What are the peculiarities of "laughing Budha"?

1. 69

   anusujithposted 12 years ago

   What are the peculiarities of "laughing Budha"?
   
   I heared a lot about "laughing Budha". What are the traditional aspects talked about "laughing budha". How it brings Happiness and prosperity in life? What should we kept in mind while placing a Laughing budha?
   
   

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2. 74

   SidKempposted 12 years ago

   The Laughing Buddha, or Hotei, is a classic Chinese image. We don't know what the historical Buddha looked like, but, as a yogi, he almost certainly wasn't fat. But in popular Chinese culture, a fat, laughing man is a sign of happiness and success, and, therefore, of good fortune.
   
   The real gifts of the Buddha are not material, but are grounded in an Awakening that gives us the feeling of unconditional peace and easy joy in all circumstances. A Buddhist practitioner, after Awakening, returns to the world to share peace and joy. This came to be symbolized by a fat, happy merchant bringing gifts into town from the wilderness, where he used to meditate, and his name is Hotei.
   
   Remember that Enlightenment - and success in life - are both the result of hard work. Keep a Hotei (or more than one) near you, especially at your desk, to remind yourself to keep laughing, keep working, and keep returning to joy and work until you succeed.
   
   Where should you put your laughing Buddha? Trust your own feeling about that - that is much more important than someone's ideas of the right corners and directions! Hah!

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3. 61

   promaineposted 12 years ago

   Hotei (Japanese) or Budai (Chinese), according to legend, was an awakened Zen (Chan) Buddhist monk who went into the marketplace and was happy, laughing. There is a Zen koan about Hotei (I forget the reference): A monk asked Hotei, "What is the meaning of Zen?" and Hotei dropped his bag. He then asked Hotei, "How does one realize Zen?" Hotei picked up his bag and went walking away. There's a wonderful quality in Hotei of not getting hung on things (like dropping that bag), but also getting along with life (picking it up again). Put Hotei where he will remind you best (and he can always move to a new place)!

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