Wouldn't he believe in moderation of food, avoiding gluttony?
2007-01-08 08:16:24 · 15 answers · asked by warmwardbound 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Please don't call me an "idiot" or say that I have a narrow view or perception ... have some class and respect others if you're going to answer the question.
2007-01-08 08:26:11 · update #1
Gluttony is a Christian sin, Budda wasn't christian. He believed all things are as they should be. He was happy being who he was. Actually being overweight was a sign of health and prosperity. At one time people were happy to be fat.
News flash: Food isn't the only way to get fat!
2007-01-08 08:19:46 · answer #1 · answered by Chrissy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fat buddha, which is one of the more widely known buddhas, is one of prosperity and good luck. He is sometimes shown with many small children playing around him. He is a representation of having more than enough to eat, and blessed with plenty of children. The curious shapes that look like little hats sometimes seen in this hands are actually gold ingots signifying wealth. I don't think I've seen a statue where he hasn't been smiling either, and what's not to smile about, if you have enough to eat, plenty of children and money to take care of them.
This statue doesn't represent all Buddhism. There are many Buddhas, and many facets to the religion as well as (like all the different ones in Christianity (Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic, etc.)
2007-01-08 16:31:19 · answer #2 · answered by Will G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As someone else pointed out, the Buddha was very emaciated unto death. His iconic fatness is just a representation where heavy-bodied physiques were a sign of goodness and well being. Look at it this way, Hollywood and down through the ages in paintings, Jesus is always portrayed as a very handsome European looking person. For all we know he could have been butt-ugly! But the persistence of portraying him as he is is stupid. For once I would like to see a skinny Buddha and an ugly Jesus.
2007-01-08 16:32:12 · answer #3 · answered by Sick Puppy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's not THE Buddha, he's the laughing buddha who spread good cheer, good fortune, and good luck, though I forget his name off hand. THE Buddha, Sidharta, was in fact a lithe fellow and is depicted as such.
Remember that in Buddhism, there are many Buddha. In fact, each person has the potential to be a Buddha. There is a saying in Buddhism -- "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him! The Buddha is found within!" This is not a proscription for murder, this is a warning to accept no doctrine, no principle, no precept as true unless it meets your tests of truth, and that we all learn the truth in our own ways.
2007-01-08 16:19:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
There's no such thing as the Buddha statue. There are countless Buddha statues from different countries portraying him in a variety of states and many of them reflect cultural influences rather than Buddhist philosophy. I saw three statues of Buddha from 19th century China in a museum recently and none of them portrayed him as obese.
2007-01-08 16:23:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
eastern culture views being heavyset as a sign of prosperity and being prosperous means one is wise or smart thus making the statue robust, that doesnt mean the real buddha was fat. It's only symbolic. Just like pictures of jesus as blonde hair blue eye, which is probably not the case.
2007-01-08 16:20:50 · answer #6 · answered by East side 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are different Buddas. The laughing Budha is Fat, but I have seen some figurines from India, Thailand and Sri Lanka that are slim, sobre and peaceful.
2007-01-08 16:20:41 · answer #7 · answered by AarCee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
LOL... that was funny... Just so you know.. There are many people who have large body frames who don't eat alot.. and like some one else stated.. Buddha is a statue.. not a real person
2007-01-08 16:18:53 · answer #8 · answered by LOLA 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're referring to the statues depicted of the Buddha who's allegedly the one to come, culturally done up as a depiction of what THAT culture perceives as being "happiness", and this Buddha is supposed to be a happy one when he shows up. They view happiness as "plenty" and so forth, which is symbolized by the full belly and jolly face. It has nothing to do with "gluttony" as you perceive it.
Another danger of perceiving everything through one's own narrow lens of "knowledge". *sigh*
_()_
2007-01-08 16:19:17 · answer #9 · answered by vinslave 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
buddha was not fat, once buddhism spread to china and other east asian countries, their culture changed the religion
look at buddhism n india, sri lanka and nepal, original buddhism, original buddha was really skinny
2007-01-08 18:04:31 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋