Buddha Bar renamed, its owner apologises for controversy

[Ensapa]

Why do some Buddhists find it offensive to drink alcohol in front of a Buddha statue? what do you think?

Buddha Bar renamed, its owner apologises for controversy
by Amy Dangin. Posted on June 20, 2013, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: The Buddha Bar Sabah, which was opened recently, was forced to have its controversial name changed after the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) urged the City Hall to revoke its licence.
MCA Publicity Bureau chief Datuk Heng Seai Kie supported the Association’s call as the choice of name for the club where alcoholic drinks are served was deemed to be “blasphemous against the holy Buddha”.
Its young owner, Ethan Chung, had since renamed the establishment to ‘Peacock Garden’ on June 17 and apologised for the controversial name that he initially chose.
“I have chosen to respect the City Hall’s order and chosen ‘Peacock Garden’ as the new name for our establishment, hoping that it would re-establish peaceful harmony among the community we operate with.
“There was no intention of offending anyone when we chose that name in the first place. More importantly, we practised what we thought would emulate Buddha’s honoured teachings whereby we dedicate Wednesdays to children with disabilities and orphans by donating 10 per cent of Wednesday’s profits to selected charitable organisations.
“We also reserve four employment positions for people with disabilities and four positions for weekend part-time jobs, especially for students.
“These were some of the things that we did at the Buddha Bar and will continue to do after we re-open the establishment as the Peacock Garden,” Chung said.
Having lost some of its employees following the controversy, Peacock Garden is now hiring, opening its doors for walk-in interviews from Monday to Friday, 5pm to 6pm.
On June 18, Heng issued a statement condemning the outlet for using ‘Buddha’ in its name, calling it an insult to the Buddhist community in Malaysia.
“As a devout Buddhist, the name ‘Buddha Bar’ is not only disrespectful to the revered Buddha but even more detrimental to the holiness of Buddhism.
“By putting ‘Buddha’ in the bar’s title, they had placed Buddha next to the unhealthy substance, alcohol, linking the two as equals. Drinking alcohol is not only a violation of the Five Precepts of Buddhism, it also goes against five thousand years of Buddhist culture,” she said in a statement.
“I urge the Kota Kinabalu City Hall to take prompt action to withdraw the establishment’s operating permit,” Heng added.
However, her outrage received mixed reactions.
One commenter wrote, “Buddha Bars exist all over the world. And again…, only in Malaysia it will incur the wrath of a deity. There must be something else very wrong with the way Malaysia treats its religions, when it makes ALL gods so angry over minor, minor things.”
Another wrote, “Leave them alone for God sake….why the politician always fuss something…there a lot of crimes need to be taking care of…Just do your bloody attention to more important things instead of creating unnecessary issue… People do charity…they have their own way…..It’s not your family business…unless the person want to have under table share is it? Buddha Bar is proper name…Sushi Bar…Burger Bar….Do those politicians understand or not the meaning of Bar…”


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/06/20/buddha-bar-renamed-its-owner-apologises-for-controversy/#ixzz2Wr4ScpDZ

[diablo1974]

i personally feels quite neutral towards this controversy. Some people felt offended because of their deep respect to the Triple gems and hence should not be associated with anything that seems bad in general. Alcohols are commonly associated with "drunk", "Confused", "Unable to make concise decision", "troubled", "gambling".  This is why common asians are unable to accept this name in relation to any terms used in Buddhism as it does seems inappropriate. 

[Jessie Fong]

Read this about an established named Buddha-Bar in France :

Since its creation in 1996, Buddha-Bar Paris has been the precursor to a true 'Art of Living' concept, with confluent influences from the Pacific Rim.

This restaurant-bar-lounge, located on the ultra-chic Faubourg St Honoré, was created thanks to the visionary imagination of its founder Raymond Visan, owner of the famous Barfly in Paris.  On a constant quest for new ideas gathered during his numerous trips, particularly to California, Mr. Visan launched the Buddha-Bar that rapidly became a must-see and be-seen in the French capital.

For over 15 years, the Buddha-Bar concept has continued to grow and spread its positive energy throughout the world, with restaurants, hotels, spas, beauty care lines, music… today, it is found in over 25 countries and tomorrow... many more. 
Buddha-Bar cultivates its concept with its Parisian and international clientele, by providing much more than an invitation to travel to distant lands, through its exotic cuisine from around the world… It offers a fully original experience.


This establishment is doing so well, found in over 25 countries.
So, what's in a name?

[Ensapa]

from what i was told by a friend in malaysia who is also a Buddhist, the main issue the Buddhists have there with this bar is how people are drinking alcohol in front on the Buddha's image and they find it very uncomfortable with this. To them, it was the same as the Buddha giving his approval to doing those acts and they find it no different than performing for example, a sexual act in front of a Buddha image. To me, it just goes to show how narrow minded these people are and how they are unable to understand that even viewing the image of the Buddha with an angry mind can plant seeds of enlightenment, if seeing with an angry mind can do so, why not when the mind is in other negative states?

[rossoneri]

Personally i feel it is how you look at it. Let's just say if the bar is not called Buddha Bar but some other names, so it is justified for the buddhist vacant the bar and have alcoholic drinks? So it is not alright or disrespectful to consume alcoholic drink which associates with the Buddha but it is justifiable to feed your desire in some other name? My point here is that the decision to rename the bar is not wrong but do the public really understand the core practice of Buddhism is not something that what it should or should not do, but truly understand the Dharma and put it to practice and not just being a sheep of whatever the majority telling you to do or not to.

[dondrup]

The name Buddha Bar conjures up the image of alcohol drinking and the unwholesome activities associated with alcohol.  As with any religion, to name a bar – the place where the alcohol is sold and consumed -  with the holy name Buddha will incur the Buddhist communities' wrath.  The bar owner had been insensitive knowing very well the inappropriate use of the name Buddha! It is not that Buddha mind, it is the non-acceptance by the Buddhist communities of its use.

[Tammy]

People people, it's a name of the bar and there might not even have any some carvings that look like Buddha..
The poor owner just want to his business to standout hence the name Buddha Bar. Those of you who made so much noise about the name, have you ever been inside the bar???

[fruven]

Read this about an established named Buddha-Bar in France :

Since its creation in 1996, Buddha-Bar Paris has been the precursor to a true 'Art of Living' concept, with confluent influences from the Pacific Rim.

This restaurant-bar-lounge, located on the ultra-chic Faubourg St Honoré, was created thanks to the visionary imagination of its founder Raymond Visan, owner of the famous Barfly in Paris.  On a constant quest for new ideas gathered during his numerous trips, particularly to California, Mr. Visan launched the Buddha-Bar that rapidly became a must-see and be-seen in the French capital.

For over 15 years, the Buddha-Bar concept has continued to grow and spread its positive energy throughout the world, with restaurants, hotels, spas, beauty care lines, music… today, it is found in over 25 countries and tomorrow... many more. 
Buddha-Bar cultivates its concept with its Parisian and international clientele, by providing much more than an invitation to travel to distant lands, through its exotic cuisine from around the world… It offers a fully original experience.


This establishment is doing so well, found in over 25 countries.
So, what's in a name?

The business seems to be growing. If it encourages more drinking and thus negative actions the owner would collect tons of negative karma. Opening a bar is negative in the first place. It is like opening a meat stall is negative in the first place. What is even more negative is using Buddha's name to attract more customer to patronize one's bar.

[Rihanna]

Relax! There are just some stone carvings in the bar! Calling a watering hole 'Buddha Bar' I would say is really creative and gives the set up a but of new age feel LOL

As long as the bar is well managed, I don't see why it should be renamed. The poor owner just wanted to have peace and make his venture profitable by changing the name. I am sure those 'busy body' who protected and demanded the name change had never set foot into the bar. Talk about narrow mindedness.

[bonfire]

This got a Buddha topic in the news it seems..

Well, that's a good thing, an opportunity to say a bit more about "Buddha" and enlighten a few people.
I think Malaysia is also a majority Muslim and I imagine that the population, may they be from Chinese origin and Buddhists, could have a specific "Malaysian" view onto the drinking of alcohol.
One point that Islam and Buddhism have in common is the recognition that the consumption of alcohol and drugs is not a positive action. Islam made it a law, and Buddhism too actually, though it seems it is more respected by the Muslims than it is by the Buddhists.

So why is drinking considered negative for Muslims?
And why is it so too for Buddhists?
Is it for the same reasons?
I am curious to know if there are differences there....

[Q]

I think it's more of the association of alcoholic drinks being served under the name of the 'Buddha' rather than drinking alcohol infront of a Buddha statue...

Well... To me, I have a very open mindset... anything that brings the Buddha image to others will be good... so whether or not the Buddha bar is controversial or not, the fact that many people set into this place and upon being in there they see the image of a Buddha, that's worth it already.

Associating alcoholic drinks with the Buddha name is just something petty... although I appreciate how much they respect Buddhism and try to protect it, I believe it is not entirely necessary.

[Ensapa]

I think it's more of the association of alcoholic drinks being served under the name of the 'Buddha' rather than drinking alcohol infront of a Buddha statue...

Well... To me, I have a very open mindset... anything that brings the Buddha image to others will be good... so whether or not the Buddha bar is controversial or not, the fact that many people set into this place and upon being in there they see the image of a Buddha, that's worth it already.

Associating alcoholic drinks with the Buddha name is just something petty... although I appreciate how much they respect Buddhism and try to protect it, I believe it is not entirely necessary.

The more conservative "buddhists" that i have encountered were extremely angry and upset about this association, but perhaps they are unable to see beyond what they want to see, and i guess attitudes are pervasive as they turn out to be rather intolerant people. If they really understood the Buddha's teachings and who he is, they would not have such a strong reaction like this but instead would calm down and will be ok with it. I guess ignorance and narrowmindedness are a lethal combination.