My question is why do we need to waste such needed money to "rebuild" the statues at Bamiyan? As Buddhists, isn't this a good way for us to accept what is essentially impermanent? After all, before the statues were carved, it was just another rock face?
The money is better spent helping the Afghan people. Money should be spent of course, only to ensure loose rocks do not fall onto tourists.
Keeping the statues the way it is can help remind us of impermanence in nature. What is more poignant is that it reminds us of what extremism and intolerance can do, even for Buddhists. For I have seen my fair share of intolerance from even Buddhists.
Lastly, I hope the statues reminds us to question why despite being so wide spread along the silk road, it has virtually dissappeared. Could the contributing factor be that we have spent so much time building statues and venerating and worshipping them, that practising the buddhadharma became secondary and not as important?
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