Budai

Budai
Glazed ceramic sculpture of Budai.
China, Ming dynasty, 1486.
Died28 March 917[1]
Chinese name
Chinese布袋
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinbùdài
Wade–GilesPu4-tai4
IPA[pûtâɪ]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationBou-doih
JyutpingBou3-doi6
IPA[pɔw˧tɔj˨]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJPò͘-tē
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese笑佛
Literal meaningLaughing Buddha
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinXiào Fó
Wade–GilesHsiao4 Fo2
Second alternative Chinese name
Chinese胖佛
Literal meaningFat Buddha
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinPàng Fó
Wade–GilesP'ang4 Fo2
Third alternative Chinese name
Chinese快乐佛
Literal meaningHappy Buddha
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinKuàilè Fó
Wade–GilesK'uali'he4 Fo2
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabetBố Đại
Chữ Hán布袋
Thai name
Thaiพระปู้ไต้
RTGSPhra Pu Tai
Korean name
Hangul포대
Hanja布袋
Transcriptions
Revised RomanizationPodae
McCune–ReischauerP'odae
Japanese name
Kanji布袋
Hiraganaほてい
Transcriptions
RomanizationHotei

Budai[a] is a nickname given to the historical Chinese monk Qieci (Chinese: 契此; pinyin: qiècǐ) in the Later Liang Dynasty, who is often identified with and venerated as the future or Maitreya Buddha in Chan Buddhism and Buddhist scripture. With the spread of Chan Buddhism, he also came to be venerated in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.[2] Budai is said to have lived around the 10th century CE in the Wuyue kingdom.

The name "Budai" literally means "cloth sack",[2] and refers to the bag he is usually depicted carrying as he wanders aimlessly. His jolly nature, humorous personality, and eccentric lifestyle distinguish him from most Buddhist masters or figures. He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in Chinese, the "Laughing Buddha".[b][3][4] Budai is traditionally depicted as overweight and having a huge stomach (possibly a symbol of abundance or forgiveness) and many stories surrounding Budai involve his love of food and drink. Because of this, he is also referred to as the "Fat Buddha", especially in the Western world. He is often mistaken by Westerners to be the original Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama.[5]

The main textual record of Budai's life resides in a collection of Chan Buddhist monks' biographies known as The Transmission of the Lamp.[6]

  1. ^ 戴明琮. 《明州岳林寺志‧卷二‧古蹟‧彌勒涅槃石》 (in Chinese). 梁貞明三年三月三日,布袋和尚涅槃。此石方四尺五寸,安置千佛閣下。順治間,提督田公駐劄,為兵所損,尚存片碣焉。
  2. ^ a b Leighton, Taigen Dan (1998). Bodhisattva Archetypes: Classic Buddhist Guides to Awakening and Their Modern Expression. New York: Penguin Arkana. pp. 260–261. ISBN 0140195564. OCLC 37211178.
  3. ^ Cook, Francis Dojun (2002). How to Raise an Ox. Wisdom Publications. p. 166 note 76. ISBN 9780861713172.
  4. ^ "The Laughing Buddha". Religionfacts.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-06. Retrieved 2011-12-26.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Chapin, H. B. (1933). "The Chan Master Pu-tai". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 53 (1): 47–52. doi:10.2307/593188. JSTOR 593188.


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