits in seeing im is the same because he is also a BUDDHA...

[brian]

This concept is brilliant, one can imagine the benefits the people will get by coming across Buddha statues. The imprints will be enormous and the images will surely bless the environment and make it peaceful for the beings residing around. Would certainly love to see Dorje Shugden statue being erected as well for this will bring The Mighty Protector to more people. I love this idea of bringing people into spirituality through art and charity.

[DSFriend]

On top of what has been said, what I find interesting is the collaboration work by the many different communities. I like that very much as for collaboration to happen, people must come together, closeness is fostered by the same goal..that's where I think people can make a difference when a greater force is generated. It'd be interesting to follow the news to see how this progress into the december month of Christmas celebrations..it'd be lovely to see art depicting Buddha and Christ together.

[Klein]

Buddha images are synonymous with peace and compassion. The teachings show us how to achieve inner peace in a very logical manner that  is not far fetched. The following excerpt from an article in http://www.parami.org/buddhistanswers/buddhists_happy.htm] [url]http://www.parami.org/buddhistanswers/buddhists_happy.htm [/url]summarises it very well.

[ Inner Peace - the real source of happiness:  Buddhism teaches people that the real source of happiness is inner peace. If our mind is peaceful, we shall be happy all the time, regardless of external conditions, but if it is disturbed or troubled in any way, we shall never be happy, no matter how good our external conditions may be. External conditions can only make us happy if our mind is peaceful. We can understand this through our own experience. For instance, even if we are in the most beautiful surroundings and have everything we need, the moment we get angry any happiness we may have disappears. This is because anger has destroyed our inner peace.]

It is definitely a very creative way to promote Buddha and his teachings. Perhaps, something similiar can be done to promote Dorje Shugden.

[hope rainbow]

Buddha in contemporary art is not a new trend, here is a Buddha statue, an antique one placed into a TV loop.
This art installation was set up in New York in 1974.

http://www.artelectronicmedia.com/artwork/tv-buddha

I wonder what the artist wanted to express by showing the Buddha seeming to watch his image live on a TV screen?

[fruven]

Very beautiful and blessing for all who see them even a part of Buddha's physical body. We rarely see a head on the ground, head is always on top of a body. It is very sublime and pique people's attention, more so a half head shows motion emerging from the earth. The message is use our head wisely for peace and harmony.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8zwxl7Qlks