Misusing the Buddha Name

Want to convey a positive image to something that is bad? You don’t need to call a PR guy or advertising professional. Just add the Buddha name somewhere in the narrative. At the very least, that will dilute the badness. I found an amusing instance of that in a book titled “Johnny Gone Bad”. The protagonist of that story goes from being (among a host of other things) a Buddhist monk in Cambodia to a drug dealer in South America. Guess what they called him? Coke Buddha!

Even nations have used that trick. Just look at the words used to announce India’s successful nuclear tests in 1974: “The Buddha is smiling”. What better way to declare your weapons were developed with a peaceful intent?!


Of all the founders and prophets of religions, it’s only Buddha whose name can be taken in jest without fear of retaliation by some group or the other. In a world where fanatics will cite their religion as the justification for their violence, Buddhists stand out in magnificent contrast. I guess that’s the origin of that comment, “If a Buddhist got angry, would he still be a Buddhist?”

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