why does buddha look different in different regions in the world?

Question

Sometimes he is skinny, or fat, or has long ears, etc

Answer 1

elegant images of the Buddha are rarely purely decorative but serve as symbolic reminders of the Teachings.
They are not idols in the strict sense, and they are not supposed to be appeased or supplicated. In fact, were one to have to choose between an image or a copy of the Teachings, it is the scripture of the Doctrine (Buddha-dharma) that is the better choice.

*******
Mi-Lo-Fwo: Maitreya Buddha- normally depicted as a fat genial laughing figure with a mountainous belly, in a sitting posture, and having a large bag beside him. Because of this appearance, many people choose to call him 'The Laughing Buddha'.

the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama-- depicted as skinny, long ears, long arms, long fingers, etc (recorded in the Pali canon).

Answer 2

Q- Are you an african american buddhist? A- No. Q- Does anyone know any african american buddhists? A- Tiger Woods, Tina Turner, Jan Willis and Charles R. Johnson.. Q- Fear of not being accepted by other african americans. A- This is your life and you do what is best for you. I am confident that you choose the right path even though Buddhists are in the minority of the world population. Don't be discouraged by few obstacles. Please continue studying and practicing and you will reach the point that you are no longer wavering. Please make certain that you really know 1) Four Noble Truths (Ariya-Sacca), 2) Satipatthana (=Vipassana = Insight Meditation), and 3) Three Marks of Existence (Three Characteristics of Nature, Ti-lakkhana). These concepts are very deep and very difficult to understand. Q- Fear of being looked down upon at the Buddhist temple. A- A real Buddhist will be happy to see you there and no one will laugh at you. We believe that our Body and Mind are borrowed from the Earth. We don't own them. We also suffer from aging, sickness, death, and mental illnesses including greed, anger and ignorant of the true nature of reality. The so-called country, religion, race, sex, land, etc are all man-made. We temporary own this body, land, or house and we will eventually give them back to the Earth. If we are all realized about this fact, there should not be any racism, fight or any unnecessary activities.

Answer 3

Simply put, they are different beings.

Where Christianity believes in ONE God, Buddhists believe in multiple Buddhas. In fact, anyone can become a Buddha. Buddhas are the ones that have achieved an enlightenment. In Buddhism, especially in Japan, instead of saying a person had died, some say, they have become a Buddha. Becoming a Buddha is sort of a goal, not a subject of fear or worship.

This is a good example of using American (or Christianity) standard in trying to understand other cultures and religions fail completely. You have to completely change your mode of thinking.

As to why those models look different, it is because different branches of Buddhism and in different countries imagine typical image of Buddhas differently.

As an added note, one story I heard was that when people die, they go to different area - hell and heaven. In both places, they are fed identical food with very long chopsticks. In hell, each person try to eat their own food but the chopsticks are too long, so they can't feed themselves. In heaven, (being an enlighten ones), they feed each other. As a result, they are well fed. Therefore, they are fat.

Answer 4

This is a cultural influence. The fat Buddha is chinese in origin originally as a symbol of prosperity rather than austerity and is now embraced in the US as a good luck charm, the others differ as to the local culture and depict him in various poses for different reasons and these are interpretted by the devotees and given meaning there.

Peace from a Buddhist...

Answer 5

Same reason Jesus does. Different cultures like their religous leaders to look a certain way.

But Buddha was probably a real skinny guy, when you're enlightened you don't have the time or the drive to eat.

Answer 6

Different schools of Buddhism portray the Buddha in many ways.

Answer 7

Some of it is similar to the way Jesus is depicted differently by artists in different regions or at different times, with skin tone and facial features similar to the majority in their own region or matching the ideal in style at the time. Other differences come about because the artists were trying to show different sides facets of his story and personality. One may show him as thin because of fasting while another will show him fat to show that his fasting actually nourished him.

Answer 8

Because people pick and choose how they see something, social norms are different all over the world and people take a figure such as Buddha and adapt his appearance in order to make it easier to identify with him.

Answer 9

The Buddha looks like you!

Answer 10

In poorer countries weighty people are seen as having wealth. I think its a symbolic representation. In this case representing spiritual growth. The long ears are a sign of wisdom. Hearing the truth.