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The West and Bodai/Hotei

TransmetaphysicalTransmetaphysical Veteran
edited October 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Why does the entire West believe that Hotei (fat buddha) is Gautama Buddha?

How did this confusion happen? I've even had people insist and argue that Hotei is Buddha.

What's up with that?

And what's even more shocking is that they don't even look remotely close to the same. One is over weight, one is nearly anorexic (for lack of a better word). I could understand if maybe they looked similar, but they don't. This confusion is absurd as mistaking Santa Claus for Jesus (the comparison is identical actually).

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Comments

  • shenpennangwashenpennangwa
    edited April 2010
    Transmetaphysical wrote: »
    Why does the entire West believe that Hotei (fat buddha) is Gautama Buddha?

    How did this confusion happen? I've even had people insist and argue that Hotei is Buddha.

    What's up with that?


    .
    The "entire west" doesnt believe this. Hotei is a pop-culture representation that people associate with the Buddha. I've never met anyone who insisted that he was, I have met many who thought he was and were quite open to being given information on who he really was and who the Buddha is.
    I dont think its a big deal.
  • TransmetaphysicalTransmetaphysical Veteran
    edited April 2010
    It's like the comedian Ali G who asked a priest: "So why does Jesus go around with all dem reindeers?"


    .
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited April 2010
    i'm pretty sure the fat buddha is the chinese buddha, sometimes even maitreya who i've heard called the laffing buddha, and the fat buddha usually looks pretty jolly. but to answer in short, it's because they're heathens!
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited April 2010
    Brian, the Forum Founder's signature is "Tell them we don't worship the fat guy!"
  • BlackFlagBlackFlag
    edited April 2010
    I asked a guy at a chinese shop if that was buddha and he said "Yes."

    So I'm really confused too.
  • ValtielValtiel Veteran
    edited April 2010
    He is -A- buddha. Either this is what the man meant or he was mistaken like many others. "The Buddha" refers to Siddhartha, whose teachings the Pali Canon stems from. What are you confused about?
  • Micsunderland3Micsunderland3
    edited April 2010
    My girlfriend was initially quite insistent that Hotei was THE Buddha. The issue has since been cleared.

    It terms of visual imagery in the west, i would say that Hotei is far more prominent.

    Every Chinese restaurant, tattoo parlor, whatever, etc has a statue of the fat Buddha.

    Come to think of it, im not sure if ive ever seen a statue of Siddhartha.

    I could see how there would be confusion.
  • ansannaansanna Veteran
    edited April 2010
    The reason is that there is a intermediate image of Buddha in Mahayana that goes between the historical Buddha and the Hotei (fat buddha)
    they are not representing the historical physical body of Buddha ( nirmanakaya ) , but the spiritual body of the Buddha ( samboghakaya , enjoyment body ) or the Dharma body ( truth body ) of the Buddha ( dharmakaya ).

    see
    http://www.japan-101.com/photos/showimage.php?i=52259
  • TransmetaphysicalTransmetaphysical Veteran
    edited April 2010
    ansanna wrote: »
    The reason is that there is a intermediate image of Buddha in Mahayana that goes between the historical Buddha and the Hotei (fat buddha)
    they are not representing the historical physical body of Buddha ( nirmanakaya ) , but the spiritual body of the Buddha ( samboghakaya , enjoyment body ) or the Dharma body ( truth body ) of the Buddha ( dharmakaya ).

    see
    http://www.japan-101.com/photos/showimage.php?i=52259

    "Intermediate" image of Buddha? How is there even such thing as a "spiritual body" of Buddha? There are no souls in Buddhism, and even if there were, a physical body of a fat guy could hardly be considered a "spiritual" representation of Buddha.
  • TransmetaphysicalTransmetaphysical Veteran
    edited April 2010
    Micsunderland3 wrote: »
    My girlfriend was initially quite insistent that Hotei was THE Buddha. The issue has since been cleared.

    It terms of visual imagery in the west, i would say that Hotei is far more prominent.

    Every Chinese restaurant, tattoo parlor, whatever, etc has a statue of the fat Buddha.

    Come to think of it, im not sure if ive ever seen a statue of Siddhartha.

    I could see how there would be confusion.

    I understand all that and I can see why people might get them confused for that reason. But then why is Hotei more prominent, why is he in every Chinese restaurant?

    The East doesn't have American restaurants with Santa Claus in them, and thus causing the entire East to associate Santa Clause with Jesus!


    .
  • ansannaansanna Veteran
    edited April 2010
    "Intermediate" image of Buddha? How is there even such thing as a "spiritual body" of Buddha? There are no souls in Buddhism, and even if there were, a physical body of a fat guy could hardly be considered a "spiritual" representation of Buddha.

    no my friend , you misunderstood , 'spiritual aspect' of the Buddha refers to the enduring enlightened wisdom that continue to do the salvation of the living beings : )

    this is the way understood by the Mahayana realm

    such image of the Buddha ( the wisdom aspect ) is constructed based on the scriptural based on the Buddha eighty characteristics ( extraordinary features attributed to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas ) , and the thirty two features attributed to god Shakra, Brahma and wheel turning kings
  • ZaylZayl Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Fat guys can't get any love!

    One way I've found to help explain the difference to friends is to tell them to look at the hair (or lack thereof) Fat bald guy - A Buddha. Skinny guy with cool looking hair - THE Buddha.
  • KundoKundo Sydney, Australia Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Transmetaphysical wrote: »
    I understand all that and I can see why people might get them confused for that reason. But then why is Hotei more prominent, why is he in every Chinese restaurant?

    The East doesn't have American restaurants with Santa Claus in them, and thus causing the entire East to associate Santa Clause with Jesus!


    .

    I'd say it's a cultural thing predominantly. All my Thai friends have the Buddha statue like the image in your avatar.

    But at the end of the day, why are you getting so worked up about it? Is it affecting your personal practise?

    In metta,
    Raven
  • username_5username_5
    edited October 2010
    So, what did THE Buddha look like anyway? If I had subsisted off one grain of rice per day for years I am thinking I might have gained some serious weight once that restriction was lifted.
  • ChrysalidChrysalid Veteran
    edited October 2010
    username_5 wrote: »
    So, what did THE Buddha look like anyway? If I had subsisted off one grain of rice per day for years I am thinking I might have gained some serious weight once that restriction was lifted.
    I think if the Buddha had actually tried to live off of one grain of rice a day for six years, once the restriction ended and he was still able to move, he'd have a serious hunger for brains. BRAINS!
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