The Buddha is Happy in Southern Ontario

On the weekend I saw in the news that a massive Buddhist temple complex was to be dedicated near the village of Bethany in Southern Ontario, with Andrew Scheer as a guest of honour. A quick pinch established that I was not asleep and dreaming. And since we were in the area we did a swing up through the lovely hills to Wutai Shan. It is the first of four planned gardens on About 1,350 acres of rural land has been purchased for the construction of four massive Buddhist gardens by the Buddhist Association of Canada. Wutai Shan is the first to be developed of the four, with a projected total cost of $80 million.

Before we actually arrived at the entrance we could see one of the sculptures on a hillside, a massive happy Buddha 13 metres tall. When we arrived at the gate it was locked, and a No Trespassing sign was prominently displayed. We could see people up the avenue on the the other side of the fence, so we joined them in flouting the prohibition and were soon standing in awe at the base of the Buddha. 

I am not a Buddhist, obviously, and I respectfully disagree with Buddhism's non-theist beliefs. I do admire its commitment to meditation and contemplation and beauty, as well as a willingness to address suffering honestly. Many Christians, including monk, mystic and activist Thomas Merton have entered into meaningful dialogue with Buddhists, including Thich Nhat Hanh. 

We noticed that the dozens of other trespassers were Asian in background and while we exchanged pleasantries with several people their conversations sounded to be in Chinese. 

As we drove home we reflected on the change in our society over the course of our Baby Boomer lifetimes. We both grew up in largely Caucasian environments in which church attendance was still commonplace and there was little evidence of other cultures, religions, or races. I spent most of my childhood in a community not all that far from Bethany and I just assumed that Canadians were mostly white and no one ever spoke about the people who were here before colonization, let alone those from other world cultures.

I'm glad that we made the detour and were reminded of the devotion of those whose religion is different than ours. I am comfortable with living in a multi-cultural society and hope that some of Mr. Scheer's devotees noticed where he spent some time on Saturday. 

How about you? Are you okay with a cheerful Buddha in the Ontario landscape? Have you developed a deeper tolerance and appreciation of those who were not the "usual suspects" of your upbringing?