Who is the fat bodhisattva?

His smiling face, fat and cheerful all day long, is Buddha Maitreya.

In Chinese Buddhist temples, when you enter the mountain gate, you will often see a statue of a fat monk with a big smile, bald head, big ears, a bare chest, and a protruding belly, sitting on his back and laughing at the people entering the temple.

The origin of Maitreya Bodhisattva

Maitreya is a transliteration of the Sanskrit term “Cishi”, also known as “Ajita Bodhisattva. The full name means “compassion cannot be overcome”, which means that no one can overcome the compassionate heart, so Maitreya is called ” “Great Compassion”, together with Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Guanyin and Ksitigarbha, are collectively known as the “Five Great Bodhisattvas”.

Tusita Inner Courtyard

Maitreya Bodhisattva currently lives in the inner courtyard of Tusita Heaven. After four thousand years (equivalent to 5.6 billion human years), he arrived in the human world and became a Buddha under the Longhua tree in Hualin Garden. He is the fifth of the Thousand Buddhas of the Xiankalpa.

Third Buddha

Buddhism has the theory of three generations of Buddhas, which are divided into horizontal three generations and vertical three generations. The three Buddhas are erected: Kassapa Buddha in the past life, Sakyamuni Buddha in the present life and Maitreya Buddha in the future life. According to Buddhist scriptures, Maitreya Bodhisattva received the the Buddha’s inscription and will succeed Sakyamuni as the future Buddha.

Budai Monk

In Chinese Han Buddhist temples, the shapes of Maitreya Bodhisattva are often divided into two types. Most temples have statues of smiling faces. This is the image of Monk Qizi from the Five Dynasties, also known as Budai Monk. According to legend, he is the embodiment of Maitreya Bodhisattva. Therefore, Later generations enshrined the statue.

Plastic sky crown Maitreya statue

In addition, there are some temples with statues of Maitreya with celestial crowns, which are the images of Maitreya Bodhisattva in the inner courtyard of Tushita Heaven: one face with two arms, a smile on his face, his hair in a high bun, a crown on his head, treasure earrings on his ears, and a treasure necklace and treasures on his neck. Yingluo, wearing soft heavenly clothes. Holding a lotus in his right hand and an Asuka flower in his left hand, he sits in the lotus position in the center of the lotus throne.

Final words

A big belly can tolerate things that are difficult to tolerate in the world;
Smile when you open your mouth and laugh at the ridiculous people in the world.

Hui Xiangyao

May this be a blessing. The solemn Buddha’s pure land.
Reported quadruple grace. The three journeys to relief are difficult.
Universally willing to fulfill the Dharma Realm. Indulge in all sentient beings.
If anyone has seen it. Learned Bodhicitta.
Make this newspaper itself. Born together in the land of bliss.