Might seem like a strange thread on this blog. I’m working on the second commandment. The Internet is an amazing resource.
Buddha Statues
- Buddha Statues: no statues for the first five centuries
- How to buy a Buddhist statue: fill it with mantras otherwise your fortune might decrease
- Get the type Buddha statue depending upon what you want it for
- Types of Buddha statues and rules for placement (ie. not in the bedroom unless you keep it in a closet, not directly on the floor, etc.)
- Pat Robertson advice for a woman whose friend has a Buddha statue next to her Christian statues.
- Buddha statue in the bathroom discussion
Hindu Statues
Hindu sacred sculptures are used to help devotees understand the incomprehensible divinity. These images may be anthropomorphic-that is, having a human likeness-or they may be abstract. Whether made of clay or of gold, all these sculptures are considered equally sacred. Hindu images serve as visual metaphors to express the invisible divine reality.
Priests then invoke the spirit of the deity or saint depicted to enter the bronze. For the duration of the ceremony the image is thought to contain the divine being’s presence. In an elaborate procession many sacred images are paraded through the streets accompanied by thousands of devotees. Hindus believe that even a glimpse of an image filled with the spirit of the god or saint facilitates a direct visual communication (darshan) with the deity, which will bring blessings to the worshiper. Darshan is a reciprocal act between the worshiper and the deity. Not only does the devotee “see” the deity, but the deity is understood to “see” the worshiper. For this reason, Hindu images often have strikingly large eyes to facilitate this exchange of glances between devotee and deity.
- Hindu Milk Miracle
- Proposed Hindu Statue for Oklahoma State Capital
- “Hindus have statues not idols” group on Facebook
- A Hindu Primer on worshiping idols (this site from a Hindu perspective says “yes”)
Do Hindus worship idols?
The answer to this question is most certainly yes! Hindus do worship idols, but so do Christians, Jews and even Muslims. In fact, it is impossible to conceive of God without some form of idol, for idol worship is the way of religion. Let me explain.
In Hinduism there are many words to describe the nature of God, and we will refer to them as the need arises, but in this regard, the most relevant word is acintya, which means “inconceivable,” “beyond thought.” The true nature of God is, therefore, beyond the ability of human beings to understand, yet we have a need to reach out in our mind and try to conceive of God, so we create an image of God in our minds. This mental image of God is an idol. Most people, including Hindus, think of an idol solely as a graven or carved image and, while this is true, an idol is a carved image, it is also a form that begins in the mind. It is a mental form. Consequently, mental forms are also idols.
With this in mind, perhaps the most common mental images that human beings use to conceive of God is as a Father, a King or a Mother. The idea of a father, a king or a mother is, therefore, a mental idol, a tool we use, to conceive of what is actually inconceivable, beyond thought. Convert that mental idol into a wooden or stone image and you have created a graven idol. From a Hindu perspective there is little difference between a mental idol and physical idol. One is just an extension of the other. And so, if you conceive of God as the supreme Father, or as the King of kings, or the divine Mother, you have created an idol, a material image with which to approach God. Human beings have no choice other than to approach God through these idols, even though all idols are simply crude and limited approximations of what God is in reality. Of all religions Hinduism seems the most adept at converting mental idols into physical form as graven idols, or what we prefer to call, sacred images. In fact, we generally teach our students not to use the word idol at all because it gives the wrong impression amongst many non Hindus. Indeed, Hindu temples are full of such sacred images of God and Hindus have special ways to install and interact with these images in their temples and homes, and in most cases these images are viewed, not as material images, but as spiritual forms. This is the result of seeing through faith.
Another Sanskrit word that describes the nature of God and which comes into play in regard to idols is sarva-gata, which means literally “gone everywhere.” In other words,sarva-gata refers to the all pervading nature of God. God is in all things and in all places. In fact, you are sitting or standing on God right now, which means, technically speaking, you could worship the floor or chair or anything as an idol of God.
The worshippers are not bowing down to stone, they are not worshipping a statue; they are approaching these sacred images as the means to get to the God behind the image. In a similar way, a Christian may kneell before a crucifix of Jesus and pray. The worshipper is not worshipping the wooden cross, but instead he is approaching his object of devotion, Jesus, through the manifestation of the crucifix. This is a form of idol worship from a Hindu perspective. Even a Muslim, who will never worship any form, cannot help but have some abstract mental image or concept of God. This too is an idol of God, albeit an abstract mental idol. It can not be helped. This is what I mean when I say there is no way to conceive of and worship God except through some form of idol worship.
Reasons why a Hindu worships idols
- It is the easiest way to install faith in a man
- It is a way to acknowledge the omniscience and omnipresence of God
- In Hinduism there is religious sanction for this practice
- the idols help the devotee become deeply religious
- aid to concentration
- in idol worship the “true” worshiper becomes God!
- the statue reminds one of the ephemeral nature of our existence
- the best means of silent communication
- acknowledgment of one’s ignorance and helplessness
- worship of God is worship of Self
- Set up a Puja: shrine, offering, worship
- some Hindus complain about a statuary manufacturer and dealer
Other Statue Articles
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