Laughing Buddha statues are often seen in restaurants temples and businesses because he is the deity of contentment and prosperity. You almost always see Ho Tai carrying a linen sack, always full with candy for children rice plants which symbolize wealth food or the suffering of the world. Much like Catholicism’s St. Nicholas, Ho Tai is the patron saint of children and the weak and the downtrodden.

A laughing Buddha statue portrays a stout, chubby bald man whose generous potbelly stomach can be seen through his loose robes. While Ho Tai could definitely benefit from a few stomach crunches, his ample belly is symbolic of good fortune and plenitude. Along with his chubby belly and happy grin the laughing Buddha nearly always carries a gnarled walking stick in one hand and his ever present sack in the other.

The laughing Buddha is most often depicted in statuary in either a sitting, standing or in a reclining position. The reclining position most likely was born from the “sleeping Buddha position,” which depicted the Buddha’s last moments on earth before he ascended to Nirvana. Most often the laughing Buddha statue is displayed in the home as a symbol and talisman of good fortune and prosperity.

Other accoutrements often seen in sculptures and statues of the happy Buddha include a rosary necklace symbolic of prayer, a begging bowl associated with the laughing Buddha’s lack of worldly possessions or an oogi. The oogi is a Chinese “wish giving” fan used in the past by Chinese aristocracy has an affectation to demonstrate that their wishes would be granted.

In western culture, the laughing Buddha is often referred to as the “fat Buddha.” As a jolly fat man who frequently distributes candies and presents to children, Ho Tai most closely resembles what Westerners think of as Santa Claus. However, his tidings of good fortune can be enjoyed year round.

It’s believed that if you rub the belly of a laughing Buddha you are sure to enjoy good luck, prosperity and wealth. Ho Tai is also considered the patron of bartenders and restaurant owners and is frequently seen displayed prominently in Asian restaurants. Overindulgence in food and drink are often credited to the influence of the laughing Buddha.

Buddha means enlightened one and although many people have now earned this distinction as there is a huge following for the Buddhist faith. You do need to follow the faith to have Buddha garden statues and many people have them throughout their gardens. They are often bought simply because they are calming to sit and look at. You can choose to make a statement with your Buddha statues when they can be very large, these will look very impressive in your garden.

Buddha statues can represent many different things and you will need to know what each of them mean before purchasing them. There are many variiuos sizes, styles and even colors of Buddha garden statues to choose from. The most common pose for your Buddha is the sitting position with its legs crossed, the left hand in the lap and right hand on the right knee. The fingers are often pointing towards the earth on the Buddha statues. This is to represent the Buddha’s enlightenment and shows the Buddha touching the earth.

How you choose to design your garden is entirely your choice and you may select to have different regions. Having your garden zoned is ideal if you have a family and then you can have an area for the children to play and a more relaxing are for the adults. Buddha garden statues look great in these areas as they can help you to get the comfortable feel you want. They are ideal with water features and fountains as well as these are also very relaxing. The whole are can be transformed into your tranquil area to retreat to at the end of the day.

If you want a genuine Buddha statue then you may need to go to a reputable dealer although often you can find very nice Buddha statues at your local garden centre. Many people purchase them because of the way they look and not for the meaning behind them. You will need to think about the material that your Buddha garden statues are made from as they will be outside in all weathers. Stone, copper or bronze ones are ideal as they will remain in good conditions even in the bad weather. Wooden Buddha statues are more designed for indoor use as they will rot if left outside.

Whatever design of Buddha statues you choose to have your garden will look fantastic and be the perfect place for you and your friends to sit and relax. Any work you do in your garden will look great and add value to your house. If you go to sell the house then the garden being completed and looking great is a fantastic selling point.

The Noble Eightfold Path Is:

Right views, right aspiration, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right contemplation. As the Enlightened One the Buddha statue represents other values as well. The individual is not recognized in Buddhism. All that happens to individuals is based on an impersonal moral “karma.” Once an individual follows all of the steps on the Noble Eightfold path they reach an enlightened pure non-existent state called “nirvana.”

The First Statue

It is believed that the first Buddha statue was not created until four or five hundred years after the death of Buddha out of respect. Therefore, the statues are not an exact replication of the person and there is no “right way” to represent him. The artist had artistic freedom of expression in that area. But, there are certain characteristics and symbolic elements that you will find at least one of in every Buddha statue.

• If the hands are resting in the lap this represents meditation.

• The hands crossing over the chest are a symbol of Dharma-or a state of “being.”

• In the earliest Buddha statue, the figure has both hands raised with the ring finger on the left hand touching the thumb and the index finger on the right hand is touching the thumb to make a circle with the three other fingers held aright. It is not certain what this symbolizes.

Buddhism Exists In Three Forms Today

The first is Mahayana, which reveres Buddha as a God like figure and still uses the Buddha statue to represent him. It is called “the Greater Vehicle” and is the most practiced form of Buddhism in the world today. The second is practiced by just over a third of the Buddhists in the world and is called Theravada, or the “Doctrine of the Elders.” It is atheistic in nature and philosophy but still reveres the Buddha statue. Vajrayana is the least common type of Buddhism and uses the occult and shamanism. It is practiced by just 6 percent of the Buddhists.

Many people looking on the Buddha statue find it a source of happiness and serenity. It is a symbol of the end of suffering and true peace. The Buddhist philosophy that we must strive for perfection and control over our personal cravings to work for the good of all is not a bad philosophy. If society as a whole would adopt at least some of these concepts there would be much more peace and tolerance in the world-we could begin to come to a state of nirvana.

Buddhism attained huge popularity in the early first century BC. Since the asceticism of the religion was beyond the understanding of the followers, an iconic image of Buddha transpired in Northern India and portrayed Buddha in human form, which still exists. Gandhara (now in Pakistan) and Mathura (in Central Northern India) were the primary centers for the production of the ‘Buddha Images.’ The ‘Gandharan’ image displayed Buddha in standing or sitting position, with wavy hair and well-draped shoulders, closely resembling the Greek God, ‘Apollo.’ The ‘Mathuran’ school, on the other hand, contributed to the lotus seat (depicting the importance of mediation and His enlightenment), sporting a standing Buddha, holding one hand high and wearing a robe, baring His right shoulder.

The ‘Buddhist Art’ in India continued to expand. The pink sand stone sculptures made during the Gupta period at Mathura are an exemplary of finesse and competent artisanship, with few dating back to even 81 AD. Some gold and copper currency coins of 78 AD carry the ‘Buddha Image’ on one side and Kanishka’s (the ruler then) on the other.

The historical ‘Buddha Images’ were depicted in five different positions, symbolizing the significant events of His life, such as birth, exit from home, enlightenment, first sermon, and death. The images are postured in four styles, standing, sitting, walking, and reclining with the position of hands conveying several connotations, such as:

Pacifying Relatives – Standing Buddha with right hand lifted to chest and the left one resting on the side

Calming the ocean – Standing Buddha with both hands raised up to chest

Subduing Mara – Crossed legged, seated Buddha, with his right hand on the right knee, pointing four fingers to the ground, while the left hand rests on His lap

Some fascinating details to be taken into account while creating the ‘Buddha Image,’ are the pre-defined measurements for physical proportion such as the exaggerated earlobes, and the “enlightenment-elevation” on the top of the head. Apart from the historical ‘Buddha Images,’ various other forms such as “Laughing Buddha” and “Medicine Buddha” are available in a variety of materials, such as sand stone, clay, gold etc. A renowned Buddhist follower once stated that “A Buddha image is not only a symbol of the historical person but the human qualities that he perfected; compassion, wisdom, patience, generosity, kindness, etc., worthy of bowing down to.”