Why Two Buddahs?

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

After our recent trip to China, my son asked me why we sometimes saw a Buddah that was fat and laughing and other times the Buddah was thin and serious in a meditative pose? What's the difference?

 

I told him I did not know, but I would find out.

 

So I'm finding out, does anyone know?

[Chinese Wife!!!]

After our recent trip to China, my son asked me why we sometimes saw a Buddah that was fat and laughing and other times the Buddah was thin and serious in a meditative pose?  What's the difference?

 

I told him I did not know, but I would find out.

 

So I'm finding out, does anyone know?

Regional and cultural differences. The Thai or Indian vision of what "Buddha" looked like centuries ago varied with what some one in North China or Japan envisioned. Richard

[Guest enight]

a Buddah that was fat and laughing and other times the Buddah was thin and serious in a meditative pose?  What's the difference?

because they were different buddahs and present different symbols.

 

fat and laughing budda is happy budda

 

thin one... there are many thin ones. so, don't know which one was which you saw.

[tonado]

a Buddah that was fat and laughing and other times the Buddah was thin and serious in a meditative pose?  What's the difference?

because they were different buddahs and present different symbols.

 

fat and laughing budda is happy budda

 

thin one... there are many thin ones. so, don't know which one was which you saw. B)

yes, different gods.

[Chinese Wife!!!]

I was in Thailand for years and saw different styles of Buddhas- seemed more of an artists conception and time period thing. Then immigrants would have their versions as well. Whereas in China it is MUCH MORE VARIED. In Qing Dao and Shanghai I saw many multiples in the same temple. The one for a job, good marriage, luck etc. There were about 20 lifesized in a one room temple. One of them in Shanghai would scare the crap out of anyone (but did not have English sign as to it's benefits- Lao po was suppose to translate it's meaning later but....)

[Dave G.]

Interesting tidbit...

 

Leshan has the largest Buddah ever carved into a mountain side (so they say). 73 m tall. Amazing!

 

http://www-db.stanford.edu/~qluo/pict/trip/leshan/buddah-frontview.jpg

 

In that exact same area, if you take a boat out far enough on the river, you can make out a sleeping Buddah. It was first noticed in the early '70s (1970's, that is). Check it out....

 

http://nosvoyages.free.fr/sichuan/photos/ls3rivieres.jpg

 

His head lies on the right side of the picture. Can you see it? And, as you study the picture more closely, you'll see that the Buddah is rather "happy" to see you (or is that a banana in his pocket?).

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

I think I found an answer to the 2 Buddhas.

 

http://216.218.182.193/product/images/BuddhaOnCoins.jpg

 

Fat, happy and laughing brings financial good luck.

 

http://dharmashop.com/photos/st010.jpg

 

This one is a healing Buddha.

 

Wonder if anyone can tell me what this one is all about?

 

http://dharmashop.com/photos/st001.jpg

[johnandrose]

If you look at a "Mandala", you'll see that there are lots of different Buddhas. It's like having many saints in Christian religion. Different buddha will do different things.

 

Buddhism migrated from India to China to Japan. There was a period in India when hinduism and buddhism kind of mixed together (people confused one for another). Now in hindu temples, sometimes you'll see statues of naked men, women or both and sometimes they are in a "shangam" position (meaning having sex). If the final picture was from a period when buddhism and hinduism were mixed together, that might explain it. Can't see the back side of the statue, so I can't say whether it's a woman, or aa child on buddha's lap (no ..... I'm not implying a Michael Jackson-like thing )

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

John, that's the best explanation yet. Thanks.

 

The last one is tantric and, no, that's not a child in his lap.

[tonado]

I like to see the book after it is published.

 

--------------------------------------------

Etiquette book for foreign tourists in the works

September 14, 2004

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand, offended by a poster advertising a U.S. film that featured its director sitting on the head of a Buddha image, is drafting a Dos-and-Don'ts booklet for foreigners, officials said Monday.

 

But the government of the mostly Buddhist country denied news reports it was preparing a blacklist to ban from the kingdom foreigners who have offended Thai culture, they said.

 

"We are combining cultural tips for foreigners from various places into a book, which will use easy-to-understand wordings and be distributed through various channels," Vice Minister for Culture Weerasak Kowsurat told Reuters.

 

Weerasak said state agencies were working on the manual, which would include tips to remind visitors that the head is the most respected part of the body. He said they hoped to launch the book next year.

 

"We believe such a booklet will help reduce cultural conflicts between foreigners and their Thai hosts," Weerasak said. "They can be aware of what we do and don't here, but it is up to them if they will believe and follow what we've suggested."

[Chinese Wife!!!]

But the government of the mostly Buddhist country denied news reports it was preparing a blacklist to ban from the kingdom foreigners who have offended Thai culture, they said.

 

Bob Hope's wife (Delores I think) was run out of Dodge, I mean Thailand years ago. There pointing your foot towards the image of the Buddha was a no no when I was there. Likewise touching anyone on the upper part of the body with your left hand, i.e., patting a kid on the head or shoulders.

[JPD]

When I was in S. Korea, 7 years ago, I was told..."boy, what ever you do, please, don't touch your student on the head" and I said, O.K. but why? and they said, "...'cause your students might be Buddhaist...", and I said O.K. but, sooooooooooooo, and they said, "...well, ...if they are, if you touch the top of their (my students) heads you could disturb their ancestor's spirits and you don't want to do that, trust me...", and so, I never did!...now I am not paticularly religious, but I must admit I could alway pickout my buddha worshiping students, truely, and frankly, a bit amazing, ....because they alway had a slight smile on their faces, kinda like that Italian Madona picture, if you know what I mean....they always looked a bit contented, happy!, truely. Oh, not Madona da Mona Lisa picture. Yeah! Da one! Bye.