I believe this to be one of the most popular depictions of the westernized Buddha. He’s perceived as happy, carefree, and often very hefty. Westerners always imagine Buddha as a very spirited holy man who happens to always be caught mid laugh. We try and come up with our own opinions of what Enlightenment must be like by trying to make it easier to obtain. In Brad Warner’s book “Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate” he made reference that people back home in America were toying with the idea of using Psychedelic drugs to gain a dose of Buddhist insight. Americans seem to have a strong need for instant gratification, always wanting to speed along processes that take years of dedication.
Brad Warner explains certain scams aimed towards theses naïve type of people that promise a speedy enlightenment .They promise authentic kensho or satori experiences bringing you closer to your “True Nature” in just half a day. There are even some cases were people try and push themselves so hard and fast that it hurts them more than it helps them. For example the woman in Warner’s book who goes to Japan expecting enlightenment in weeks and almost drives herself insane. Many scams seem to be playing on the fact that people, Westerners specifically seem to stereotype to the point of ignorance. Everyone wants to have what the happy smiling Buddha seems to have in spades.
I’ve recently gained a better understanding of the Historical Buddha which has altered my idea of him drastically. In all actuality the Historical Buddha was never overweight; in fact he was a very skinny man. Eating in moderation and never after noon as is the sixth of the ten precepts of Buddhism. Siddhartha, which is Buddha’s birth name, could have lived a carefree happy life but he didn’t. Buddha chose a different path; he left his dancing girls and luxury, his life without worry and set off into the unknown. By westerners standards he would be considered a minimalist, never over indulgencing or acting out for fun, which isn’t at all like our culture. In this case the stereotype is more of the fairytale version of Buddha, minus all hard work and dedication, which in theory sounds fun but is very unrealistic.
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ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your statement about how people of Western culture are always looking for instant gratification. They would prefer to achieve their goal as quickly as possible rather than the proper way. I even chose this point for my blog, but I looked at it in terms of how people would much rather take medication or drugs to achieve a goal (EX. weight loss). When simply exercising or watching what you eat would be much safer.
ReplyDeleteThe fat "Buddha" is actually a Buddhist monk named Pu Tai, among a few other names. He's a pretty interesting figure if you feel like looking up more about him.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that Historical Buddha seemed so different from what has become a symbol of Buddhism in the West, the 'fat Buddha'. I feel that this shows the West's misconceptions and generalizations about Buddhism, particular for those who believe they can achieve enlightenment in hours or weeks.
ReplyDeleteIt's always amazing we have these ideas of "fat Buddha" everything is marketed to "Fat Buddha" so how do we get out of the mind set? Especially when the historical and "fat buddha" differ so much. But then it falls back to people using faith as a marketing tool just like Warner was saying about the "Tantric Zen" like teaching Jewish Catholicism so good times.
ReplyDeleteWell guys. Pu Tai, the "fat buddha" is actually a buddha (or in other words an enlightened one) and a Buddhist "saint". There are also some Buddhists who believe laughter is a good thing, so his jovial appearance isn't necessarily a bad thing. So the problem may not be that people like Pu Tai, but rather that they don't know who he is.
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