Look what happened in Oakland
Vina Vo (left) and Kieu Do pray at sunrise near a Buddhist shrine at 11th Avenue and East 19th Street in Oakland. Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle
Dear friends, This is truly an interesting phenomena. Definitely the presence of holy objects such as Buddha images will bless and calm down the environment. That is one of the reasons you can see large Buddha statues erected all throughout the Buddhist world. Please read this article and see how interesting this all is. Remember, the statistics prove the crime rate dropped. We definitely should have many more Buddha statues all over. A Buddha image can only bring benefits. A Buddha statue will bless believers and non-believers alike because the Buddha makes no distinctions and unbiased. The sun shines on everyone irregardless of our belief system equally.
Tsem Rinpoche
Buddha seems to bring tranquility to Oakland neighborhood
Dan Stevenson is neither a Buddhist nor a follower of any organized religion.
The 11th Avenue resident in Oakland’s Eastlake neighborhood was simply feeling hopeful in 2009 when he went to an Ace hardware store, purchased a 2-foot-high stone Buddha and installed it on a median strip in a residential area at 11th Avenue and 19th Street.
He hoped that just maybe his small gesture would bring tranquillity to a neighborhood marred by crime: dumping, graffiti, drug dealing, prostitution, robberies, aggravated assault and burglaries.
What happened next was nothing short of stunning. Area residents began to leave offerings at the base of the Buddha: flowers, food, candles. A group of Vietnamese women in prayer robes began to gather at the statue to pray.
And the neighborhood changed. People stopped dumping garbage. They stopped vandalizing walls with graffiti. And the drug dealers stopped using that area to deal. The prostitutes went away.
I asked police to check their crime statistics for the block radius around the statue, and here’s what they found: Since 2012, when worshipers began showing up for daily prayers, overall year-to-date crime has dropped by 82 percent. Robbery reports went from 14 to three, aggravated assaults from five to zero, burglaries from eight to four, narcotics from three to none, and prostitution from three to none.
“I can’t say what to attribute it to, but these are the numbers,” a police statistician told me.
Back in 2009, when word got around that Stevenson was the person who’d installed the statue, offerings began to appear on his doorstep. It was like a scene straight out of the Clint Eastwood film “Gran Torino.”
“They left a ton of fruit and Vietnamese specialty foods and candy, but there’s only me and my wife, Lu, here and we can’t eat all that stuff – but it’s so good,” said Stevenson.
“I’ve tried to explain to them my reasons” for placing the statue, he said. “I have nothing against it, but I don’t believe what you believe!”
I don’t think it matters to them.
To this day, every morning at 7, worshipers ring a chime, clang a bell and play soft music as they chant morning prayers. The original statue is now part of an elaborate shrine that includes a wooden structure standing 10 feet tall and holding religious statues, portraits, food and fruit offerings surrounded by incense-scented air.
“This used to be a huge spot for dumping stuff,” said Alicia Tatum, 27, on an early morning walk with her dogs Lulu and Mya. “But over time, it’s blossomed with more and more and more flowers – and they are out there every morning like clockwork.”
On weekends, the worshipers include more than a dozen people: black folks, white folks, all folks, said Andy Blackwood, a neighborhood resident. Two weeks ago, a group of German tourists visited the shrine.
“The dope-dealing has stopped, the ladies of the evening have stopped,” Blackwood said.
The Buddha has withstood two attempts to remove him from his watch, one criminal and one governmental. Neither has worked.
Soon after its installation, a would-be thief tried to pry the statue from its perch, but Stevenson had secured him with reinforced iron bar and “$35 worth” of a powerful epoxy – and Buddha didn’t budge.
In 2012, after a resident’s complaint, the city’s Public Works Department tried to remove the statue but received such passionate blowback from neighbors that city officials decided to table and “study” the issue. Two years later, the administrative effort is long forgotten, and Buddha is still there.
When I went to visit the shrine, four small-framed ladies who don’t speak or understand English decided I looked like a convert.
The moment I started talking, one of them politely took my pen from one hand, my notepad from the other and directed me to clasp my hands together, bow and repeat after her – so I did. When in Rome, right?
Apparently, my Buddhist chants aren’t half bad either because they won some approving “oohs and aahs” from the flock – and carried me to Step 2 in the conversion process. The same woman who had grabbed my gear sat me cross-legged on a prayer rug in the street and placed a stool with a book on it before me. If nothing else, Buddha and I share the same body type – short, squat and happy. I sat there for a moment thinking that I might resemble him – and maybe that’s why they seemed to like me.
I thought it might be a good opportunity to get a question in, too – and this time my spiritual guide seemed to understand.
“Next week,” she replied.
Thank you very much, but I think I’ve already found what I was looking for.
Vina Vo (left), Lien Huynh and Kieu Do pray at Buddhist shrine. Crime in the neighborhood has plunged since the shrine went up. (Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle)
From left, Kieu Do, Lien Huynh and Vina Vo pray at sunrise in front of a Buddhist altar erected at 11th Avenue and East 19th Street in Oakland, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle)
Vina Vo prays at sunrise in front of a Buddhist altar erected at 11th Avenue and East 19th Street in Oakland, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle)
Vina Vo prays at sunrise in front of a Buddhist altar erected at 11th Avenue and East 19th Street in Oakland, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle)
Vina Vo prays at sunrise in front of a Buddhist altar erected at 11th Avenue and East 19th Street in Oakland, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle)
A book of mantras is open at a daily sunrise prayer session in front of a Buddhist altar erected at 11th Avenue and East 19th Street in Oakland, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle)
Lien Huynh (left) and Kieu Do embrace before a prayer session at sunrise in front of a Buddhist altar erected at 11th Avenue and East 19th Street in Oakland, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle)
Chip Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. His column runs on Tuesday and Friday. E-mail: chjohnson@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @chjohnson.
Source: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/johnson/article/Buddha-seems-to-bring-tranquillity-to-Oakland-5757592.php#photo-6869292
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Wow…..having a Buddha statue at neighbourhood does truly benefits the residents after all. The area been an eyesore as dump site till Dan Stevenson a non-religious resident in Oakland did some amazing changes to the surroundings. By setting up a small Buddha statue and beautify the area. The humble statue attracted dozens of Vietnamese immigrants in the area who came to pray and provide offerings. Most of the people appreciate the shrine and soon the neighbourhood changed as residents stopped dumping garbage so as vandalism, robberies, aggravated assault, burglaries and so forth has fallen. The Buddha statues brought tranquillity to the neighbourhood and virtually eliminate crimes .
Thank you Rinpoche for this wonderful sharing.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing wonderful story in Oakland. The Buddha statue is so powerful. It is an awesome news that it has helped to reduce the crime, prostitution and drugs activities in the area. Not only that there are more people spending their time praying in that area too.
It is also the good action from the people to pray that will positive energy to the environment. May this neighborhood continue to be blessed by Buddha and generate more positive energy.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing this amazing story. The Buddha’s image has a lot of benefits and among them are pacifying the land and calming the energy around it. Historically, large Buddha images are commonly erected near places that has a lot of accidents, deaths or bad energy. The Buddha images are erected with the hope to bless and change the energy of the environment.
In Malaysia, we also have this kind of culture. Buddha images or carvings of Amitabha’s mantra can be seen near places such as roads, buildings or rivers that have a lot of incidents of death or accidents.
This shows us the power of holy images and objects.
Chris
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the wonderful news happening at 11th Avenue and East 19th Street in Oakland, California. Dan Stevenson has done a great job by erecting a Buddhist altar with a 2-foot high stone Buddha statue at the beginning. This has further motivated the residents in the neighborhood to begin to offer flowers, food and candles as respect to Buddha with the hope of reducing the crime rate and other negative activities carried out in that area. The Dharma activity continues to blossom at that area as there are Vietnamese ladies started to chant the mantra and pray to Buddha every morning. What a joy and feeling happy with their accomplished mission being achieved through the Dharma at 11th Avenue and East 19th Street in Oakland, California. I sincerely pray for the Dharma and Buddhism to reach to every part of the world regardless of culture, race or geographical location.
Wow, wonderful news from Oakland. Buddha compassion no barriers, hence the power of the Buddha blessing may make the energy of the area become positive…
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing this article and always remind us to invite or built Buddha statue as Big possible to benefit all sentient beings at the area…
Thank you for sharing. This is so beautiful. I love it so much. I am deeply grateful and happy that their neighborhood has benefitted from Buddha’s presence. _/\_
The limitless powers of the Buddha is just simple amazing.
This story is just one of the thousands of stories out there where no matter how dire the situation may be, just a simple setting up of a altar, some prayers being said, paying homage to the Buddha or even donating money to a temple can produce such astounding miracles.
It really fascinates me how just a simply prayer can turn one’s life around and how instantaneously the Buddha is able to help those in need no matter where the person in need may be.
This is just another story of thousands of stories out there which proves that high above the clouds, the superior Buddhas are always on the look out for us.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this touching post!
Love
Jutika
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this wonderful news. Religion is very important because it actually teach us to do good and be kind on top of that with the holy Buddha around it will definitely will give a lot of good energy and positive energy it also with the Buddha in that area it will also bless the people who walk pass the alter.
Thank you rinpoche for the sharing.The power of Buddha is universal.It is the same with the power of love and compassion.We will forget it when we were born .It could be triggered by some formed of object or the environment that they live in.
We suppose the statue would be the most effective tool.
May everyone have a buddha statue at home or place in the neighbourhood for everyone to enjoy its benefits…..
As attestated, the presence of Buddha statues are just aesthetically appealing, but every one of their postures, gestures and ornaments is a symbolic teaching in itself. In fact, images of Buddha Shakyamuni shown with a smiling face, peaceful figure in meditation have become increasingly widespread throughout the World. It is now also common to see Buddha’s head and statues being displayed in offices, homes, store windows, even at anyone’s place without any religious-significance connections. Lord Buddha is one of the few religious icons whose image is popularly used for decorational purpose unrelated to prayers. But opening our minds to the blessings of the Buddhas and letting them into our lives certainly takes us up a step and make the journey for us a lot more easier. Om mani padme hung.
I am very fond of the idea of many people paying homage to the beautiful shrine.Buddha statues bring about the feeling of serenity and peaceful feeling in everyone.
This is a wonderful article,thank you for sharing,Rinpoche.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing. May the Medicine Buddha Hill project manifests swiftly to bless our environment and benefit all sentient beings
Little did DAn know, such a spontaneous simple gesture would bring so much benefits to others. Placing a Buddha statue in that common area not only stabilizing the environment, it also provide a chance for people to make offerings and get connected to the Buddha. It’s similar to building a temple providing platform for people to worship and gain merits.
I think even though some of the residents in the area are not Buddhists… they still have deep respect for the Buddha [statue / image]. They know what it represents and what holy being the Buddha is…was… hence the deep reverence.
The energy to have changed the neighbourhood is amazing…indeed having Buddha there calms and blesses the environment.
What is sweet about the whole thing was a shrine was erected to house the statues with people doing morning prayers. And even that, not many residents complained about that.
Beautiful…
The Buddha statue wouldn’t if it is not for a good reason. I rejoice for the people there for receiving the blessings and protection for all these years. People at this area had made this place a little temple for themselves. They happily pray and making this place a worshiping place for daily chanting. Buddha’s blessings have calm down this place and made this place a holy place. I wished we can see places like this set up every where for the well being of the people even the animals that passes by.
It is really amazing that just by putting a Buddha statue all the the bad things stop happening.
I really appreciate what Dan did.
I don’t think that Dan did the shrine just to get attention as a hero in a movie does,instead he is doing it for the sake of the whole neighbourhood.
Dan must have spent a lot of money on the shrine , which not many people will spend money on.
Instead we just spend money on things for ourself to enjoy.
Plus Dan must have took a lot of effort to make the shrine so beautiful.
I really hope that this kind of thing will happen in Malaysia.
Such a nice story to share. Indeed the statue has calmed down the environment and the area is no longer notorious. Definitely a positive sign. I’m sure the residents are very happy with their divine resident.
What a beautiful little shrine! It is stories like this that gives people “hope” that there is still a chance for peace, love, harmony and for us Buddha, it’s proof that there is a Buddha for sure because the positive enlightened energies is on the side of the Buddha itself that just attracts the good vibes like magnet! And 3 lovely dakinis I am sure activated the Buddha’s energy even more when they chant! It is really true what Rinpoche always tells us… to have lots and lots of outdoor Buddha does bring much blessings! From a dumping ground to a holy ground… like a lotus that appeared through the mud… such is the Buddha:)
It really warms my heart as i read this article posted by you rinpoche. I feel it’s not so much about the altar set-up but more of the positive energy of those coming to worship especially when prayers are recited infront of this supreme merits field. It gives others a sense of peace, love and hope. By just looking at them reciting prayers, it encourages others to do good, to become better and even to the extend of wanting to reach out to others with assistant.
Thank you for sharing this as i already felt a sense of peace, love and hope. Tashi Delek
Thank you Rinpoche. A Buddha statue always brings a sense of peacefulness. Whenever I walk into Kechara (any department) I have a feeling of calmness and inner happiness , just like how the residents in the above feels.
What a wonderful story. We don’t need to be religious to want peace. But a religious practice does bring peace. It warms my heart to read this. A community has peace of mind simply by having faith and the simple kindness of a man. This gives me hope for Malaysia in light of the crimes like snatched thieves and petty crimes.
This is absolutely wonderful. I wish to find a way to do the same in my neighborhood. Here in Portland, Oregon/Gresham Annex in the Rockwood District we have a very high crime rate with many small gangs. Lots of drug problems, and recently a rise in homicides. If we could set up a few Buddhist Shrines in this area, maybe it could have the same impact as in Oakland. I hope to eventually find a way to do this.
Namo Buddhaya
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. I think these are the reason on why Rinpoche wanted to build big statues in KFR and in Gompa, Kechara House in KL. Not only Buddha statue brings forth a sense of peace, calmness and harmony to that area but as a blessing for all sentient being too. What a skilful way to plant positive karma seed instantly! Rejoice to see the three ladies chanting and praying to Buddha. May this be a cause for them to achieve enlightenment soon.
Thank You Rinpoche for sharing such the wonderful story/news with us. Holy object and praying definitely will help to bless the environment.I remembered a Dharma book stated that you can tell from environment whether there is any Dharma practitioners in the area. If there is, the environment will be blessed with peaceful feeling; the flowers will be blossoming and tree will be growing stronger and healthier.
I like the statement, the blessing is like sun shine on everyone. Everyone sentient beings will be blessed by the holy statue. I am touched by sincerity of the Vietnamese ladies and the shrine is well maintained. It is good example for us to follow. We should treat attending puja as our commitment, do not simply skip it as we need puja to grow the Dharma to everyone.
Thank You Rinpoche.
It’s a wonderful and overwhelming sight and the Buddha statue has transform the people around it. The presence of Buddha has given positive energy and it has created a revolution with the people in the vicinity- where we can see offerings of candles, flowers & also prayers.Its true what Rinpoche said- we should have more Buddha statutes around us.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Thanks for Rinpoche’s sharing. What a nice shrine. It was glad to know that the energy of the neighbourhood was changed.it was indeed Buddha’s blessing. Wishing that more area will receive the same blessing also.like Medicine Buddha Hill..looking forward for this huge project.