Oakland Buddha
 | This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; try the Find link tool for suggestions. (May 2024) |
The Oakland Buddha (Vietnamese: Pháp Duyên Tự) is a
Statue installation
Stevenson first installed the statue in 2009, after becoming frustrated with large amounts of illegal dumping on a newly constructed traffic median at the intersection of East 19th Street and 11th Avenue in Oakland, California, and the failure of city government to meaningfully correct the problem.
Use as Buddhist shrine
Approximately four months after installation, Stevenson noticed that the figure had been painted white.[3] In 2010, local Vietnamese residents became aware of the statue, and decided to convert it into a Buddhist shrine.[1] The residents cleaned, repainted, and decorated the statue, built a wooden structure for its protection, and began to leave offerings such as flowers and fresh fruit, as well as to use the statue as a meeting place for worship.[5] A title plaque was added below the roof of the shrine, reading "Pháp Duyên Tự" which roughly translates to "Dharma Temple". An additional statue of the Buddhist icon of compassion Guanyin was installed by worshippers, and the shrine is now used as a daily meeting space for prayers.[1]
Removal attempt by city
In 2012, the Oakland Public Works Department stated that it had received complaints about the presence of the Buddha and shrine, and would remove it from the median. City officials stated that it represented a "safety issue" as it was located in a road median and that some neighbors were unhappy with early morning noise from worshippers.[2][1] After receiving substantial opposition from neighborhood residents and worshippers who use the shrine, the city announced that it would "table" the issue, and as of 2021[update] has not made further attempts at removing either the statue or shrine.[5]
Effects
The Oakland Buddha has been featured on episodes of the Criminal and 99% Invisible podcasts. During the second time featured on Criminal, the show producer noted that the episode was one of the most popular that the series had made.[3][6] The Oakland Police Department stated that since the statue was made into a shrine and daily worship began in 2012, crime had fallen in the neighborhood by 82% by 2014, though Oakland PD noted that they could not definitively state that the shrine is the cause.[5] Stevenson stated that he receives visits both from worshippers at the shrine, who sometimes offer him gifts, and by tourists curious about it.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d Silber, Judy (19 November 2014). "How a Buddhist shrine transformed a neighborhood in Oakland". Public Radio International. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ a b Rosato Jr., Joe (20 June 2012). "The Little Buddha That Took on Oakland City Hall". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ a b c Judge, Phoebe (30 January 2015). "He's Neutral". Criminal (Podcast). Event occurs at 06:30. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ Mitchell, Deana (21 October 2014). "Buddha of Oakland". Oakland North. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d Johnson, Chip (15 September 2014). "Buddha seems to bring tranquility to Oakland neighborhood". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ a b Mars, Roman (30 July 2019). "He's Still Neutral". 99% Invisible (Podcast). Retrieved 3 August 2019.