Maybe I should do some explanation because I feel that there is
a lack of understanding here.
The common perception that Buddhists worship Buddha or any kind of
forms/statues is usually from the
folk-worshipping/ancestor-worshipping/taoists. Buddhists do not
worship any higher authorities. The first Buddha image was created
around a thousand years after Buddha entered Parinirvana. We
prostrate to the images of Buddha as a form of respect and
reverence, but Buddhists do not in any way worship any higher
beings.
Buddhism is the most 'formless' religion/teaching. The well known
verse in Diamond Sutra confirms this.
Buddhism is truly detached
from idols
It is stated in the
Diamond Sutra, He who
sees me (Buddha) in forms or seeks me in sounds is on a heterodox
path and cannot see the Tathagata (Buddha). It further
states that, All forms are but illusions, in seeing that all forms
are illusory, one sees the Tathagata. It is only when we
have attained a certain advanced level in the learning and
practising of Buddhism that we will be able to understand the
profound meaning of these verses. If you were to tell a person who
has just started to learn Buddhism that learning Buddhism is like
these verses, then he would find them too profound. He would not be
able to make out what Buddha is like. Of course, he knows what
human beings are like and quite naturally he will assume that only
those who are similar in form to human beings are Buddhas. We can
say that this is correct, but we can also say that this is wrong.
For example, kindergarten teachers may use drawings of an old man
and old woman when teaching the young children about grandfathers
and grandmothers. Thereafter, when the children see other old folks
in such resemblance they know that they are someone elses
grandparents. But, to university students it would be inappropriate
for professors to use the same approach when talking about such
blood relationships.
It is the same in learning Buddhism. When we encourage a new
student of Buddhism to pay respect to the Buddha in the temple or
monastery, he will not be frightened when he sees that the Buddha
is the same as a human being. At the same time, when he sees that
the Buddha and Bodhisattva images are so dignified and
compassionate, it will give rise to a feeling of joy and reverence
and lead him to learn Buddhism.
Often we come across people who have been learning Buddhism for a
long time saying that they saw this Buddha or that Bodhisattva in
their dreams. Initially, when we do not know about their level of
understanding of Buddhism, we may praise them by saying, Oh! You
have such good affinity with Buddha and Bodhisattva that you can
even see their images! But it is wrong if we always praise them
like this. If they report dreams like this for more then 3 times,
you have to tell them, The Mara is here, you have seen the Mara!
All the Zen masters advise to obliterate the Buddha when the Buddha
appears, and obliterate the Mara when the Mara appears [1]. We
cannot praise them any more because they have already developed an
attachment to forms.
In the same way, when we are dealing with people who are already
advanced in Buddhism, we should use the method of the Diamond Sutra
rather than the kindergarten method:
He who sees me (Buddha) in forms or seeks me in sounds is on a
heterodox path and cannot see the Tathagata (Buddha).
All forms are but illusions, in seeing that all forms are
illusory, one sees the Tathagata.
At this level, people will realize that Buddhism is the only
religion that eradicates superstition and attachment to all
forms.
Critics often say that the Buddha image is an idol. They criticize
that Buddhism worships idols. In reality, the cross, the Jesus
Christ image and Mother Mary, they are also idols. In this sense,
is there a religion that does not worship idols? Therefore, we
cannot say that Buddhism is the only religion that worships idols.
The fact is that only Buddhism does not worship idols. The Diamond
Sutra states, All forms are but illusions, in seeing that all
forms are illusory, one sees the Tathagata.!
The essence of the Buddha, the Buddha Nature is omnipresent in the
space of the Dharma realm, and the Dharma Nature is omnipresent in
the space.
