Who was Buddha?

Question

why is he always fat, sitting, bald, and has big ear lobes in pictures and carvings? (Please don't take anything offensovly.)

Answer 1

Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) was an Indian teacher who lived in 500BC in India. He was actually not at all fat or bald (this is a depiction of the chinese laughing buddha, not actually Gautama Buddha) and he is usually sitting because he is meditating.

Theres too much to explain about the philosophies and beliefs of buddhism (I call myself an atheist, but buddhism is the only religion I've studied which makes any sense to me). Look on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism

Here's a good bit of buddhist scripture, endorsing skeptical analysis and shunning belief based on faith:
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/kalama1.htm

Answer 2

The Buddha was Prince Siddhartha, an Indian prince who achieved enlightenment after seeing suffering and wanted to find a solution to end suffering. "Buddha" is a term that means "Awakened One". He's not always depicted as "fat". The hair, the earlobes all have deeper meaning, but the sitting is called the "lotus position" which is a meditation posture.

There are various depictions of the Buddha holding various objects, with many arms, etc. which all are symbolic of various things, more than I have time or space to write about in here, but if you're interested there are books out about the subject, some of which are available through snowlionpub.com or wisdompubs.org.

Hope this helps clarify.

additional info: If you look up Manjushri, Medicine Buddha, Chenrezig, etc. you'll find all kinds of depictions of the Buddha and each one has colors and postures, etc that all mean something. Ex. Chenrezig is the Buddha of Compassion and has a thousand arms depicted as an aspect of reaching out to help all sentient beings. Manushri is depicted wielding a flaming sword to cut through ignorance and holds a lotus at his heart that has a book sitting on it to depict the Dharma... hope this helps give you an idea of the deeper meanings.

_()_

Answer 3

The original Buddha was an East Indian prince by the name of Siddhartha Gautama. He lived approximately 500 years before Jesus. He was brought up in sheltered privileged conditions and was kept apart from worldly concerns by his father. One day the young prince decided to go out into the world, and when he saw all the suffering going on in the world, he renounced his worldly possessions and became an ascetic, whereupon he entered into long periods of meditation and contemplation. Finally, after years of living a life of deprivation, he undertook what he called the middle road and taught that a better life could be achieved by creating balance in ones lifestyle.

It is not always the Buddha who is represented as you have described; rather, it is believed that he has reincarnated several times and the representation of his original physical being had changed. Also, as Buddhism spread from India and into Asian and other regions, his physical appearance had been changed to represent the people of those regions.

The attributes of the person you have described is generally representative of Ho Ti, a Buddhist monk who represents joy and happiness.

Answer 4

Just because He was not a European and was not tortured by Roman Soldiers , and was not cruxified , and His name was not Jesus , and He was not Son of the Almighty God and others , that does not mean people can justify Him through the normal Carving appearance .

The Fat Buddha that you mention was a chinese version of laughing Buddha have nothing to do with Sakyamuni Buddha

Please don't take anything offensively.)

Answer 5

Buddha was acutally a prince in India that left to find his own path.

His original name was Siddhartha.

I'm not sure why he is always pictured as a fat, happy old monk.

Answer 6

There r different manifestations of Buddha. But generally he was a starved-looking man, deep socket of eyes, long ears and sitting in a meditative pose.

Answer 7

Buddha is no specific person. it is anyone who can be fully enlightened (or awakened), overcomes, diversion, aversion, ignorance, and craving.
please get a dictionary and learn how to spell offensively.
also here is a pic of a non fat Buddha. what what

Answer 8

You are thinking of one version out of many.

It's sort of like asking why Jesus always looks like a gentile with long hair and a beard? He doesn't, that's just a popular image (especially among gentiles).

Answer 9

Your Ignorance IS caused by your suffering

Answer 10

"He" is portrayed many different ways. Try Google.