gold. They will realize he must have been a very important person to receive such an honour and veneration. The casting of his gold image is not merely a material expression of gratitude for his compassion and sacrifice or a monument of love for the much-revered Bodhisattva. His gold image will also serve as historical evidence of his existence and the most important rediscovery, while his timely teachings will remain a precious legacy to the world and continue to bring peace and happiness to humankind.
In his best-selling book, AFRICAN GENESIS, Robert Ardrey postulated that Man is by nature a predator and prone to violence and all that normally prevents people from attacking each other physically is the training of parents, teachers, and other moderating influences and the fear of punishment or reprisal.
Man has done little enough to dispel his brutish image. His readiness to massacre millions of his fellow human beings – let alone obliterate whole species of the other creatures sharing this planet with him – hardly support the rosy view of him as a noble and compassionate animal.
And yet, there are too many truly good men and women in the world to dispute the horrendous view of humanity, too many examples of kindness and