aspects of sublime contemplation

June 13, 2005 9:57 PM

beacon of bliss Quality images of a deity to help calm outrage or anxious mutterings
posted by longsleeves (18 comments total)

Ooh, been to many of these! Love em.

They really do convey more in person -- partly due to the immense size of some of them. Of course, the reverence can get a bit spoiled when you add NEON. (I kid you not)
posted by dreamsign at 10:02 PM on June 13, 2005

Ummm... Buddhanet.net is a great site, but an FPP to just one image of Buddha is a little... empty. It is a nice image, though.

Also, Buddha is not technically a deity.
posted by arcticwoman at 10:12 PM on June 13, 2005

Mmm... was bothered by that but then forgot in my joy at the pictures. Far from technically, Buddha is NOT a deity.
posted by dreamsign at 10:23 PM on June 13, 2005

I'd like to see you say that to a Buddhist monk's face, articwoman. Get your ass kicked that way. Oh wait, I'm thinking of Jesus.

Nice 640x480 Buddha pictures, by the way. I'll add them to my stamp collection.
posted by squirrel at 10:46 PM on June 13, 2005

cool photos even without deification.
some one on a cat!
posted by hortense at 10:57 PM on June 13, 2005

Buddha is not technically a deity

I agree totally.

But if someone says the opposite I don't think they would be wrong.

deification, (exaltation, apotheosis) - the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god)
deification - the condition of being treated like a god

I'm not sure if "deifiable" is a word.
posted by nervousfritz at 11:27 PM on June 13, 2005

nervousfritz I read that as deflation at first, and was confused at how the Buddha would deflate. I began to wonder, Is he only so big and bulbous due to air pockets? Was it perhaps full of air or helium, but then I thought, surely it would have deflated by now. So I thought perhaps full of hot air heated by a single strong candle's flame within the center of his body. Symbolising the soul and that he will only truly deflate through nirvana when the fire is snuffed out and he is able to return to a shapeless form.

Also, hooray buddha statues! Too bad all the really big ones were smasheded
posted by TwelveTwo at 1:22 AM on June 14, 2005

Man, that site takes so long to load it stresses me out more!
posted by Dio at 2:32 AM on June 14, 2005

I just woke up, and I read that as bacon of bliss.

I've spent countless hours at Buddhanet already - I'm hungry, and I think I would rather have some bacon of bliss right about now. Oink.
posted by Floach at 3:46 AM on June 14, 2005

What is the sound of one post sucking?

Actually, I'll bet that this post really is a problem to be solved. Here's the answer: My agita is not caused by the fact that this is a very shitty post; it's because I want a good post, right?

Do I win anything? I mean anything physical like an orange nightie, or even just some pot and patchouli oil? Obviously, I received enlightenment, but you can ask any dude at your local coffeeshop-- he'll tell you that enlightenment doesn't get you laid unless you can broadcast to chicks that you have it. I could use a Volvo wagon to display my "Free Tibet" bumper sticker if there is indeed a prize.
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:12 AM on June 14, 2005

Curley: Buddhism isn't all about "Free Tibet" and incense worship, ya know. In fact, it's hardly about either of those, except in the western wanker wannabe sense of Buddhism. Hell, even enlightenment isn't particularly the point, since chasing after that's just another form of grasping.

That being said, I agree with the rest of your post. But I still don't have any bacon.

If I can find some, I'll send you a nice greasy slab.

We want a good post? Metafilter: What is the sound of one post sucking?
posted by Floach at 5:28 AM on June 14, 2005

dictionary.com:

deify:
1. To make a god of; raise to the condition of a god.
2. To worship or revere as a god: deify a leader.
3. To idealize; exalt: deifying success.

Buddha is not a god. Buddha is not worshipped (that would be wholly wrongheaded). Idealize works, but that's not what they mean in (3).

Major C: you would prefer some educational links?

How about Buddhanet, your online Buddhist resource.

Then there is Buddhaweb, for you essentialists who just want to memorize the eightfold path to impress your Greenpeace girlfriend.

For you Ottawans out there, your local Buddhist fix.

And of course the wiki page, for those who just want the capsule summary. No I'm not going to link it.
posted by dreamsign at 7:00 AM on June 14, 2005

posted by gimonca at 7:14 AM on June 14, 2005

At least one person seems to have missed that there are arrows in the upper right.... there are multiple images, not just the one.
posted by Malor at 7:15 AM on June 14, 2005

cool photos even without deification.
some one on a cat!

not exactly a photo.
posted by quonsar at 8:36 AM on June 14, 2005

For Americans some cool photos of Iggy an American BooDa
posted by hortense at 9:06 AM on June 14, 2005

I read the link as "bacon of bliss" and am somewhat disappointed.

I do like images of the Bodhisattava Kwan Yin though. :)
posted by Foosnark at 12:39 PM on June 14, 2005

Bacon of bliss is redundant.
posted by squirrel at 2:13 AM on June 16, 2005