The Buddha was never fat so where did that idea come from?

The idea that Buddha's intention is to return to Earth like Jesus is a perversion of Buddhism. Buddhism wanted you to become a Buddha. Actually, Jesus didn't want worship and adoration either, he also wanted you to stop being lazy and take control over your own spiritual practice.
 
Most statue depictions of Buddha in India have him slim and proportional, and with adequate hair.
 
seekeroftheway said:
I am in concurrence with Embee. Buddhist prophesy has it that at some point in the future, the perfected, enlightened Buddha will return to Earth, fat, happy, and surrounded by children.

Also with several people who have posted here, eastern culture equates a big belly with compassion, the same way we do with the heart. Having a big heart in the west means you are compassionate, in the east, having a big belly means you are compassionate or good. Minor piece of symbolism.
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Where does it say that The next Buddha will be fat in the Buddhist scripture...I've read a lot about Maitreya but nothing about him being fat...

spidergoat said:
The idea that Buddha's intention is to return to Earth like Jesus is a perversion of Buddhism. Buddhism wanted you to become a Buddha. Actually, Jesus didn't want worship and adoration either, he also wanted you to stop being lazy and take control over your own spiritual practice.
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It doesn't say that Gautama Buddha will return to Earth again, it says another Buddha will come to Earth, another perfectly self-awakened one, but I agree with everything else you said, The Buddha wanted us to attain a nature like his own, become a Buddha (or Siddha in Hinduism)

"And the Blessed One said to Ananda, I am not the first Buddha, nor shall I be the last. In due time another Buddha will arise in the world, a Holy One, a supremely enlightened one, endowed with wisdom, auspicious, embracing the Universe, an incomparable Leader of Men, a Ruler of Devas and mortals. He will reveal to you the same eternal truths, which I have taught you. He will establish His Law, glorious in its spirit and in the letter. He will proclaim a righteous life wholly perfect and pure, such as I now proclaim. His disciples will number many thousands while mine number many hundreds."

UltiTruth said:
Most statue depictions of Buddha in India have him slim and proportional, and with adequate hair.
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Yeah, they depict him the way he was known to look in reality....then he changed in China...
 
Data ->Information ->Knowledge ->Wisdom ->Enlightenment (Buddha)
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wrong;
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xxxx ---> xxx---> xxx-->xxx-->xxx--> is only worldly, ergo temporary, what makes you think that enlightenment is connected to only ephemeral objects such as those which are only bound to this world. If you blv in Brahm philosophy (i think your a follower of sanatan dharm) you shouldnt be even thinking in those terms ...

regards,
Rick
 
Zion,

1. Gautam sees the old, the sick, the suferring, the dead (data)
2. He realises every family, every individual is undergoing these things (info)
3. He realises that it 'seems' unavoidable in life (knowledge)
4. He realises that there should be someway to avoid if he finds the root cause of the suffering (wisdom)
5. He finds out the way to get out of the recurring process. (enlightment)

without understanding the ephemeral things , finding a way out is not possible, imo.
 
zion said:
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wrong;
******************************************************
xxxx ---> xxx---> xxx-->xxx-->xxx--> is only worldly, ergo temporary, what makes you think that enlightenment is connected to only ephemeral objects such as those which are only bound to this world. If you blv in Brahm philosophy (i think your a follower of sanatan dharm) you shouldnt be even thinking in those terms ...

regards,
Rick
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Yeah I agree someone can attain enlightenment without knowledge, wisdom, austerities, or anything
 
Everneo,

you"re still not following my rebuttal, i guess, my expressions were'nt that clear, my apologies for that.

My thought was more in lines of the sentence spoken wholistically. It was contradictory to Brahm (what westerners know as Brahman, which btw is wrong pronouncitation to be clear) or absolute truth ... i"ll not get into details here but i think KM understands the point very well...

My intention is not to get into refusal to believe in your thought, your thoughts are more lined towards what Gautam went through (well, he was Siddarth) ...i agree with that line of thought ... thanks for clarifying.


Rick
 
My apologies for any discrepancies I may have posted here, I have not focused specifically on buddhism in any of my many and random studies (studies is the wrong word, it's more of a hobby, but whatever...)

As far as achieving enlightenment and 'escaping suffering', why must one elevate themselves above said suffering to escape from it? The way Taoism sees it (that's me ;) ), that suffering is a natural part of life, and it's not absolute, it's the way you take it, address it, and move past it that makes it "suffering".

As far as the return of a Buddha, I think many countless numbers of people have become said Buddha, they're everywhere, they walk amongst us as we speak, it's just that none of them have been led to the path of stepping up to a position of leadership.
 
I think the fat Buddha you are talking about is not Gotama Buddha, but another Buddha named Maitreya Buddha, who is predicted to become the next Buddha in the distant future.
 
The little fat buddha usualy called "lauhing buddha" is not a buddha, it is based on a shinto god.

he is called hotei.



He was the only of the seven to be based on a real person, a monk called pu tai.




peace.
 
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Yeah and Jesus was never a blue eyed blonde, so what gives?
 
He ate too much tellytubby custard.
images
 
embee said:
The fat guy is actually a different incarnation of Buddha than the Siddhartha Gautama of history. Some Buddhists believe that, in the distant future, Buddha will come back to earth in this form (known by the name Maitreya) as a messiah of sorts. He is supposed to bring with him a new era of happiness and enlightenment, which is presumably what his big gut and smiley face is meant to represent.
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And like any other such legend, the majority will deny that it has happened when it does happen. For our messiah figures, did the pain just get good for them?
 
Rick and Vitalone....you guys are wrong...especially Rick with a Masters in Comp Science!

The meaning of Enlightenment is

Gnosis in Judeo-Christianity and Hellenic Philosophy
Moksha and Jnana in Hinduism
Moksa in Jainism
Nirvana, Bodhi and Four stages of enlightenment in Buddhism
Satori and Kensho in Zen Buddhism
Dzogchen in Tibetan Buddhism

As such, according to Quantum Mechanics, information between two quantum entangle particles are outworldly...meaning does not depend on this space-time...

Information is the only thing that could pass through dimensions...

I hope you know what I am talking about....
 
I'm not quite sure about this, but my theory is that being fat used to represent wealth back in the day and being Buddha, he was a wealthy man in a spiritual sense.
 
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