Budai

Budai (Chinese布袋, Pinyin Budai, W.-G. Pu- tai, cloth bag, ' Japanese Hotei, Vietnamese Bò Dai ) is a popular figure in the Chinese and Japanese folk religion in Japan, he counts among other things, to the seven gods of good fortune ( Shichi Fukujin ). His name refers to his trademark. He is usually depicted as a pot-bellied, laughing monk and also known as "Lucky Buddha" ( Happiness Buddha ) or "Laughing Buddha" ( Laughing Buddha ).

Overview

Budai / Hotei is of Chinese origin and dates back to the semi - legendary figure from the town of Fenghua (Zhejiang Province) originating monk Qici (Chinese契 此, Pinyin Qìcǐ, W.-G. Ch'i- tz'u, Jap Keishi ), who lived in the 10th century as a wandering mendicant and should not have been seen occasionally after his death. It is especially in Chan Buddhism, the Chinese ancestor of the Japanese Zen, and is worshiped as an incarnation of the " Buddha of the Future" ( Maitreya ). In China, originating from the Indian Buddhism, messianic Buddha figure is therefore now closely associated with the figure of Budai. ( Not coincidentally, is the almost homophonic expression布 道( budao ), ' the way of truth preach ', but the emphasis is now more the nearly homophonic布 菜( Bucai ) ' food dish out '. )

In Japan, Hotei became popular in the course of the Zen Buddhism, but the association with the Buddha of the future is not quite as tight as in China. The famous Zen painter Hakuin found in Hotei one of his favorite motifs. In the Edo period Hotei lost its purely Buddhist identity and was - at least in association with the other gods of good fortune - also in Shinto shrines worshiped as a sort of local deity ( kami ). As before, the figure of Hotei is fun-loving but can also be found in Zen temples.

As always good-humored, dispossessed monk stood Budai / Hotei originally for the virtue of self-sufficiency. His bulging sack in which he stowed his alms seemed to say that he who is satisfied with little, has the greatest treasure. He is also considered the Buddha ( aspect ), which faces the common people and more are gathered in his sack alms to children and the poor. He is also partially used as a symbol of the socially engaged Buddhism.

As part of the Chinese and Japanese folk religion Budai but away from this Buddhist monastic ideal and advertises today, for example, in many restaurants for savory culinary delights.

It supposed to bring luck to strike a Budai figure on the abdomen. In many depictions, he is shown in the circle of children - a kind of Asian Nicholas or Santa Claus.

Statues of the Laughing Buddha

The statue of the Laughing Buddha is located in Chinese monasteries in the hall of the four Heavenly Kings. There he is, usually surrounded by a crowd of children, often ( situated right leg ) with thick bare belly, frowning and with a broad smile in a sitting posture shown. This figure represents some Chinese ideals. The fat belly is a symbol of wealth. The laughter and the relaxed sitting posture symbolizes serenity and satisfaction with himself and the world. The statue is surrounded children point to one of the Chinese cardinal virtues: love of children.