(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 extension of the earlobes.
In oriental Buddhism and eastern Asia, long ears 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 extension of the earlobes.
In oriental Buddhism and eastern Asia, long ears 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.
