The cost of Buddhist images
-
gingercatni
- Posts: 119
- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:09 pm
- Location: DEFUNCT ACCOUNT
The cost of Buddhist images
Is it just me or do some people feel that they are being ripped off completely when buying statues for shrine areas? I do usually go for larger statues but they are cheap in quality but high in price, why so costly? anyone else experienced this?
-
PadmaVonSamba
- Posts: 9492
- Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am
Re: The cost of Buddhist images
You can purchase Buddhist images in every price range.
Purchasing Buddhist images allows one the opportunity to practice generosity without attachment.
If you feel attachment or resentment, then it is better not to buy it.
If you buy images at, say, an antique shop or at a street market, maybe the vendor is making a lot of money from that.
Do you know what people will do with the money? maybe something good, maybe something not so good.
If you purchase through a monastery or temple or something like that,
then maybe they are using the funds for a good purpose
and your money will help support the dharma.
I manage a web page that has malas (prayer beads) and a few othe4r small things for sale.
I admit, the price to the buyer is a bit steep,
but the merchandise must be paid for and shipped, and then after that is paid for,
all the proceeds help fund a new center for young Buddhist nuns in India,
and these are girls who may not have any family or other means of livelihood.
This provides them with an education, a career path, and they won't be forced into
"living on the street".
If you are in the west and buying things shipped from Japan
there are a lot of costs involved.
Also, for hand-made items,a lot of time is involved in painting or sculpture.
In any business transaction, every time an object changes hands, the price goes up.
If a store sells an item for 100, they paid 50 and the person who sold it to the store paid 30 and the person who made it only earns 15.
Many years ago, a painting by VanGogh sold at auction for US-$75,000,000.
After the auction, a writer for an art magazine said to the buyer,
"Obviously you can afford it, but how can you bring yourself to spend $75 million on a painting?"
And the buyer said, "That's easy: I wanted the painting more than I wanted the money!"
This is a good story to remember.
You can ask yourself, "even though the price is high,
which do I want more, the object, or the money?"
.
.
.
Purchasing Buddhist images allows one the opportunity to practice generosity without attachment.
If you feel attachment or resentment, then it is better not to buy it.
If you buy images at, say, an antique shop or at a street market, maybe the vendor is making a lot of money from that.
Do you know what people will do with the money? maybe something good, maybe something not so good.
If you purchase through a monastery or temple or something like that,
then maybe they are using the funds for a good purpose
and your money will help support the dharma.
I manage a web page that has malas (prayer beads) and a few othe4r small things for sale.
I admit, the price to the buyer is a bit steep,
but the merchandise must be paid for and shipped, and then after that is paid for,
all the proceeds help fund a new center for young Buddhist nuns in India,
and these are girls who may not have any family or other means of livelihood.
This provides them with an education, a career path, and they won't be forced into
"living on the street".
If you are in the west and buying things shipped from Japan
there are a lot of costs involved.
Also, for hand-made items,a lot of time is involved in painting or sculpture.
In any business transaction, every time an object changes hands, the price goes up.
If a store sells an item for 100, they paid 50 and the person who sold it to the store paid 30 and the person who made it only earns 15.
Many years ago, a painting by VanGogh sold at auction for US-$75,000,000.
After the auction, a writer for an art magazine said to the buyer,
"Obviously you can afford it, but how can you bring yourself to spend $75 million on a painting?"
And the buyer said, "That's easy: I wanted the painting more than I wanted the money!"
This is a good story to remember.
You can ask yourself, "even though the price is high,
which do I want more, the object, or the money?"
.
.
.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.