French tourists get Sri Lanka jail term over Buddha kiss

[Ensapa]

Are they just being oversenstive about this? Personally, I dont see anything wrong with giving a Buddha statue a kiss. Is the punishment appropriate, or is the country overreacting? What do you think? Would you be offended as a Buddhist if someone did that at your temple?

French tourists get Sri Lanka jail term over Buddha kiss

Three French tourists were given suspended six-month prison sentences in Sri Lanka on Tuesday after their holiday pictures appeared to show one of them -- a woman -- kissing a Buddha statue on the lips.
All three -- two women and a man -- pleaded guilty to desecrating a Buddhist shrine in the central town of Kandy and were also fined 1,500 rupees ($11) each, police told AFP.
As well as the woman's apparent kiss, the man tried to imitate the pose of the Buddha and their actions hurt the feelings of Buddhists in the country, police told a magistrate in Galle.
Officers were alerted to the incident after the visitors tried to get their holiday pictures printed.
"The studio employee saw the images and alerted the Galle police who arrested the tourists on Monday and the case was concluded today because they pleaded guilty," said police spokesman Ajith Rohana.
The tourists were free to go as their jail sentences were suspended for five years and the magistrate did not make any order to expel them from the country, he added.
Sri Lanka is majority Buddhist and is sensitive to foreigners showing disrespect to Buddha images. Shrines and temples have banned tourists visiting unless they are conservatively dressed.
Sri Lanka banned US rap star Akon in March 2010 arguing that he had produced a music video involving scantily clad women in front of a Buddha statue.
Eight years ago, Sri Lanka's supreme court ordered police and customs to seize Buddha Bar music and bikinis with Buddha images after monks complained they hurt local religious feelings.

[Tammy]

Tourists should know that they are visitors to other people's homeland. And naturally we should behave respectfully to the host's culture.

Kissing Buddha statues may not be such a big deal when it is done in western countries or countries where Buddhism is not the mainstream religion (but then again, kissing holy statue on the lips is way out of line, I must say), but not in countries where Buddhism is their way of live.

[dondrup]

Every foreigner should abide by the law, culture and religious practices of the country that he is visiting.  Currently, if the visitors would like to take photographs in temples, they cannot pose with their backs facing any Buddha images in Sri Lanka.  The Sri Lankan Buddhists revere the Buddha statues and images.  Any form of disrespect is not permitted.  Surely kissing the Buddha is way beyond the acceptable behavior!  What is the motivation of the visitor for kissing the Buddha on the lips knowing that it is not an acceptable behavior in Sri Lanka?

There is nothing wrong with kissing the Buddha on the lips from the Buddha’s side.  However, for the Sri Lankan Buddhists, it is very disrespectful to kiss the Buddha’s lips!

[Tenzin K]

Agree with Tammy and dondrup.

Every country has their culture, believes, rules and regulations. We should make an effort to study and understand the sensitivity of the country. It might not a big deal for the French tourist but that is individual perspective which might not be applicable to all people in all countries. Especially with regards to religious matters it should be taken much serious and respect.

[Tenzin Malgyur]

I am also sharing the same feeling with you all. There is nothing wrong with kissing a Buddha statue. Remember a Buddha cannot be defiled in any way. It only falls back on the French tourists who posed for the photographs, what were their motivations for their actions. Indeed, when we are visiting a foreign country or anywhere for that matter, we are expected to respect the law of the land and also the culture of the people there. I feel this is the Sri Lanka's authorities way of deterring more people from behaving in such 'disrespectful' actions.

[sonamdhargey]

What is wrong with kissing a Buddha statue? A Buddha is a Buddha, nothing can stain a Buddha. These tourist may not be sensitive or ignorant towards the cultural beliefs of Sri Lanka has offended the people there who are predominantly Buddhist. The authorities sentenced the French tourist is also to educate the tourist to respect the culture and religion and to protect the sacredness of the religion of the people there.

As a tourist we must learn and respect the culture of that region and country as not to offend the people there. It is also being mindful of our actions to no create any discomfort in others.

[vajratruth]

In my opinion the Sr Lankan Government over-reacted. To be arrested and charged would mean that the foreigners committed a crime which they may not even be aware of. If that is the case, it would be more effective to reprimand and counsel instead of arresting, charge and sentence. Although it was very silly of the foreigners not to be aware of local sensitivities, it does not serve the country or the religion well to come across as being fanatical.

Whether we think it's ok to kiss or Buddha statue or not, is not really the point. The point is whether the tourist were aware that kissing a Buddha would be deemed very disrespectful to the locals, and whether there were adequate signs warning tourists what not to do to and with a Buddha statue.

Anyway I don't think the tourists would look at a Buddha statue the same way again, ever. I wonder what kind of imprints that leaves in their mind?

[Jessie Fong]

I also agree that there is nothing wrong with kissing a Buddha statue.  However, as tourists to a foreign country, we may be ignorant of their taboos.   Thus it would help if the relevant authorities would have posted a sign to the effect that it is an offence to do so.

While we may say that we need to comply with a country's laws, we as tourists can also play a part by checking out that country's laws so as not to run foul.

[brian]

Agree with Tammy and dondrup.

Every country has their culture, believes, rules and regulations. We should make an effort to study and understand the sensitivity of the country. It might not a big deal for the French tourist but that is individual perspective which might not be applicable to all people in all countries. Especially with regards to religious matters it should be taken much serious and respect.

Absolutely agree with everyone of you three here, there are rules and sensitivity of each different country that we are in so as to not to offend anyone. Unothodox actions can lead to some locals not feeling happy or offended. There's a huge difference when one same action did on two different locations. I am a frequent traveller and i do understand the different level of tolerant and value of life led by the particular area. Kissing a Buddha statue in the western country might not bring you any harm but not in India or Asia please!

[ratanasutra]

Every country have different cultures and their believes ie in western hug and kiss is common for show your love to others but for Asian people won't hug and kiss to show love but mostly people show their love by pay a respect or respectful actions. So one of western culture of love is presented too be not suitable when the lady kiss the Buddha statue with her lip.

As i grew up in the Buddhist country in my view you can kiss and hug your own Buddha statue at your house, nobody will complain about it but when the lady kiss the Buddha statue which people always pay respect in the public is not the suitable action and it mean further to you do not respect local culture.

     

[Big Uncle]

I am impressed with Sri Lanka for how much it reveres its sacred images but i do think the sentencing is extremely harsh and unnecessary. Every country has its rule of the land but I don't think that all tourists would be aware of all of them. I do think that Sri Lanka should be a little more liberal about its views towards its images and such. Such sentencing would hurt tourism and also spread a conservative and narrow view of Buddhism to foreigners.

[rossoneri]

I find it kind of harsh to punish those French tourists by just kissing the statue. The tourists definitely unaware of the rules which implemented by the practitioner in that land. Every religion has their own set of rules in each country. And Buddhism is no different. But to be punishing tourists by pretending to "kiss" to Buddha? It's definitely too conservative and could potray an wrong impression of Buddhism.

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/08/23/french-tourists-given-jail-terms-in-sri-lanka-for-kissing-buddha-photos/

[buddhalovely]

Buddhism is all about compassion. Clearly, these tourists know nothing about buddhism culture. Although it is crucial to pay respect but europeans are always unexpectedly wild. Instead of paying such a large fine, they could have done postrations and several other religious routines to repay their mistakes.

The four immeasurables, also known as the Brahma Viharas (Skt.) are found in one brief and beautiful prayer:

May all sentient beings have happiness and its causes,
May all sentient beings be free of suffering and its causes,
May all sentient beings never be separated from bliss without suffering,
May all sentient beings be in equanimity, free of bias, attachment and anger.

[pgdharma]

Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country and they highly revered Buddha images. However, I feel  that they should not  put the tourists  in jail as the tourists may not be aware that they are not allowed to kiss the statues unless there is a sign put up on the do and don'ts of how to take photo with a Buddha image. The foreigners are  Westerners and most  of them are very liberated and they show their love by hugging and kissing in the open which may not be suitable for Asian countries. If the  Buddha image was in a  Western  country, these  tourists will not be prosecuted if they kissed the Buddha.

[Manjushri]

A statue of a Buddha is not only a statue, Buddhist revere statues as Buddha themselves. So in the eyes of Sri Lankians, of course it would cause a furry!.. It's like someone going up to Obama and kissing him on the lips - they'd be jailed too, wouldn't they? So in that case, it's the same as how the Buddhist in Sri Lanka feels. I gotta give it to them though, being so strict with their beliefs and culture,.. it sends a message out to the world and therefore, deters such acts from happening again. Someone had to be the "victim" of rules, so these French tourists were the ones. If the officers didn't take action, people will continue doing it. Once someone takes action, it lets others know that it is wrong to do what they did.

However, the tourists were probably not in the wrong either. They probably don't know the symbolism and representation of Buddha statues to Buddhists, and therefore, for photography sake, posed as what they did. Many of us see a cute street figurine or mockup on the street and do funny poses next to it.. so it would be the same in this case. It was out of pure ignorance.  I guess they learned their lesson, and might even pay more respect to Buddha statues from now on.