Buddhist Antique Statues Worth Millions Seized in Pakistan

[hope rainbow]

What is a Buddha statue?

Is it an artifact worth a lot of money?

Is it an object os smuggling that may cause imprisonment?

Is it a decorative item?

Is it a new collection piece?

Is it a symbol that needs be destroyed?

Is it an art piece, object of speculation?

Is it a patrimony of a nation's history?

Is it an object of refuge?

Even the smuggling of Buddha statues does show how we make the world around by our projections.
And for as long as we project, we will project different world and most of the time conflictual.

[ilikeshugden]

I find this news to be sad. Buddha statues should be an incentive for people wanting to gain enlightenment. Now, it is just part of a market. This buddha statue became something worldly. I feel sad about that. Even an enlightened being can become something of only worldly value. How sad!

[Jessie Fong]

And please do not forget that it is also because of the DEMAND that is causing the problem of Buddha statues/artifacts being smuggled around the world. Wealthy people might not know about thekarma they actually indirectly or directly caused this crime to exist in this world. Statues are meant for a 'point' to focus on to achieve enlightenment for it's worshipers and had been reduced to the status of being an item to be paraded in one's luxury home. sigh....

There is a belief that stolen dharma items do not remain long with the burglar.  These items will "find their way back" to where they belong in due time.  I have read of such incidents in Asia where a temple was burgled and a few days later the burglar brought those items back.