 I just got an email from one of our readers asking us the following question: "My daughter has a homework question that she needs help with. Why are there both "skinny" and "fat" Buddha statues?" Now while most of you on a spiritual journey will probably know the answer to this, let me explain it here to those who may still be wondering about this.
Firstly, the "skinny" Buddha referred to is the historical Buddha, known as the Shakyamuni Buddha (Shakyamuni means "Lion of the Shakya Clan' with Shakya being the clan name). As you probably
know, the historical Buddha was born Prince Siddhartha, raised and lived in opulance, and left it all behind so as to discover the meaning of suffering and ultimate liberation. When gaining this knowledge, he was called a Buddha by his followers, since that means "an enlightened one."
When people call themselves "Buddhists," they follow the teachings of the historical Buddha, and these collective teachings are often referred to as the Dharma (with a capital "D"). The two major schools of Buddhism, Mahayana and Therevada, are based on the Dharma with varying amounts of other beliefs included in their teachings. For more information, please see our Introduction to Buddhism page and our Introduction to the Dharma page.
The "fat" Buddha the email asked about is known in China as Ho Tai (or as
Mi Lo Fa) and is not direclty related to the historical Buddha. Ho Tai was, according to one legend, a monk who would always carry a bag full of candies, which he gave out whenever he met up with children. He was always joyful (hence he is referred to as the Laughing Buddha). And because he was a monk, and because some Asian languages use the same word for monk as they do for Buddha, there has been confusion that he is a form of the historical Buddha.
Another theory has it that he was originally a fertitlity God, or a God of Prosperity, and his round belly was a symbol for a bountiful harvest. As Buddhism spread into China from India, the local population accepted him as a saint, or a manifestation of the Future Buddha (Maitreya Buddha). In Japan he is known as Hotei and is considered one of the Seven Gods of Fortune.
It is not uncommon for shopkeepers and other people in general to rub the belly of Ho Tai in order to bring good luck or imporove sales (for merchants). Ho Tai is also condisder to be the patron saint of children as well.
In addition, many Feng Shui practitioners believe that using an image of Ho tai can help direct energy. I have heard that for the year 2005, he is to be displayed in the Southeast corner of your home to bring good fortune.
for more information on the Laughing Buddha, please click the following links:
Meaning of the Laughing Buddha Chinese Porcelain Laughing Buddha
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