Tattoos??

Jayjay

How are tattoos viewed in Buddhism? Are people with tattoos aloud in sanghas? I kind of want to get a couple tats but I also want to go into a sangha sometime in the future. Buddhism means more to me but I do want some tattoos because of their meaning to me. I would love any opinions/knowledge on the subject. Thank you guys!

weighted

This thread might help you

Lady_Alison

I thought you were going to ask to see them!! Everyone is posting pics this week of dogs and personals.

I have one, no you can't see it!

Jayjay

Thank you! So, it is ok to get tattoos? I was thinking about getting three: A 6 pedaled lotus on both hands (one saying change around the pedals and the other having the sanskirt writing for Nirvana) both having a delta (mathematical symbol for 'change') in the center. I was also thinking about getting a 4 pedaled lotus over my heart saying LOVE on the pedals. I was also going to make the center into a peace sign to represent peace and love and for the 4 pedaled lotus representing the root chakra and connection to the world. So it shows love and peace in my heart and love and peace toward the world from my heart. Hahah they're really meaningful and I was looking forward to getting them.

ThailandTom

These are the typical buddhist tattoos you see in thailand, most of the time they are done with traditional methods, i.e using bamboo to stab into the skin, more painful than your average tattoo

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=typical thai buddhist tattoo&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=1433l8334l0l8564l28l23l0l0l0l0l392l4700l0.13.9.1l23l0&gs_l=hp.3..33i21.1433l8334l0l8565l28l23l0l0l0l0l392l4700l0j13j9j1l23l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1024&bih=447&wrapid=tlif133057048461410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=AeVOT-fpHMfZrQeomYDRDQ

vinlyn

I thought you were going to ask to see them!! Everyone is posting pics this week of dogs and personals.

I have one, no you can't see it!

Reminds me of my one-time secretary. One day she said I would be at a meeting where her fiance was (he was in school finance), and that I should seek him out and introduce myself. I did. No big deal. When I got back to the office I said how surprised I was when he told me about "your" tattoo. She turned all red, and then I told her I was only joking. Her very young daughter was more than happy to tell me where the tattoo was. No comment!

Jayjay

I thought you were going to ask to see them!! Everyone is posting pics this week of dogs and personals.

I have one, no you can't see it!

Reminds me of my one-time secretary. One day she said I would be at a meeting where her fiance was (he was in school finance), and that I should seek him out and introduce myself. I did. No big deal. When I got back to the office I said how surprised I was when he told me about "your" tattoo. She turned all red, and then I told her I was only joking. Her very young daughter was more than happy to tell me where the tattoo was. No comment!

Lmao

vinlyn

I thought you were going to ask to see them!! Everyone is posting pics this week of dogs and personals.

I have one, no you can't see it!

Reminds me of my one-time secretary. One day she said I would be at a meeting where her fiance was (he was in school finance), and that I should seek him out and introduce myself. I did. No big deal. When I got back to the office I said how surprised I was when he told me about "your" tattoo. She turned all red, and then I told her I was only joking. Her very young daughter was more than happy to tell me where the tattoo was. No comment!

Lmao

Actually you are in the right territory (lmAo), but would have been even closer had you said that it was cracking you up!

:rarr:

Lady_Alison

Jayjay, don't get it on your hands because you might have to go to interviews for a normal job. Find a hidden place...like I did.

Its a humming bird on my hip bone. Btw. It was ten years ago and I plan to remove it. Good story vinlyn. Lol.

Jayjay

Ohhhhhhhhhh I see what you did there!! Hahahahhah thank you for making my day! :clap:

Jayjay

@Lady_Alison I'm gonna be a typical teenager and say that I'm never gonna be in a typical job interview and instead will make it big and never have to worry about that. Plus, I wouldn't want any job with a boss who can't accept individuality and expressiveness. I agree, but, I'm stubborn(:

Lady_Alison

Ah, youth! Smells like rebellion with a side of go f-ck yourself! 28 year old lady!

Cool, get it on your forehead, I don't care! Take a pic, I want to see! Big ass flower on your forehead. Lol...

Jayjay

Hahahahha rebellion is what youth is about! A few years before I had discovered meditation and buddhism I was a punk :eek: So I believe I have toned down a lot lol. And I will post a picture on here when I do get it. Are you up to waiting 5 years? Lol

Lady_Alison

Five years for what? ....I'm slow.

Oh you are only thirteen? How are you gonna get a tat? You gotta be 18 at least or with a parent.

ThailandTom

Get your tattoo done on your face. I shared a house for a year with an ex-con of 9 years who had tattoos on his face. After some months I kept forgetting they were even there, kind of just got use to them. He was the best housemate though.

Lady_Alison

I think I pierced my own belly button at 14. It got infected....very dumb. I went and got a proffesional to do it and the tat at a high rated clean place in Houston.

Make sure you research around. You may pay double but you get quality and cleanliness.

Lady_Alison

@thailandtom...you made me spit out my tea! Lmfao! Why am I not surprised!

Btw, your pic is sooooo sweet! Makes me want to nurture you! Or knit you a blanket!

Op, make sure tat establishment has a good long reputation.

ThailandTom

Seriously though, he had on his right cheek three stars going across horrizontally in the colours of the Jamacian flag, the tattoo was even done by him and his friend because he learnt how to do tattoos in prison. He had one of a bulldog on the bag od his head and some on his neck.

Oh an sorry about your tea mess!

Lady_Alison

Tom, we are going to get in trouble for corrupting the youth.

Look at us, trying to convince op to ink his face!? Wtf?!

Mountains

it is ok to get tattoos?

You'll find in Buddhism there are very few "thou shalt nots". If it's right for you and doesn't hurt anyone else, it's no problem.

ThailandTom

Yea, good luck with any job interview with a tattoo across your face lmao. Unless it is a tattoo of your CV or "please insert job here"

Jayjay

Hahahahahhahaa lmao you guys are hilarious. I will be 15 in November btw. But to me age is nothing, seeing as I'm the wisest person I know (other than the people here) I even dumbfound my parents. Their Catholic but last year I decided to change faiths to Buddhism. Its just so right for me. My life has never been better. I love the looks I get when someone initiates anger or hate and I just calmly explain to them that that's not the right thing to do. They realize how they have been stupidly engaged in such negativity and look at me like "Your 14???" Oh and.....I don't intend to get any tats on my face......yet :vimp:

Lady_Alison

Welcome....( chanting darkly) one of us! One of us!

Little wise fool.

ThailandTom

I had a thread a long time ago now here about tattoos, I was thinking of getting one in a certain area, a caption that would remind me not to be so stupid again. However, I come to the conclusion I did not need the tattoo and have since realized I would have stuck with it for the rest of my life. Phew!