Hindu Buddhas?

[Guest guest]

Yesterday I was invited into the home of an aquaintance, and there I

saw a combination of Hindu and Buddhist art, depictions of deities,

and it got me thinking about this.

 

When I think of Buddha, I think of the laughing Buddha that has been

so popular here in America/California, a chubby fellow, big belly,

bald head. But I have seen other Buddhas that are thin and

androgynous. To me, these look more Hindu, or more Indian.

 

Is the word "Buddha" used in Hinduism to denote a holy person? Are

there Hindu Buddhas?

[Guest guest]

Mary Ann,

 

Buddhism comes from Hinduism and was a reformist religion that came as a

backlash to the undesirable elements within Hinduism, much like Protestantism

came from the Catholic religion during the Protestant Reformation. Buddhism

was the Hindu reformist answer to Brahmanism, much like Protestantism was the

answer to Catholicism's papal aristocracy.

 

Also, as Buddha was a Hindu prince in Nepal and Nepal is the world's ONLY

Hindu state (the people are of Tibeto-Burman stock), you are bound to see images

of Lord Buddha that look reminiscent of Hindu images. Furthermore, the term

Buddha comes from the Sanskrit word "Buddhi" which means intellect.

 

Also, it is widely believed (especially by Vaishnavas) that Lord Buddha was an

incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and had the sole purpose of reasserting the

authority of the Vedas by fooling the miscreants into following strict Buddhist

practices & beliefs of ahimsa and non animal sacrifice during a time when the

prevailing Hindu practices were very much degraded.

 

Hope this helps,

 

JANARDANA DAS

 

Mary Ann <buttercookie61 wrote:

Yesterday I was invited into the home of an aquaintance, and there I

saw a combination of Hindu and Buddhist art, depictions of deities,

and it got me thinking about this.

 

When I think of Buddha, I think of the laughing Buddha that has been

so popular here in America/California, a chubby fellow, big belly,

bald head. But I have seen other Buddhas that are thin and

androgynous. To me, these look more Hindu, or more Indian.

 

Is the word "Buddha" used in Hinduism to denote a holy person? Are

there Hindu Buddhas?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devi Traditions Divine

 

 

 

 

Visit your group "" on the web.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

 

 

[Guest guest]

The "laughing Buddha" so popular to Westerners is a Chinese Buddhist monk,

known as Ho Tai. He was a penniless drifter, who scrounged up toys for

children (reminiscent of Santa Claus?), and was always happy.

 

The term "Buddha" is a title (like "Christ"). It means

"elightened one."

Most often it is applied to the historical prince of Nepal in the 5th Century

BC, who founded the religion, but in theory, ANYONE is potentially a Buddha.

 

There are traditional images of Prince Siddhartha when he went through his

renunciate period, starved to the point of skeletal thinness -- quite a

distance from Ho Tai! Siddhartha eventually chose "the Middle Way," and

avoided both starving himself or over-indulging.

 

-- Len

 

 

Mary Ann <buttercookie61 wrote: Yesterday I was invited into

the home of an aquaintance, and there I

saw a combination of Hindu and Buddhist art, depictions of deities,

and it got me thinking about this.

 

When I think of Buddha, I think of the laughing Buddha that has been

so popular here in America/California, a chubby fellow, big belly,

bald head. But I have seen other Buddhas that are thin and

androgynous. To me, these look more Hindu, or more Indian.

 

Is the word "Buddha" used in Hinduism to denote a holy person? Are

there Hindu Buddhas?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devi

Traditions Divine

 

 

 

 

Visit your group "" on the web.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

 

 

[Guest guest]

I have since learned that the thin Buddha I saw was in fact Kwan Yin

in a form specific to balancing the male and female energies. I

could not tell that the form was female - flat-chested, though

beautifully clothed (it's a painted statue), but the person who gave

it to my acquaintance said that's what was intended in that

particular figure.

 

 

 

, Len Rosenberg

<kalipadma108> wrote:

>

> The "laughing Buddha" so popular to Westerners is a Chinese

Buddhist monk, known as Ho Tai. He was a penniless drifter, who

scrounged up toys for children (reminiscent of Santa Claus?), and

was always happy.

>

> The term "Buddha" is a title (like "Christ"). It

means "elightened one." Most often it is applied to the

historical prince of Nepal in the 5th Century BC, who founded the

religion, but in theory, ANYONE is potentially a Buddha.

>

> There are traditional images of Prince Siddhartha when he went

through his renunciate period, starved to the point of skeletal

thinness -- quite a distance from Ho Tai! Siddhartha eventually

chose "the Middle Way," and avoided both starving himself or over-

indulging.

>

> -- Len

>

>

> Mary Ann <buttercookie61> wrote: Yesterday I was

invited into the home of an aquaintance, and there I

> saw a combination of Hindu and Buddhist art, depictions of

deities,

> and it got me thinking about this.

>

> When I think of Buddha, I think of the laughing Buddha that has

been

> so popular here in America/California, a chubby fellow, big

belly,

> bald head. But I have seen other Buddhas that are thin and

> androgynous. To me, these look more Hindu, or more Indian.

>

> Is the word "Buddha" used in Hinduism to denote a holy person?

Are

> there Hindu Buddhas?

>

>

Devi

Traditions

Divine

>

>

>

>

>

> Visit your group "" on the web.

>

>

>

>

> Terms of

Service.

>

>

>

 

> FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Mary Ann

 

The great term Buddha, in it's real spiritual meaning is one who with

the great sense or The Maha Bodha.It was not religious,once.Gowthama Buddha

never believed in the existence of Athma.According to his teachings the Maha

Bodha was the ultimate.All Hindu ascetics,in the micro sense were

Buddhas,because of their great wisdom,which is the Maha Bodha itself.Through

this liberal point of view we can call all Hindu Sanyasies Buddhas.Laughing

Buddha can be compared with Indian idol Ganapathy,who is worshipped as the giver

of all wealth and wisdom by breaking all obstacles.But Buddha is the ever living

symbol of real spirituality based on great wisdom and sheer non violence.

 

With prayers to the Great Shri Matha,

 

BabuShivam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary Ann <buttercookie61 wrote:

Yesterday I was invited into the home of an aquaintance, and there I

saw a combination of Hindu and Buddhist art, depictions of deities,

and it got me thinking about this.

 

When I think of Buddha, I think of the laughing Buddha that has been

so popular here in America/California, a chubby fellow, big belly,

bald head. But I have seen other Buddhas that are thin and

androgynous. To me, these look more Hindu, or more Indian.

 

Is the word "Buddha" used in Hinduism to denote a holy person? Are

there Hindu Buddhas?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit your group "" on the web.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy this Diwali with Y! India Click here

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thank you for sharing this. I love it, and I have felt that it must

be so, though I can see how it is a "liberal" viewpoint

 

, T R babu <babushivam>

wrote:

>

>

[Guest guest]

, "Mary Ann"

<buttercookie61> wrote:

>

> I have since learned that the thin Buddha I saw was in fact Kwan Yin

> in a form specific to balancing the male and female energies. I

> could not tell that the form was female - flat-chested, though

> beautifully clothed (it's a painted statue), but the person who gave

> it to my acquaintance said that's what was intended in that

> particular figure.

>

 

 

Somewhere in the Shakti Sadhana Homepage : Photo Gallery I have a

collection of Tara and Kuan Yin. In one of the pics, Kuan Yin is

almost male like. I read somewhere [ nooooo! I post this article

sometime looooooooong ago ] that Kuan Yin is initially a male, over a

period of time, she got transform into a female figure. This pic

depicts the transformation process. It is also said that some would

like to equate Kuan Yin with Visnu. Having the ability to transform

from Male to Female and vice versa.

 

 

Saundarya-Lahari 5

 

haris tvAm ArAdhya pranata-jana-saubhAgya-jananim

purA nAri bhUtva Pura-ripum api Ksobham anayat;

smaro'pi tvAm natvA rati-nayana-lehyene vapusA

muninAm apy antah prabhavati hi mohAya mahatAm

 

 

Adoring Thee, Who are the bestwer of prosperity on all Thy votaries,

Hari [ Visnu ] was able to become a chariming female and stir waves of

passion in the minds of no less a Deity than Hara, the Destroyer of

the Three Cities. And Smara [Cupid, the god of love] through Thy

adoration got a form- a veritable feast for the eyes of his consort

rati -, with which he has become capable of causing deep infatuation

even in the minds of sages.

[Guest guest]

That is interesting - thanks Nora! I have also read (recently) that

Kwan Yin is the female counterpart to Avalokitaswara, a male deity

that is, well, "Christ-like" in being all about compassionate

suffering for others. He is a thin Buddha.

> , "Mary Ann"

> <buttercookie61> wrote:

> >

> > I have since learned that the thin Buddha I saw was in fact Kwan

Yin

> > in a form specific to balancing the male and female energies. I

> > could not tell that the form was female - flat-chested, though

> > beautifully clothed (it's a painted statue), but the person who

gave

> > it to my acquaintance said that's what was intended in that

> > particular figure.

> >

>

>

> Somewhere in the Shakti Sadhana Homepage : Photo Gallery I have a

> collection of Tara and Kuan Yin. In one of the pics, Kuan Yin is

> almost male like. I read somewhere [ nooooo! I post this article

> sometime looooooooong ago ] that Kuan Yin is initially a male,

over a

> period of time, she got transform into a female figure. This pic

> depicts the transformation process. It is also said that some

would

> like to equate Kuan Yin with Visnu. Having the ability to

transform

> from Male to Female and vice versa.

[Guest guest]

Kwan Yin was a Chinese re-interpretation of Avalokiteshvara, the male

Bodhisattva of Compassion. The Chinese saw compassion as a "feminine" trait.

It has become traditional to sometimes portray Kwan Yin in an androgynous form;

she is often flat-chested, sometimes broad-shouldered, and I have a print where

she has a pencil-thin mustache! (But quite frankly, I know quite a few women

who are flat-chested and have mustaches, which they struggle to remove.

There's a wide varience in gender appearances.)

 

-- Len

 

 

Mary Ann <buttercookie61 wrote: I have since learned that

the thin Buddha I saw was in fact Kwan Yin

in a form specific to balancing the male and female energies. I

could not tell that the form was female - flat-chested, though

beautifully clothed (it's a painted statue), but the person who gave

it to my acquaintance said that's what was intended in that

particular figure.

 

 

 

 

 

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