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Movie producer says
"Hollywood Buddha" poster will be replaced
The Buddhist News
Network, September 9, 2004
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- A Buddhist
from Portland, Oregon (USA) has contacted the producer of the movie
"Hollywood Buddha" today and was informed that the poster, which depicts
a man seated atop the head of Sakyamuni Buddha will be removed from all
theaters, websites, press materials and any other public place.
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Kurt von Finck said that in his conversation with Phillipe
Caland, the producer claims to be "shocked" by the poster as
well. Caland said that he was never involved in designing the
poster, as it was produced by a company that is well known for
creating movie posters. Caland claims that when he saw the
poster, he said he was "as disturbed by it as we Buddhists are".
Caland assured Kurt that he was working to
remove the poster from all theaters, websites, press materials
and any other public place. He emphasized that he will no longer
be working with the company that produced |
that poster. According to Kurt, Caland also seems to
have an understanding of the Buddha Dhamma, and how important it is in
our increasingly violent world.
When the Buddhist News Network commended Kurt's
effort in helping to resolve this issue, and suggested that he had
created much wholesome karma to calm down a lot of people (not
forgetting the fact that he played some role in helping Phillipe Caland
to realize what he had done), he had this to say:
"I think this was an unfortunate mistake on the
part of Phillipe Caland, and a mistake that he has allowed to
instruct him. Lord Buddha understood that we are not perfect beings,
and the struggle for perfection through following of the Eightfold
Path often leads to us making mistakes."
"The important thing is that we learn from our
mistakes, and only make them once. Becoming awake is not an easy
process, and M. Caland seems to have awakened to the error this
poster company made. This being the case, I would hate for Buddhists
to cultivate anger toward any living thing, and especially Caland.
Let us all believe that this was a simple error, and cultivate
compassion instead of anger."
Kurt appealed to Buddhists elsewhere to calm down and
to set aside anger, and show Phillipe Caland how we can resolve real
life problems through genuine acts of compassion and understanding. He
said that he was disturbed "to see fellow Buddhists so angry, especially
from some members of the Sangha".
He felt that it was not auspicious for members of the
Sangha to cultivate or promote anger or hatred. "But I would never think
to counsel Venerable Bhantes, it is not my place," he said.
"But if I can, through some small action, help to
remove the cause of this anger, I am happy - and compelled by Dhamma -
to do so." he adds further.
Time will only tell if Phillipe Caland will keep to
his word. The Buddhist News Network will be checking the
YBG in the next few
days to see if any action has been taken. If it does happen, and
"Hollywood Buddha" the movie is depicted in a more acceptable manner,
then perhaps the acts of compassion and understanding - as demonstrated
by Kurt von Finck - may be something all other religions could well
replicate to solve much of the problems in the world today.
BNN
****
Thai Buddhists petition
against
"Hollywood Buddha"
Xinhuanet, Sept. 9
2004
 BANGKOK,
Thailand -- A group of Thai Buddhists on Wednesday gave the United
States Embassy to Bangkok a petition demanding a ban on a Hollywood
movie for its controversial poster, local press reported on Thursday.
The movie named Hollywood Buddha has a poster showing
its producer Philippe Caland sitting on the head of a Buddha statue.
In their three-point petition, the Buddhist club
called on the US government to review the movie's content, suspend
advertisements and punish the producer and all parties involved.
The Hollywood movie has drawn strong criticism from
the Thai society for its poster.
The House committee on religions, arts and culture
also denounced the film producer and demanded Thailand's Foreign Affairs
Ministry to issue a protest to the US government.
"'I'd like to ask Thai people to boycott the film. I
don't think it will be approved by the censorship board. I don't know
what it is about, but that poster makes me feel bad already," the
panel's deputy chairwoman Anongwan Thepsuthin was quoted by Bangkok Post
as saying.
The panel also called on the government to declare
the producer persona non grata in the country and to ban local screening
of the movie.
Udom Charoen, director of the National Buddhism
Office, said the film producer is only concerned with profit and is
insensitive to the feelings of Buddhists worldwide.
The National Buddhism Office had earlier asked for
change of the poster.
"The movie producer might not have had malicious
intentions, but the poster should be removed," said Udom, whose office
had earlier successfully called for a halt to the plans of an Australian
company to produce a swimsuit depicting a Buddha image.
Thailand's Foreign Ministry has assigned the Thai
Consulate in Los Angeles to raise the issue of the promotional poster
with the movie's producer, according to newspaper The Nation.
*****
Are you offended by
this?
Letters published
on the Buddhist News Network, September 9, 2004
 Related
story:
Over the Top
"What Philippe Caland, the writer and
director of the film, has done is inappropriate to Buddhism and has
offended Buddhists worldwide"
- Chularat
Bunyakorn, chief of the secretariat of the Buddhist Monks Council,
Thailand
Letters published, Sept 8, 2004
Say your
piece here
Amalia, Surin,Thailand
As an American Buddhist residing in Thailand, I
personally find it mildly offensive. It just irks me wrong. However, it
is really causing an uproar here! People keep showing me the picture and
asking what I think about this American movie.
Here in Thailand, the head is holy. You never touch
the top of the head of a person more important than you and the Buddha
is considered the most important of all!
I think that people should have realized that the
poster would be offensive. So while I personally don't find it that
awful, I think that it should be changed to satisfy the many people who
do.
K. Don Premaseri, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
As Buddhists, our biggest strength has always been
being respectful, tolerant and understanding towards others. We have
always shown this demeanor while attending
non-Buddhists events, such funerals, birth of a baby, naming
ceremony, traditional marriages etc. We shown such a demeanor when we
are in a hall, church, mosque or temple.
We observe and respectfully harmonize ourselves with
the gathering and environment of other folks' beliefs and customs
without forsaking our own religious principles. If need be, we would
remove shoes, our womenfolk would cover themselves etc. Such is our
respect for other religions and culture.
In a church if everyone stands to sing a hymn for a
wedding or a funeral, we as Buddhist will stand up too. We may not
however sing the hymn, but we will stand. That is our way of respecting
the beliefs of another religionist. We do not become some self-centred,
egoistic Buddhist who just sits through with no respect, being oblivious
to his surrounding.
What our poor friend - Phillipe Caland - has done is
done out of ignorance. He may be going for a cheap publicity stunt to
get more people to talk about his controversial film. And maybe he was
consciously seeking to degrade Buddhism. Who knows. If indeed this is
so, then he has created bad Karma for himself and for others who are
easily agitated by his action.
Calmly, wisely and patiently, this is how we should
constructively engage him to withdraw poster.
K P Yeoh, Klang, Malaysia
What Phillip has done reflects on the self-engrossed
attitude of American film maker nowadays. Their self centered thinking
clearly shows NO respect whatsoever of others culture or religion.
Ben, United Kingdom
By showing disrespect to Buddha, Philippe Caland has
accumulated bad kamma. We can only wish him well and happy.
Bill Gray, Auckland, New Zealand
My take on the matter is this.
It's just a statue and Buddha never asked us to
worship him in the first place. I seem to recall that somewhere in the
Pali Canon that Buddha requested that images of Him not be created
anyway. And here we are 2500+ years later, getting upset every time
someone seemingly disrespects an image of the Buddha. May I suggest that
instead of getting upset over what others do, please save the energy and
go watch our own thoughts, speech and actions.
Sumita, Jakarta, Indonesia
Yes, the Buddha statue is not the Buddha Himself. It
does not offend me personally, but in the world of Buddhism, the Buddha
image is an object which is useful for spiritual practice, like
meditation for instance. It is a symbol of wisdom, peace, loving
kindness (metta) and compassion
(karuna). As such, we need to respect it.
Priyantha Bandara, Sri Lanka
If someone is depicted sitting on Jesus head, then I
think people will understand what kind of "unnatural" thing that would
be. Buddha is not something to be used as a model or a character in a
movie for the purpose of earning money or getting awards. Respecting
others and respecting another's religion seems to be drifting away from
most people these days.
Sumana Fua, Selangor DE, Malaysia
I have not seen the movie yet. I believe the maker of
this movie knows that it is offensive and distasteful to print such a
picture but wanted the publicity. By the looks of things they sure got
plenty of it!
I do not like the poster because it is wrong to sit
on top a Buddha image. Why? Because I pay respect to the Buddha image. I
know that it is better to practice the 5 precepts but please tell me
when is a good time to speak up?
Duy Nguyen, Houston, TX (USA)
Deeply offended!!!!
Teh Lian Teng, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Looking at the statue properly it looks similar to
Buddha. But is it? A Buddha image is to remind us of our Buddha-nature -
peaceful, serene, happy and compassionate. The statue in the poster has
none of these features. To me the guy is just sitting on a statue. Can
we just let it be?
Looking deeper, we may find a more important message.
We can perhaps view the poster as a pictorial representation of a man
with a troubled mind who found solace and solutions by "riding on the
Buddha" (meaning the Dhamma). Being pure and utmost compassionate, I
believe that if the Buddha was alive today, He would have let any
troubled being to ride on Him without any qualms, if it helps to heal
the troubled person.
I am Buddhist and I am not offended.
Red Eye Bored ,
USA
Offended? No. Why? Because he probably had no idea
that he was doing anything wrong. Had he known and still chosen to do
it, that would be cause for being offended. Simply inform him that this
is unacceptable. Then, if he apologizes accept his apology.
Darma ,
Singapore
What would Buddha do if He sees that Hollywood
poster? I think He won't be angry or even raise a protest against
it...then why should we? We have to ask ourselves why should it be an
issue after all?
Piyadasa Edirisuriya,
Melbourne, Australia
This is highly offensive and I strongly protest about
the nature of the promoting poster.
Ross Barlow, Clarendon, PA (USA)
As an American and a Buddhist, I am deeply
embarrassed by this. The movie maker is clearly either ignorant of
Buddhist sacred sensibilities or just doesn't care about them. It
appears that, to him and to many modern "Cool Ones," the Buddha is just
a pop icon like Santa Claus. May they overcome their ignorance and
delusion; may I overcome my aversion to their disparaging attitude; and
may we all put some restraint upon our egos in this matter.
Sophan, Alberta,
Canada
This is a kind of belittlement on Buddhism. They earn
income by looking down others. I truly disagree with this act. Film
makers and their associations should be more sensitive towards other
culture, especially Buddhist tradition and culture.
While we Buddhists love peace, tolerance and
non-violence, we have to condemn and protest this act, out of a sense of
justice. Please, can we all do more to help create a world with harmony
and mutual understanding, instead of indulging in unnecessary
provocation?
LUPE RAMOS, INGLEWOOD, CA (USA)
Just as Buddhist have compassion for the world, those
who produced this offensive poster must have compassion for everyone who
want this poster altered. The Buddha's image has mostly been respected
and honored by the world. All we ask is to have it altered.
Ency Austin, Newport, RI (USA)
It is disrespectful to the beautiful image of Buddha
and I wish for Phillipe Caland to stop allowing the poster to be shown.
He is ignorant of what he is doing and once alerted I am certain he will
cease.
Matthew Sumangala Noble, Carrboro, NC (USA)
While the image does not greatly offend me
personally, I believe it is important to speak up in order to educate
people about Buddhism. Unfortunately, here in America, Buddhism has a
kind of hip, cool, edgy reputation. It is in fact "fashionable".
However, very few people actually know the basics of Dhamma. If they
did, they would understand why this image was in poor taste. I think
this is yet another opportunity to transform people's perspectives and
help Buddhism be known for what it is - a path to release from suffering
- and not just a spiritual accessory for the hopelessly hip.
Hanbaram, Toronto, Canada
What I understand from the little I learnt as a
Buddhist, we are not supposed to have attachments to images. Neither to
petty feelings of doubt and insecurity. We should not feel offended for
it is nothing but a picture. To hold a picture, a sculpture, or a statue
of the Buddha in such esteem is not what He expects of us, I believe.
Let it go. Be happy.
Upali Magedaragamage, Maharagama, Sri Lanka
This is outrageous. The is the most disgraceful and
lowest act. I do not consider this man “the so called Director” as an
educated person. He is an imbecile without any brain for reasoning.
Imagine if this was done to Jesus? This shows clearly the sick mentality
of the dumbos who assume roles as movies directors and producers. The
poster should be banned. Shame on you Philippe, shame on you!
@@@
Over the top
Commentary by
Lim Kooi Fong, The Buddhist News Network, September 8, 2004
Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia -- Philippe Caland's eyes must be twitching like
crazy these days. According to Asian beliefs, when someone is talking
behind your back, somehow you may be able to sense it because the eyes
can't stop twitching. Poor Phillippe. Imagine the magnitude of his
twitch with the millions in Asia cursing his name!
The issue of Buddhists uproar over acts of purported
denigration of Buddha images has become more frequent over the last few
years. This year alone, we've heard complaints lodged over "Buddha
Bikinis", Buddha Bar, and even Buddha Dogs and Cats. Incidentally, most
of the uproars emanated from Asian Buddhists. The westerners (meaning
the US and European Dharma denizens) are more philosophical about it.
While we contend with complaints and loud protests
from Buddhists from the east, many focused their disgust over the
disdain manner in which the Buddha image - as a holy object - is
treated. Catch words such as humiliation, insensitive, utter disrespect,
offensive are heard over and over again.
In contrast, most westerners sees such acts as
"license of creativity". Most western Buddhists in fact, feel little or
nothing at all over such "disrespectful" depiction. In fact, many turn
around and question the wisdom and the level of spiritual practice of
the so called Asian Buddhists. After all, didn't the Buddha teaches us
about non-attachment, to see objects as objects, and to watch over the
rising of feelings, noting the emptiness of all things. If we were, why
are we so riled up over a picture?
But they should also ask: Why is it that the Asians
feel this way? Actually, the root cause of this divide is more of a
cultural thing than a religious one. We need to understand that Buddhist
culture and values in Asia are by and large intimately entwined. Much of
Chinese culture for instance, are infused with Buddhist values. Whole
societies, such as Thai, Burmese and Sinhalese, are driven primarily by
Buddhist beliefs. These values are endemic to these societies, and for
generations, they knew no other manner of living except those which are
modeled according to the Dhamma-Vinaya.
For instance, in Thailand, the head is considered the
holiest part of the body and is not touched by anyone else. What more
the Buddha's head. Also, when devotees are inside the temple, they never
point their backs, buttocks or legs towards the Buddha. Almost all Thai
citizens behave like this when they are inside a temple. There is no
official decree, nor religious edict which forbids them to do so. It is
their way of life, something so natural that it is regarded as next to
the act of breathing.
Values and beliefs such as these are passed on from
one generation to another. It may look quirky to westerners, but such
cultural beliefs actually works as a social glue which binds the fabric
of that society together. It is through such an ingrained system that
notions of what is sacred and respectful is taught. You compromise the
system, and the entire social fabric may be jeopardized.
It is not surprising therefore, to find Thais -
specifically, and Asians, generally - being so vocal over Philippe
Caland's poster, which depicts an actor sitting atop a Buddha statue
with his feet - the least holy part of the body to Thai Buddhists and
never pointed at anyone - dangling by its eyes.
Looking at the issue from this manner, we can perhaps
uncover a manner to approach this issue without creating further divide
between Asian Buddhists and their western counterparts. What we really
need to point out in this case - and to point it out skillfully - is the
cultural and traditional aspects of why Asian Buddhists treat what is
deemed as sacred and respectful. If done right, we might just be able to
educate our Dharma brothers and sisters in the west about why Asians
think and behave as we are when the Buddha is perceived as denigrated.
We all need to accept that Asian and western
Buddhists grew up in entirely different social environments. We also
need to appreciate that given the lack of a traditional root, Buddhism
has transgressed to the west mainly on the strength of doctrinal
knowledge and spiritual practice, such as meditation. As such, many of
the western Buddhists have come to embrace the Buddha Dharma as a
spiritual philosophy, or a transcendental manual of spiritual living
(and rightly so, in the spirit of the Buddha's original teachings).
They have embraced Buddhism minus the cultural
baggage that comes with Asian devotees, such as the colorful rituals and
elaborate rites. With an intimate understanding behind philosophical
ideas such as emptiness, non-self and compassion springing up in a
generic environment that encourages self investigation and personal
individuation, it is not surprising to find western Dharma practitioners
being perplexed over such "minor issues" like misuse of Buddha images.
In fact, many find it amusing that the Asian
Buddhists can be so riled up over the "disrespectful" depiction of
Buddha images. Many question why - given that the First Precept (of
non-killing) is a core Buddhist teaching - so few Buddhists have voiced
out their repulse, disgust or horror over recent incidents like the
senseless killing of the 12 Nepalese workers in Iraq by Islamic
extremists, or the horrifying turn of event at Beslan, Russia, where
half among those 384 killed are children?
Is such wanton waste of life any less painful than
the denigration of Buddha images? Asian Buddhists need to be aware that
being overly vocal on issues such as this may find themselves holed up
in a catch 22 situation. The last thing we need now is to have a divide
between Asian Buddhists and western Buddhists. Both sides must learn to
be aware that they live and operate in entirely different social and
spiritual spheres. It is only through the intimate knowledge of one
another, that we can begin to cultivate the uniting factors that binds
us all, apart from being adherents of the same religion. Until and
unless that day comes, parties like Philippe Caland or Victoria's
Secrets will forever wedge a divide between us.
Can we do anything about it? Yes, indeed, we must
protest and voice our unhappiness to Philippe Caland and others like him
who cares not whether their action insults us or not. But we must
explain clearly why we are upset, and not handle the issue like a
blinded, dogmatic, conservative zealot. When we protest, we must be
clear about our aims: Which is to make it known to them that whatever
they do, please do it with some respect. Let us not react with crass
emotions, leaving an opening for "liberals" like Philippe Caland to
further brand Buddhists as uncouth fanatics. This is Hollywood we are
talking about, where morality exists in the twilight zone.
And so no matter how much Philippe Caland's eye
twitches, he may be having the last laughs because all he cares is how
much money his movie will make at the turnstiles, and how fast his movie
is forgotten, while we Buddhists continue to fight the "humiliating"
image of the poster in our minds, and fighting others who don't share
such views with us. Ironically, the more we shout, the more publicity he
gets. Do we really need that?
May the Dharma ever empower us to see beyond images
and crass objects.
@@@
Demand for US film to alter
poster
by Sucheera Pinijparakarn, The Nation, Sep 8, 2004
Bangkok,
Thailand -- The upcoming US movie, “Hollywood Buddha”, should
redesign its promotional poster because in its current form it is
offensive to Buddhists, the National Buddhism Office said yesterday.
The movie, scheduled for release in the United States
on September 24, tells the story of a struggling film producer. The
poster depicts the lead actor sitting on top of a bust of Buddha.
“The movie producer might not have had malicious
intentions, but the poster should be removed,” said National Buddhism
Office director Udom Charoen.
Udom asked the Foreign Ministry to demand the
poster’s removal.
Udom’s office has in the past successfully called for
a halt to the plans of an Australian company to produce a swimsuit
depicting a Buddha image.
The Foreign Ministry has assigned the Thai Consulate
in Los Angeles to raise the issue of the promotional poster with the
movie’s producer.
“Hollywood Buddha” has received critical acclaim at a
number of film festivals in New York and Paris.
The Council of Thai Buddhist monks in the US has
launched a Web board at www.thaitemple.org to host discussions among
religious followers regarding the movie poster.
@@@
Buddhists irked by Hollywood
poster
Al-Jazeera,
September 8, 2004
The film offends
Buddhists worldwide, says religious leader
Bangkok,
Thailand -- Thai Buddhist leaders are urging their government to
protest against a poster advertising the US film "Hollywood Buddha",
which features its writer and director sitting on the head of a Buddha
image.
"What Philippe Caland, the writer and director of the
film, has done is inappropriate to Buddhism and has offended Buddhists
worldwide," said Chularat Bunyakorn, chief of the secretariat of the
Buddhist Monks Council in Thailand's capital Bangkok on Tuesday.
"Buddha statues are objects which deserve respect and
the Foreign Ministry must take action immediately," she said in a
country where the head is the holiest part of the body and is not
touched by anyone else.
The council had written to the Foreign Ministry
urging it to protest formally to the producer of the movie, due to open
in Los Angeles on 24 September.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the Thai consul in
Los Angeles had been asked to find out about the film before deciding on
the action needed.
Outcry
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The public outcry was raised after the
Thai-language newspaper Matichon published the poster on its
front page on Tuesday with the caption, "Buddhism Humiliated".
The advertisement features Caland, who also
stars in the YBG Productions film, sitting atop a Buddha statue
with his feet - the least holy part of the body to Thai
Buddhists and never pointed at anyone - dangling by its eyes. |
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Nearly 95 percent of Thais belong to the Buddhist
faith
The film is about an independent Hollywood film
producer who struggles to keep his head above water as everything falls
apart around him, according to its Web site,
www.ybg.com/hollywoodbuddha.
Bolstered by mantras and a statue of the Buddha
rented for $2000 a month, he turns his obsessive need to release his
last feature into a moneymaking venture, it says.
_____________________
Source:
http://www.buddhistnews.tv
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Cập nhật
ngày: 10-09-2004
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