Jade Emperor out Buddha'd the Buddha?

• The Jade Emperor seems to be the Sakka (King of the Devas, Sakra, Indra) of East Asia, made famous in the Pali canon by having a whole section of texts dedicated to him: Sakka, King of the Devas, ruler of the Celestial World of the Thirty-Three (Tavatimsa)

Burma sends military to protect precious rock

Seth Auberon, Pfc. Sandoval, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Saw Yan Naing (irrawaddy.org), "Hpakant Jade Stone Estimated at 50 Tons," Feb. 20, 2014

Myanmar's "Golden Rock," Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, Mon State, Burma (hjuengst/flickr.com)

 

Thai cave temple, Wat Umong (Decha Thapanya)

RANGOON, Burma - A massive precious jade stone recently discovered near a village in Kachin State’s Hpakant region is believed to weigh 50+ tons.

But with half the rock yet to be unearthed, its exact mass remains unknown.

 

After visiting the discovery site and sizing up the raw jade stone in Wai Ka Village amid tight security, local jade merchant U Cho said initial reports of its size were likely underestimated.

• 

  Jade boulders still buried (The Irrawaddy)

  [Prior to becoming a military dictatorship and, along with England, part of the inspiration for George Orwell's dystopian Nineteen Eighty-Four, Burma was the richest country in Southeast Asia. (Orwell was born in British India but stationed in Burma during his military service. See Shooting an Elephant). It is still a tremendous source of raw resources fought over by the USA and China, both aspiring to strip the land and its corrupt military dictatorship/false front democratically elected parliament to enrich themselves. Dictator and head of the ruling military junta, Gen. Than Shwe took a backseat while still pulling the levers of political control, as former U.S. Sec'y of State, and potential future presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton cut deals and helped put pressure on the junta to give opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi a seat in parliament.]

“We estimate that the stone might be bigger,” he told The Irrawaddy. “What we had heard [that the stone was thought to weigh about 20 tons] was because the body of the stone is still buried in the ground. But we don’t know how much it will be worth.”

 

Jade stone used for life-sized Buddha (R-E)

Government troops were deployed this week to guard the area where the jade stone is located. As a result, local small-scale jade miners have been completely barred from s[caveng]ing for jade in the surrounding area.

The jade [boulder], described by locals as being “as big as a Mitsubishi Pajero truck,” was found by a small-scale miner, Aung Naing Win, on Feb. 9th in Hpakant Township. The region, west of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina, is known for possessing some of the world’s best jade.

 

Theravada novices on alms (Hilde Juengst)

Contacted by The Irrawaddy on Wednesday, a staffer at the state-owned Myanmar Gems Enterprise in [the new Burmese capital and secretive military headquarters] Naypyidaw (WSJ video) said she was not allowed to comment on the jade stone discovery in Hpakant. Asked for contact details for an individual authorized to speak to the media, the staffer said she was not at liberty to provide that information.

 

The Myanmar Gems Enterprise operates under Burma’s Ministry of Mines.

 

Small-scale miners in the region operate unlicensed, and thus have no legal claim to jade that they discover. Most of them deal in the black market trade. More

(This World Rocks) Burma with its massive golden, jewel-encrusted Shwedagon Pagoda (housing the Buddha's first relics, a few hairs given to merchants shortly after the great enlightenment and decision to teach, according to legend), a testament to the country's wealth.

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Jade Buddha Tour in SoCal (Feb. 12-27)

(Tour dates)

Jade Buddha for Universal Peace
Total attendance at Jade Buddha world tour to date: The Jade Buddha is on tour throughout major cities in America, Asia, and Australia before being set up at... jadebuddha.org.au/en
Tour Dates - Photos - Mandala Lights - News - Team - Donations

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Jade Buddha World Tour (video)

Jade Buddha WORLD TOUR INFORMATION (Flickr.com/Pictureted)

• VIDEO: Story of how the Jade Buddha was made

Jade Buddha world tour hits California

The Jade Buddha is currently in the Silicon Valley, San Jose (Supercarrera/Flickr.com)

Jade Buddha Tour
The "Jade Buddha for Universal Peace" is the largest Buddha carved from gemstone quality jade in the world. The Jade Buddha is almost nine feet (2.7 meters) high, weighs about four metric tons (tonne), and has been valued at $5 million. Its size and beauty make it a wonder of the world.

The Buddha inside the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodh Gaya (India) -- where the Buddha attained enlightenment -- is the model for the Great Jade Buddha. It was chosen because it is universally recognized by all Buddhists. The purpose of exhibiting the Jade Buddha around the world is for everyone, irrespective of religion, to take a moment to reflect on peace:

• peace in the world
• peace in relationships
• peace for families and friends
• peace at work
• peace of mind

It is hoped that such positive inspiration will bring joy and motivation for those able to see the Jade Buddha. The statue is on tour throughout major cities in Asia and Australia before it is set up at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo, Australia. (See brochure for details). The newsletter Chorten contains news and insights on the building of The Great Stupa:

• Jade Buddha Brochure
• Newsletter of The Great Stupa: Chorten, No. 29

Jade Buddha Arrives in the US

Howard Altman (Mar. 7, 2010)
TAMPA, Florida - As the fire-crackers exploded and the green curtain drew back, Christy Phan put her right hand over her heart. "This gives me chills," she said, admiring the world's largest jade Buddha, a 10-foot-tall, 4-ton statue unveiled Saturday at the Minh Dang Quang monastery.

Jade Buddha for Universal Peace

"This is such an honor to have this here," she said of the Buddha she helped bring to Tampa. Phan has worked since November to plan the visit of the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace, which is traveling the world before being enshrined in its permanent home at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Australia. She spent hours helping to raise money and awareness and doing the required paperwork. When the curtains parted, it was the first time Phan had seen the Buddha, which will be in Tampa for 10 days. The Buddha represents world peace, said Phan, 25, a University of South Florida business major. More>>

Jade Buddha reception at a distance and close up (Brother Monk/Flickr)

A Trip to Shanghai's Jade Buddha

(blogography.com)

Starting the day early to visit the Temple of the Jade Buddha turned out to be more of an adventure than I thought. I have been skydiving, diving with sharks, bungee jumping, race car driving. I have even been held up at knife-point twice and had many other adventures throughout my life.

David Simmer II Day Five: Shanghai Jade Buddha

But all pale in comparison to taking a taxi through the streets of Shanghai, China. It was especially disturbing considering the driver didn't know the location of the temple (despite being a famous landmark). He had a map in his face a good portion of the time.

By the time I got to the temple, I was ready to shave my head and become a monk so as not to have to go through that again. But the temple itself is sweet and well worth the dangerous journey to get there. Photos are not allowed of the actual Jade Buddha (which is exquisitely beautiful), but there is plenty to photograph.

I particularly like the little lion guardians everywhere around the temple, many with red "wish ribbons" tied around them. On the way out, I pass through the gift shop to get a wooden "Happy Buddha" statue to take back with me. Given my luck with taxis, I can use it. More>>

Story and photos by David Simmer II; additional editing by WQ