Once again, vandals are at work. This time, the target was 30 Buddhist statues in a Maldives National Museum.
“The whole pre-Islamic history is gone.” said Mr. Waheed, the director of the National Museum.
It is not gone. The statues are gone. But one cannot change or remove history simply by destroying the statues. Instead, they have written history, of how in modern day Maldive, inspite of the destruction, Buddhists do not return blow for blow, hatred for hatred. They have helped affirm the Buddhist teaching on loving kindness, compassion and true inner peace and calm.
Fellow friends, keep in mind. The expression of the Buddha's and Bodhisattva's qualities and teachings in the statues can be destroyed, and has been harmed and destroyed numerous times. Dharma books can be burnt, and has been burnt numerous times. Teachings memorised in our heart can be lost if we die or are killed, and has happened before.
But the Truth pointed by the teachings, the learning and application of the teachings, the fruit of inner peace and calm, and the unshakable cessation of suffering, Nirvana … that cannot be harmed by words and blows nor destroyed by guns and bombs.
MALE, Maldives — The broken glass from an attack by vandals on the National Museum here has been swept away, and the remnants of the Buddhist statues they destroyed — nearly 30 of them, some dating to the sixth century — have been locked away. But officials say the loss to this island nation’s archaeological legacy can never be recouped. [1]
References
[ 1 ] The New York Times