The laughing Buddha has become a fairly ubiquitous decorative object in homes, offices, restaurants, etc. It is considered to be a symbol of happiness, well-being, abundance, and contentment. They are very auspicious and can supposedly attract positive energy and good luck.
The laughing Buddha is depicted as a short, pot-bellied man who wears a beatific smile on his face. These statues represent joy, abundance, and good luck. The statues also show him carrying a cloth bag filled with food as well as other riches. Laughing Buddha statues come in many forms. Each of them symbolizes different things, like prosperity, luck, wealth, happiness, harmony, etc.
History of the Laughing Buddha
The laughing Buddha is supposedly a Zen monk from China. His name was Budai, and he lived during the latter part of the Liang dynasty, around 907 to 923 AD. He was a kind and loving man who always had a jolly smile on his face. This earned him the name “laughing Buddha”. He was a native of Fenghua. In some Buddhist traditions, he was regarded as the future Buddha or ‘Bodhisattva Maitreya’.
Most Chinese temples have a statue of the laughing Buddha installed at the entrance. The Lingyin temple in Hangzhou has a huge 24.6 m-tall laughing Buddha statue. It was carved out of camphor wood, and 60 taels of gold were used to cover it. It is China’s largest wooden statue. Gift shops near temples and monasteries sell these statues as souvenirs.
Significance of the Laughing Buddha
The laughing Buddha has great significance. It reminds us to be grateful and happy in life. In Feng Shui, laughing Buddha statues are recommended to people who suffer from some imbalance in their lives. Though it comes from Feng Shui, Vaastu Shastra practitioners also recommend keeping laughing Buddhas at home. The laughing Buddha has a close resemblance to Kubera, the Hindu god of wealth. So, Indians tend to associate it with wealth and prosperity. People usually place it in the northeast direction, as it is auspicious.
Placing it at home in the right direction is believed to generate positive energies and remove negative energies in the form of illness, debts, stress, etc.
It is not good to keep the laughing Buddha statue outside your house. According to Vaastu, the living room is the best place to keep the statue.
Types of Laughing Buddha and Their Meanings
Laughing Buddha statues come in many forms, and each has its own meaning.
The Meditating Laughing Buddha
The meditating laughing Buddha signifies calm and peace. It can help you handle problems in a stress-free manner. The study room, Pooja room, or bedroom are suitable places for keeping this statue.
Buddha with a Dragon Tortoise
The Laughing Buddha who sits on the back of a dragon tortoise suggests power and strength. It can bring favorable developments in your career and income. A major change may occur if you keep it behind your desk at your workplace.
Buddha with a Sack of Gold Coins
Laughing Buddha with a sack of gold coins on his back is a good Vastu recommendation for good luck. The sack symbolizes good fortune and happiness. It can also reduce negative energy in the living area. The sack can also mean that the laughing Buddha takes your pain and misery and puts them in his sack so that your life is filled with abundance and positivity.
Laughing Buddha Holding Beads
The beads represent meditation. They are believed to bring prosperity. Other meanings are that it represents pearls of wisdom or a fruit like a peach or apricot, representing good health.
Laughing Buddha Sitting on a Gold Nugget
This statue shows the laughing Buddha sitting on a large gold nugget and giving a smaller golden nugget. It means that he is bestowing good luck. It can protect one from negativity, and it gives good vibes.
Laughing Buddha with a Fan and wu lou
The laughing Buddha with a fan in one hand and wu lou (bottle gourd) in the other hand brings blessings and good health. The fan wards off misfortune, and the bottle gourd protects one from illness.
Laughing Buddha with a Hat
This statue represents a long, happy, stress-free, and healthy life.
Laughing Buddha holding a gold ingot with hand upright
This represents wealth and good luck.
Laughing Buddha with a Bowl
It represents a monk who devotes his life to the well-being of others and the quest for enlightenment. It is a symbol of good fortune, positive energy, and wisdom.
Laughing Buddha Surrounded by Children
This laughing Buddha statue signifies the well-being of the family. It can eliminate problems related to children and enhance fertility and overall health.
Laughing Buddha Sitting on an Elephant
This statue signifies good fortune. An upward-pointed elephant trunk indicates happiness, success, prosperity, and wisdom. Keep it in the living room, facing the main door, to help attract positive energy.
Laughing Buddha with Fish
This represents wealth and abundance. Fish in Feng Shui denote abundance.
Laughing Buddha on a money frog
It is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. The money frog is the Buddha’s conveyance. Placing it in the wealth corner of your home or office attracts wealth, luck, positivity, and success in your career.
Where to Keep the Laughing Buddha?
1. Place the Laughing Buddha in front of your main door to attract good fortune.
2. Place the Buddha statue in the east direction of the house, or where all the family members can see it.
3. The Buddha can be placed in the children’s room, too. It helps them to focus on their studies, and they will also respect their parents.
4. Keep the statue on the office desk to get a better salary and overcome enemies.
5. Keep the statue at a height that is equal to or higher than eye level.
Laughing Buddha Benefits
Having a Laughing Buddha at home brings many benefits. It helps you earn more money. It can bring peace, joy, and harmony to the family. It can also attract positive energy, which is good for your health and career. It can also ward off the effects of black magic, witchcraft, and the evil eye.
How to Keep the Buddha Laughing?
The belief is that when you place a laughing Buddha statue in your home, you need to keep it happy. Supposedly, rubbing his belly does the trick, and he becomes happy. Rubbing the laughing Buddha statue's belly is also said to bring wealth, good luck, and prosperity.
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