The Story of the Golden Buddha

Over 300 years ago, when Thailand was still called Siam, a Burmese army planned to invade.  It was the time of the Burmese–Siamese War which lasted from 1765-67.

Siamese monks at that time were in possession of an incredible treasure - a 9 foot tall, 18 karat gold Buddha.  Today this would be valued at around 250 million dollars. 

When news came of the immanent invasion, the monks had to think fast and they made a radical decision.  In order to protect their precious Buddha from being captured, they covered it all over in 12 inches of clay or stucco. When the Burmese army arrived in Siam, they saw the huge clay statue but considered it worthless and therefore ignored it. Sadly, the monks were not so lucky and the hidden secret of the statue was lost.  For the next 250 years this Buddha was only seen as a clay Buddha.

In May 1955 the 5.5-ton statue was being moved to a new location.  During the final attempt to lift the statue from its pedestal, some of the ropes broke and the statue fell hard on the ground. At that moment, some of the clay coating chipped off, allowing the gold underneath to shine through. The amazed workmen carefully continued removing the clay until the solid gold Buddha shone radiantly once more.

The analogy is so powerful. Our essential nature is also luminous and golden. Without us realising it, our shining, inner core is often masked and covered over by layer upon layer of “clay”.  These overlaying filters are formed over the years from the many experiences in our lives – old emotional patterns and stories, cultural pressures, past failures, pains, fears, traumas, disappointments  – and so on.

When we notice what has been happening, we can begin to chip away at these clay coverings and reveal the shining beings that we are within – we can realign to who we really are.

Let us play a game!  Firstly, dive into your heart and reconnect with your own inner essence. Then, every time you engage with another person – imagine the shining essence inside them as you both talk.  Notice what happens.  I think you will feel a profound difference in the flavour of the communication.  Let me know what you discover!

I love the original meaning of the Indian greeting of “Namaste”  - when you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me – we are one.