(CA4) LAUGHING BUDDHA
Artist – Unknown
Wood
Artist – Unknown
Wood
(CA4) LAUGHING BUDDHA
Artist – Unknown
Wood
This Chinese Black Sandalwood Statue of Laughing Buddha was presented by a business associate of Ramesh Malhotra’s from China as a gift for the Museum of Spiritual Art.
Ho Tai, as he is called in Chinese, is often confused with the Historical Buddha. But, a word to the wise; Ho Tai is not the Buddha at all, but is actually a revered Chinese Monk. He is somewhat akin to the West's Santa Claus / St. Nick, since Ho Tai was famous for his Buddhist sermons and for his bag full of gifts, which he brought to children in order to reward them for coming to learn about the Dharma.
Part of the reason Ho Tai is confused with the Buddha is because they both wear robes, and that in certain languages (Thai, for instance) the vernacular word for the Buddha and for Monks is the same, namely, the word "Phra." It can be confusing, because if someone were to use JUST the word Phra, one might not know whether they were referring to the Buddha himself, a monk, a statue of the Buddha, or even an amulet (religious pendant) featuring an image of the Buddha ... or an image of a highly revered monk!
Ho Tai is often depicted in various forms as well, either with his arms above his head, reaching skyward, or sometimes holding a bag or knapsack over one shoulder. But no matter how he is depicted, he always has a happy face.
The unusually long ears and elongated earlobes of Buddha statues are not only a stylistic or artistic choice but a powerful symbol in Buddhist art. One explanation could be that Buddha lived in a society where it was traditional for the men to show their social status, wealth, and fortune on their ears by wearing heavy jewelry made of precious metals and stones, which might have resulted in the extending of the earlobes.
In oriental Buddhism and eastern Asia, long earlobes are considered to be propitious and a symbol of wisdom and compassion, which might be another explanation since Buddha is the enlightened, the compassionate one. This symbolism can also be a reminder for all Buddhists to follow the compassionate nature of Buddha.
Artist – Unknown
Wood
This Chinese Black Sandalwood Statue of Laughing Buddha was presented by a business associate of Ramesh Malhotra’s from China as a gift for the Museum of Spiritual Art.
Ho Tai, as he is called in Chinese, is often confused with the Historical Buddha. But, a word to the wise; Ho Tai is not the Buddha at all, but is actually a revered Chinese Monk. He is somewhat akin to the West's Santa Claus / St. Nick, since Ho Tai was famous for his Buddhist sermons and for his bag full of gifts, which he brought to children in order to reward them for coming to learn about the Dharma.
Part of the reason Ho Tai is confused with the Buddha is because they both wear robes, and that in certain languages (Thai, for instance) the vernacular word for the Buddha and for Monks is the same, namely, the word "Phra." It can be confusing, because if someone were to use JUST the word Phra, one might not know whether they were referring to the Buddha himself, a monk, a statue of the Buddha, or even an amulet (religious pendant) featuring an image of the Buddha ... or an image of a highly revered monk!
Ho Tai is often depicted in various forms as well, either with his arms above his head, reaching skyward, or sometimes holding a bag or knapsack over one shoulder. But no matter how he is depicted, he always has a happy face.
The unusually long ears and elongated earlobes of Buddha statues are not only a stylistic or artistic choice but a powerful symbol in Buddhist art. One explanation could be that Buddha lived in a society where it was traditional for the men to show their social status, wealth, and fortune on their ears by wearing heavy jewelry made of precious metals and stones, which might have resulted in the extending of the earlobes.
In oriental Buddhism and eastern Asia, long earlobes are considered to be propitious and a symbol of wisdom and compassion, which might be another explanation since Buddha is the enlightened, the compassionate one. This symbolism can also be a reminder for all Buddhists to follow the compassionate nature of Buddha.
Further notes regarding Buddhism:
Buddhism is a religion that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (“the Buddha”) more than 2,500 years ago in India. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major world religions. The religion has historically been most prominent in East and Southeast Asia, but its influence is growing in the West. Many Buddhist ideas and philosophies overlap with those of other faiths.
Buddhism Beliefs. Some key Buddhism beliefs include:
Followers of Buddhism don’t acknowledge a supreme god or deity. They instead focus on achieving enlightenment— a state of inner peace and wisdom. When followers reach this spiritual echelon, they’re said to have experienced nirvana.
*The religion’s founder, Buddha, is considered an extraordinary man, but not a god. The word Buddha means “enlightened.”
The path to enlightenment is attained by utilizing morality, meditation, and wisdom. Buddhists often meditate because they believe it helps awaken truth.
There are many philosophies and interpretations within Buddhism, making it a tolerant and evolving religion.
Some scholars don’t recognize Buddhism as an organized religion, but rather, a “way of life” or a “spiritual tradition.”
Buddhism encourages its people to avoid self-indulgence, but also self-denial.
Buddha’s most important teachings, known as The Four Noble Truths, are essential to understanding the religion.
Buddhists embrace the concepts of karma (the law of cause and effect) and reincarnation (the continuous cycle of rebirth).
Followers of Buddhism can worship in temples or in their own homes.
Buddhist monks, or bhikkhus, follow a strict code of conduct, which includes celibacy.
There is no single Buddhist symbol, but a number of images have evolved that represent Buddhist beliefs, including the lotus flower, the eight-spoked dharma wheel, the Bodhi tree, and the swastika (an ancient symbol whose name means "well-being" or "good fortune" in Sanskrit).
There are considered three 'branches' of Buddhism:
Theravada Buddhism has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, such as Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Mahayana, which includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Shingon, and Tiantai (Tendai), is found throughout East Asia.
Vajrayana, a body of teachings attributed to Indian adepts, may be viewed as a separate branch or as an aspect of Mahayana Buddhism.
Tibetan Buddhism, which preserves the Vajrayana teachings of eighth-century India, is practiced in the countries of the Himalayan region, Mongolia, and Kalmykia.
His Holiness, The Dalai Lama is a title given by the Tibetan people for the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest of the classical schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, who lives as a refugee in India.
Buddhism is a religion that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (“the Buddha”) more than 2,500 years ago in India. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major world religions. The religion has historically been most prominent in East and Southeast Asia, but its influence is growing in the West. Many Buddhist ideas and philosophies overlap with those of other faiths.
Buddhism Beliefs. Some key Buddhism beliefs include:
Followers of Buddhism don’t acknowledge a supreme god or deity. They instead focus on achieving enlightenment— a state of inner peace and wisdom. When followers reach this spiritual echelon, they’re said to have experienced nirvana.
*The religion’s founder, Buddha, is considered an extraordinary man, but not a god. The word Buddha means “enlightened.”
The path to enlightenment is attained by utilizing morality, meditation, and wisdom. Buddhists often meditate because they believe it helps awaken truth.
There are many philosophies and interpretations within Buddhism, making it a tolerant and evolving religion.
Some scholars don’t recognize Buddhism as an organized religion, but rather, a “way of life” or a “spiritual tradition.”
Buddhism encourages its people to avoid self-indulgence, but also self-denial.
Buddha’s most important teachings, known as The Four Noble Truths, are essential to understanding the religion.
Buddhists embrace the concepts of karma (the law of cause and effect) and reincarnation (the continuous cycle of rebirth).
Followers of Buddhism can worship in temples or in their own homes.
Buddhist monks, or bhikkhus, follow a strict code of conduct, which includes celibacy.
There is no single Buddhist symbol, but a number of images have evolved that represent Buddhist beliefs, including the lotus flower, the eight-spoked dharma wheel, the Bodhi tree, and the swastika (an ancient symbol whose name means "well-being" or "good fortune" in Sanskrit).
There are considered three 'branches' of Buddhism:
Theravada Buddhism has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, such as Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Mahayana, which includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Shingon, and Tiantai (Tendai), is found throughout East Asia.
Vajrayana, a body of teachings attributed to Indian adepts, may be viewed as a separate branch or as an aspect of Mahayana Buddhism.
Tibetan Buddhism, which preserves the Vajrayana teachings of eighth-century India, is practiced in the countries of the Himalayan region, Mongolia, and Kalmykia.
His Holiness, The Dalai Lama is a title given by the Tibetan people for the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest of the classical schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, who lives as a refugee in India.
