In the Buddhist temple dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Brahma is also a prominent feature of the temple

Statue of Brahma surrounded by small lanterns

Countless small lanterns were placed on a platform in the center of the temple grounds in the dim light of day. This place was a Buddhist temple called Vihara Avalokitesvara in Jakarta. Vihara means a Buddhist temple and Avalokitesvara means Goddess of Mercy. As the name suggests, there was a statue of Buddha that seemed to be Goddess of Mercy on the altar at the far end of the hall, but I was interested in the statue on the platform in the center of the hall.

At the top of the platform where the lantern was placed, there was a statue with four faces. This was Brahma, one of the supreme deities of Hinduism. Like in the Buddhist country of Thailand (Erawan Shrine in Bangkok is a temple dedicated to Brahma), this Buddhist temple in Indonesia also enshrines a Hindu deity. However, I don't feel it is so strange because Hindu gods are also included in Buddhism. I just feel it is complicated.

As for the Buddha statue itself, Goddess of Mercy was larger and more splendid, but Brahma's statue surrounded by small lanterns on all sides was not defeated by its dignity. And since it has four faces, it is not surprising that it has something beyond human knowledge, unlike the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, who has only one soft face.

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