* Chinese Buddha
* Laughing Buddha
* Gautama Buddha Quotes
* Life of Gautama Buddha
* Teachings of Gautama Buddha
* Japanese Buddha
* Tibetan Buddha
* Zen Buddha
* Buddha Yoga
* Buddha Statues
* Thai Buddha
* Nepal Buddha
* Gautam Buddha Birthplace
* Gautam Buddha Biography
1 Buddhism in China refers to various Buddhism schools that have flourished
since ancient times in China. These Buddhism schools have combined the
ideas of Taoism, Confucianism and other philosophies which became part of
the Chinese civilization. Chinese Buddhism has played an important part in
shaping the life of an average Chinese.
Chinese Buddha has an important role to play in the country of China where
he is revered as god. Originally born in Lumbini forest in Nepal Gautama
Buddha gained followers in not just India and Nepal but even China,
SriLanka, Thailand and a host of other countries.
Modern Chinese Buddha is a mix of Pure Land and Chan schools and the
most important sutra is the Platform Sutra which is the only Sutra written in
ethnic Chinese. China got its first taste of Buddhism when Emperor Ming
dreamt about a tall golden man with glow over his head and after this the
emperor send envoy to India to enquire about the doctrine of Gautama
Buddha which saw his statues and paintings make an appearance in China.
Chinese Buddha statues are not only popular in China but other countries
too where Gautam Buddha is worshipped. Buddhism has emerged as a
religion in the mainland of China which followed different gods and religions.
Chinese Buddha as fondly called gave a direction to the lives of millions of
Chinese.
All this seems to have changed the course of China which have become one
of the biggest followers of Buddhism.
2 Laughing Buddha
You must be wondering who Laughing Buddha is? Hotei or Pu-Tai, a celestial
Buddha is termed as Laughing Buddha and in the country of China he is
referred to as the Loving or Friendly One. Laughing Buddha has been
derived from an eccentric Chinese Zen monk who lived more than thousand
years back and since then has gained significance in the Buddhist and
Shinto culture.Laughing Buddha has been regarded as an incarnation of
bodhisattva and due to his protruding belly and jolly nature was given the
name laughing Buddha. Images of Laughing Buddha can be seen gracing
various amulets, temples and restaurants. The benevolent Buddha is also
regarded as deity of abundance and contentment.
Whenever you see an image of Laughing Buddha you can see it as an
image carrying a cloth sack filled with various precious items and is regarded
as the messiah of downtrodden, weak and children.
As per legendary sayings rubbing of Laughing Buddha fat belly is said to
bring luck, wealth and prosperity. In most of the statues of Laughing Buddha
you will see a smiling Buddha with pot belly exposed and it is known to bring
good luck and happiness.
Besides statues Laughing Buddha tattoos are pretty popular and you might
across certain people adoring the tattoo of this smiling Buddha on their body.
Laughing Buddha Yoga has also gained popularity and is aimed at beginners
and seasoned yogis. This too has added to the popularity of Yoga and that
of Laughing Buddha too.
3 Gautama Buddha Quotes
Gautama Buddha Quotes are pretty popular and lot of people search for
them and try to imbibe them in their lives. There are a lot of famous quotes
on Gautam Buddha related to love, anger, happiness and suffering.
Some of the popular quotes of Gautama Buddha are as follows:
Gautama Buddha quotes on happiness
We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind
is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves
Gautama Buddha quotes on anger
You will not be punished for your anger you will be punished by your anger
Gautama Buddha quotes on suffering
He who loves fifty people has fifty woes; he who loves no one has no woes
Gautama Buddha quotes about love
A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these
minds love one another the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But
if these minds get out of harmony with one another it is like a storm that
plays havoc with the garden
Virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without
You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love
and affection
Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule
4 Life of Gautama Buddha
Not much details are available regarding the life of Gautama Buddha but it is
said that he was a historical figure who lived around 5th century BC in India.
Gautama Buddha life is divided into twelve glorious events and important
events of his life are described in paintings known as Twelve Great Deeds of
the Buddha's Life.It not only depicts the progress of Gautam Buddha towards
spiritual enlightenment but also depicts the philosophy underlying the great
Buddha. It talks about the twelve important events in the life of Gautama
Buddha which changed him completely.
Born as Siddhartha Gautama he was also referred to as Sakyamuni and was
bestowed the title of enlightened one by his followers. Gautama Buddha is
believed to have lived between 563 BC and 483 BC.Life of Gautam Buddha
has been passed orally and was written in scriptures few hundred years after
his death. Buddhist scriptures narrate the life of Buddha and how his life
changed over due to certain important events which took place in his life.
It was at the age of 29 Gautam Buddha after visualizing the sufferings of
people and getting dissatisfied with his life left his palace to seek
enlightenment. After leading austere life for more than six years Gautama
Buddha realized that this was not giving him better understanding therefore
he left this and followed the middle path and he achieved enlightenment
under the Bodhi tree and therefore came to be known as the enlightened one
or Buddha.
For forty five years Gautam Buddha traveled across the Gangetic Plain of
central India and preached his findings and teachings. At the age of eighty
Buddha died in Kusinagar in India.
5 Teachings of Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha teachings have certainly caste a great impression on
people around the world
The basic teachings of Buddha can be summed up as under:
THREE UNIVERSAL TRUTHS
This truth was discovered by Gautama Buddha when he achieved
enlightenment
Nothing is lost in the universe
Everything Changes
Law of Cause and Effect
FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
Nature of Suffering
Origin of Suffering
Cessation of Suffering
Way Leading to the Cessation of Suffering
NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH
Right view
Right intention
Right speech
Right action
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right concentration
These can be regarded as some of the important teachings of Gautama
Buddha which he gained as a result of his experience and findings over the
years.
6.Japanese Buddha
Japanese Buddha is dominant in the country of Japan and the history of
Buddhism in Japan can be summed up in three periods which includes the
Nara period, Heian period and post-Heian period. It is believed that
Buddhism was introduced to Japan in 584 BC when Buddhist text and
images were sent by King of Korea to Nihon Shoki.Japanese got their
Buddha through Korea and Japan and the present form of Buddhism in Japan
can be attributed to the Korean kingdom of Kudara of the sixth century.
Though Buddhism was welcomed in Japan but it didn’t spread among the
local people quickly owing to its complex theories.
The modern day Japan has more than ninety million people following
Buddhism but the religion does not affect their daily lives in a strong manner.
The form of Buddhism which dominates Japan is Mahayana and is also
known as the Buddhism of the Greater Vehicle. In modern Japan the main
paths of Buddhism includes Zen Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhism, Amidist
schools and Shingon Buddhism.
The main characters of Chinese Buddha are:
* It was not popular initially
* Japanese Buddhism was related to magical powers
* It didn’t not replace Kami and held in regard its power and existence
Buddha in Japanese is a revered soul and is worshipped by millions of
countrymen. Zen Buddhism has gained prominence in Japan and is one of
the well known forms of Japanese Buddhism outside the country.
Popular schools of Buddhism in Japan are:
Kegon
Tendai
Shingon
Jôdô
Nichiren Shu
All these have contributed to the popularity of Japanese Buddha to quite an
extent.
7. Tibetan Buddha
Tibetan Buddha or Buddhism refers to a body of religious Buddhist
institutions and doctrines of Tibet and Himalayan region which includes
states of Bhutan, northern Nepal, Russia, China and Mongolia. Tibetan
Buddha encompasses teachings of Mahayana, Hinayana and Vajrayana.
Tibetan Buddhism has spread to various western countries after China took
over Tibet. Tibetan Buddha was also known as Lamaism and it refers to
spiritual teacher in Tibetan. Tibetan Buddhism comprises of a number of sub
sects and schools and has become aligned with the hereditary nobility.
Modern Tibetan Buddha is practiced across Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan Plateau,
Kalmykia and Mongolia and even in Ladhak and Sikkim situated in India.
Some of the popular school of Tibetan Buddhism includes:
Kagyu Nyingma Gelug Sakya
Its is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition which refers to the goal of all practice
for achieving enlightenment and the motivation behind the practice of
Mahayana is Bodhicitta which refers to the intention to emerge as
enlightened for the sake of all sentiments. The Buddhist of Tibet follows the
true nature of reality which is known as the Madhyamika Prsangika.The
history of Tibetan Buddhism dates back to the fifth century and one of the
earliest documented influence of Buddhism in Tibet dates back to the era of
Songtsän Gampo. He is known to have married a Chinese Buddhist princess
and it was Songtsän Gampo who founded the first of the temples of Buddhist.
8, Zen Buddha
Zen Buddha is considered to be more of a philosophy since Zen followers
don’t worship any god. Zen Buddhism is practiced by Samurai religion
followers who meditate to uncover the meaning of life. Zen Buddha has a
glorious past and it was derived from Buddhism and has been derived from
Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. In order to understand the true
meaning of Zen Buddha one needs to meditate to get to know its deeper
meaning.One of the closest translations of Zen Buddhism is contemplation
and the basic forms of contemplation is Shamatha and Vipshayana.
Shamatha
It is regarded as the preparatory measure of Vipshayana meditation.
Vipshayana
Here the meditator should not be interrupted by any other thoughts.
Vipshayana
This form of contemplation enables a person to find enlightenment
In Zen Buddhism its followers do not worship any particular god but worship
the complexity of mind and body. Following no faith has been derived from a
number of cultures prevailing in the east. Zen Buddha started off in Japan
and therefore it has borrowed certain aspects from the Japanese culture. It
might be a little difficult for a common man to understand the real picture of
this form of Buddhism but people who embrace Zen Buddha have a greater
chance of seeking enlightenment.Zen Buddhism refers to the school of
Mahayana Buddhism which has been known for its emphasis on acceptance
of the present moment, spontaneous actions and letting of judgmental
thinking. The emergence of Zen Buddha as a distinct school of Buddhism
was documented in China in the seventh century.
8.Buddha Yoga
Yoga and Buddhism are related to each other as they evolved in a similar
Indian spiritual culture. Swami Vivekananda was the one who was
responsible for bringing Yoga to the West and during this time he realized
that Buddhist sutras and Yoga has a lot of similarity. The name of Bodhi
Tibetan Yoga is more of a misnomer as it is not just one form of Yoga and as
the name suggests its practices certainly did not originate in Tibet.
In modern day Buddha Yoga is known more for its asanas and yogic
postures and is considered to be one of the popular forms of Buddhist
meditation just like Vipassana and Zen.Zen and Vipassana are form of Yoga
which deal with meditation practices and are not just part of the yogic system
but even its core teachings. It has appealed more to the Western culture.
Zen Buddha Yoga has been adopted by people who would like to understand
Yoga beyond its postures and look towards it as a way to understand the
deeper meaning of Yoga through its meditation aspect. There are numerous
yoga classes which teach Yoga Buddha to all those who are willing to get to
know the deeper meaning of life.
Buddha Yoga is aimed at helping in understanding the meditation traditions
created for helping to transcend rebirth and karma and realize the true
meaning of consciousness. One needs to dissolve their ego and return to
reality which is not just limited by seprate self.
One must get connected to Yoga Buddha to understand the true meaning of
life through its meditation techniques and get connected to the true inner self.
9. Buddha Statues
The earliest known Buddha statues were created using stone. Ancient
Buddha statues can be seen Buddha with garb hung close to his body with a
shaven head and sporting a thick top knot. These statues of Buddha were
either standing or in a seated position with crossed legs in a yoga posture or
on a lion throne. Some of the other popular postures of Buddha are the lotus
posture. Buddha statues created under the Gandhara School of art had open
eyes with a little circle between the brow and Lord Buddha statue had a
moustache with earlobes and a heavy cloak worn around his chest which
was hung deep in folds and the gesture of the image was either in Dhyana,
Abhaya, Bhumisparsa or Dharmacakra Parvartana pose.
Some of the popular statues of Buddha are:
Meditating Buddha Statue
Also known as the Amitabha Buddha it is known to symbolize wisdom and
serenity where Buddha is seated in a lotus posture with his hands placed in
lap as a gesture of meditation.
Manjushri Buddha Statue
This Buddha statue shows him brandishing a flaming sword in his right hand.
Akshobhya Buddha Statue
Representing Sakyamuni you can see Lord Buddha touching the earth with
his right hand and can be seen sitting in the Akshobhaya posture
Vajrasattva Buddha Statue
This statue of Gautam Buddha shows him holding a Vajra in his righ hand a
bell in his left hand
Bhaishajya Guru Buddha Statue
In this statue of Gautama Buddha you can see him offering fruit of myrabolan
with his right hand.
Besides stones statues of Lord Buddha has been caste in metal and alloys
such as gold, silver, brass and other metals besides wood.
10. Thai Buddha
Thai or Thailand Buddha refers to Buddha statues which have either been
created in or are seated in the country of Thailand. It was during the
Sukhothai period when Thai Buddha gained prominence and during this era
Lord Buddha was symbolized as elegant body with oval face and slender
body. Here the anatomical details have not been emphasized keeping in mid
the spiritual aspect.During this era Thai Buddha statues were caste in metal
rather than being carved. It was during this period that the walking Buddha
pose became popular and artists of Sukhothai followed defining marks of
Buddha as they were set in ancient texts of Pali.
Given below are some of the attributes of Thai Buddha derived from Pali
texts:
Head
Egg shaped
Hair
Similar to scorpion stingers
Nose
Parrot's beak
Earlobes
Lengthened due to royalty earrings
Eyebrows
Similar to drawn bows
Eyelashes
Similar to a cow
Chin
Similar a mango stone
Hands
Similar to blooming lotus
Fingertips
Like petals
Thighs
Like banyan tree
Legs
Similar to a deer
Skin
Smooth
Using all these features Thai Buddha was created. One can find numerous
Thai Buddha statues on sale symbolizing these very features which earned
him the place of god.
11. Nepal Buddha
Siddartha Gautama or Gautam Buddha as he is proudly called was born in
Lumbini forest in Nepal in 560 BC. He was named Siddhartha and was raised
up in the kingdom of Kapilavastu. Her mother Maya gave birth to Gautama in
Lumbini in a garden beneath the sal tree. The day on which Gautama Buddha
was born is celebrated in Theravada countries as Vasak. He spent 29 years
as the Prince of Kapilavastu during the period which he married Yasodhara
who gave birth to Rahula. In Hinduism Gautama Buddha is regarded as the
reincarnation of Vishnu. Since he was born in Nepal he is also referred to as
the Nepal Buddha. A few years back a teenage boy meditating under a tree
in south central Nepal was sighted and is being regarded as the
reincarnation of the great Buddha. He has also earned the nickname of
Nepal Buddha. The boy named Ram Bahadur Bamjan was witnessed sitting
cross legged in posture of Buddha under a peepal tree. The tree under which
he has been worshiping is festooned and the air gives the smell of incense
sticks.Besides Nepal Buddha he is also known as the Buddha Boy since he
is just a teenager and has drawn curiosity from world over since he has
meditated for over ten months without food and water. People have been left
wondering whether he is the incarnation of Gautama Buddha or not.
12. Gautam Buddha birthplace
It stated that Gautam Buddha was born two hundred years before King
Ashoka reign. Birthplace of Gautam Buddha is regarded as Lumbini in Nepal.
It is said that when his pregnant mother Maya was leaving Kapilvastu to
deliver Gautama at her father’s place she gave birth to a beautiful child in the
gardens of Lumbini below the sal tree. The child was named Siddhartha who
later on came to be known as Gautama Buddha. It was hermit Asita who
declared that the child would either become a great king or a holy man.
The birthplace of Gautam Buddha is situated on the foothills of Himalaya in
the kingdom of Nepal and the day on which Siddhartha Gautam was born is
celebrated as Vesak. King Ashoka visited the Lumbii forest and constructed
four stupas and stone pillars with horse figure on top of it.Lumbini, the
birthplace of Gautam Buddha remained neglected for centuries before a
German archaeologist discovered the famous pillars in 1895 in the foothills
of Churia range and on further excavation a brick temple and sandstone
sculpture was discovered within the temple which depiction of Buddha’s birth.
On the south of the Maya Devi Temple is Puskarni which is the famous
sacred bathing pool and it stated that Maya Devi took a bath in this pool
before delivering the baby. I 1996 a flawless stone placed by Emperor
Ashoka was discovered which was placed in 249 BC to mark the birth of
Buddha 2,600 years ago.
A visit to the birthplace of Gautama Buddha not only leads to spiritual
enlightenment but also brings peace in life.
13.Gautam Buddha Biography
Very little is known about Gautam Buddha. The biography of Gautam Buddha
has come to know through ancient scriptures which were written after details
related to him were passed by generations orally. It is stated that Gautama
Siddartha was a North Indian Prince who lived between 563 and 479 BC and
later on came to be known as Buddha or Enlightened One. It is stated that
Queen Maya died seven days after giving birth to Gautama and Prince
Siddhartha is said to have gone to Trayastrimsa Heaven and stayed there
for three months to preach supreme knowledge to his mother.
Astrologers had stated that Prince Siddhartha would become a great sage on
growing up if he came to know of the sufferings of mankind and in order to
prevent this from happening his father King Suddhodana tried to prevent
access of the outside world to Prince Siddartha and offered him all the
worldly pleasures so that he could turn out to be a worthwhile king but its
stated that nothing can change destiny but a visit to the kingdom changed all
where he saw the sufferings of mankind and he left his kingdom to go on to
become an ascetic.Lord Buddha tried self mortification for six years but
failed and traveled to Gaya and sat under a fig tree to gain enlightenment.
Here he achieved what he wanted and became Buddha, a person who was
released from consciousness of suffering.
It was at the age of thirty that Gautama Buddha left all his worldly belongings
and devoted his life for self denial and spent the rest of his life teaching his
disciples the Four Noble Truth and how they could achieve the state of
Nirvana. The rest as they say is history and Buddhism spread throughout the
world. This is the just of the biography of the great Gautam Buddha.