Buddha Amulets- The Early Day of Wearing Amulets
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In our modern age, for convenience, many are using metal casings to protect the Buddha amulets.The metal casings covering the Buddha amulet comprise silver and even the cheaper version of steel. Some of these metal casings have elaborate decorative patterns and painted gilt color and are easily opened to allow interested parties to view the Buddha amulets.
Before the popularity or advent of metal casing , the Buddha amulets were of elaborate decorative plastic covering. This will take a lot of time and skill
However, for the wearers in the ancient past, the Buddha amulets are tied around with strings/beads and hung around the wearers’ neck. This enable the amulets to be directly in contact with the wearer’s skin. There are many reasons for doing so - lack of metal casing/very cheap to string them or even to touch the amulet with the wearer’s skin so as to have a closer affinity with wat we revered most. As time past, the constant wear and touch with the wearer’s skin will definitely destroy the image of the Buddha amulets.
Frankly, the author prefers the ancient past of wearing the Buddha amulets using strings covering the Buddha amulets rather than using metal casing though eventually, due to sweats, extreme wear and tear, the Buddha image will be eroded but in reality, when we look at the Buddha image, the intention of such image is merely to remind us that “ every one of us whether we are rich or poor,etc can be enlightened like the great Buddha”- so does it matter that it must be a “BEAUTIFUL IMAGE”?