I was reminded this week of a story I told readers over 10 years ago.
It’s worth repeating, I think.
In 1766, the Burmese army attacked Thailand, wreaking chaos and destruction wherever they went. Temples were destroyed, homes burnt to the ground and many people massacred.
Everything of value that could be looted was taken.
One group of monks wisely decided to hide their most precious icon: a beautiful statue of Buddha.
So they covered it in wet and sticky mud.
A very thick layer of wet and sticky mud.
The Burmese soldiers saw it and ignored it.
After all, what value was there in a mud Buddha?!
And so it survived and remained a mud statue of Buddha.
In the mid 20th century the old Temple had to be relocated to make way for a new road system in Bangkok so all its fittings had to first be moved.
The mud Buddha was a quandary: it was so heavy. Incredibly heavy.
Impossibly heavy!
So a crane was brought in to carefully pick it up: they didn’t want it to crumble into a million pieces!
That’s when one of the monks who was overseeing its move noticed something glinting in the mud……
And that’s when they discovered the statue was solid gold weighing 5.5 tons!!!
Today, it sits in the Wat Traimit Witthayaram (the Temple of the Golden Buddha).
Why the history lesson?
Because YOU are also a golden Buddha (maybe not quite so heavy…!!) but maybe you have forgotten that…. and are covered in the mud of hurts and disappointments.
If so…..rejoice!!
Look within!
There you are….still shining golden in the sublime Light of God’s Love and Workmanship!
Blessings and hugs,
Les