ABOUT 2500 YEARS AGO GAUTAMA SIDDHARTHA A MAN WHO HAD RENOUNCED HIS PRINCELY TITLE TO LEAD A LIFE OF MEDITATION WAS SITTING UNDER A TREE AND REALISED WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF SUFFERING IN THE WORLD, FROM THAT MOMENT ON HE WAS BUDDHA AND HIS TEACHNGS HAVE BECOME A WORLD RELIGON

BUDDHA GAUTAMA DECLARED THAT BEFORE HIM THERE HAD BEEN OTHER HUMAN BUDDHAS THESE BUDDHAS HAVE THE SAME EXTERNAL FEATURES AS GAUTAMA; A TOP KNOT, A MARK ON THE FOREHEAD AND LONG EAR LOBES.

THERE IS HOWEVER THE LAUGHING BUDDHA. HE IS NOT A MANIFESTATION OF ONE OF THESE BUDDHAS.
HE IS THE CHINESE MASTER OF ZEN NAMED POE TAI HOSHANG, HE LIVED BETWEEN THE 6th AND 10th CENTURIES AND DISCOVERED THE BUDDHA WITHIN HIMSELF. HE WANDERED THROUGH CHINA WITHOUT ANY CARES AND WAS PERFECTLY HAPPY, AFTER HIS DEATH HE WAS WORSHIPED AS A GOD OF GOOD FORTUNE. HE IS THOUGHT TO BE ONE OF THE REINCARNATIONS OF BUDDHA BY SOME AND A DISCIPLE OF BUDDHA BY OTHERS. WHICHEVER HE IS STILL THOUGHT TO BE WANDERING THE EARTH AS AN EXPRESSION OF THE BEAUTY THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WHEN ANYONE FINDS HIS OWN TRUE NATURE OR "THE BUDDHA WITHIN HIMSELF "

SOURCE THE BOOK OF BUDDHAS BY EVA RUDY JENSEN.



SOME SYMBOLS AND POSITIONS OF BUDDHAS AND THEIR MEANINGS


DHYANA     Def: THE HANDS ARE RELAXED IN THE LAP THE TIPS OF THE FINGERS AND THUMBS TOUCH.......... GESTURE OF ABSOLUTE BALANCE AND MEDITATION.

ABHAYA     Def: ONE HAD RAISED IN A RELAXED MANER........GESTURE OF REASSURANCE AND PROTECTION " DO NOT FEAR "

VITARKA     Def: A CIRCLE IS FORMED BY THE THUMB AND INDEX FINGER ....SIGN OF THE WHEEL OF THE LAW ALSO INTELLECTUAL ARGUMENT.

BHUMISPARSA     Def: ONE HAND POINTING DOWNWARDS IN A RELAXED MANNER.......SIGN OF TOUCHING THE EARTH TO INVOKE THE TRUTH OF HIS WORDS.

PADMASANA     Def: THE WELL KNOWN LOTUS POSITION FOR RELAXATION AND MEDITATION.

LILA ASANA     Def: SITTING AT EASE THE ARM USUALLY HANGS OVER THE KNEE .......FOR RLAXATION AND DISCUSSION.

TRIBHANGA     Def: UPRIGHT WITH THE FEET APART ..... SAID TO BE A SIGN FOR GOOD HEALTH LETTING THE BAD HUMORS RUN AWAY.

AKSHAMALA     Def: ROSARY CONSISTING OF 108 BEADS A MANTRA IS SAID FOR EACH BEAD ......ALSO SAID TO BRING GOOD FORTUNE.

PADAMA     Def: OPEN LOTUS FLOWER....... SYMBOL OF PURITY.

PATRA     Def: BEGGING BOWL ...... SYMBOL OF BENEVOLENCE.

MAYURAPATTRA     Def: PEACOCK FEATHERS INDICATE IMMUNITY TO ALL POISONS AND WORLDLY TEMPTATIONS.

SWASTIKA     Def: SYMBOL OF THE LAW AND UNENDING POWER EQUALY A SIGN OF GOOD FORTUNE.

CHATTRA     Def: PARASOL...... PROTECTION AGAINST ALL EVIL.

KALASHA     Def: THE VASE OF ABUNDANCE... SIGN OF SPIRITUAL WEALTH.