Thursday, August 20, 2009
Does the Buddha Have a Big Belly?
Q: Why does the Buddha have a big belly?
A: The Buddha is not depicted with a big belly in Tibetan or Indian art. The big belly seems to be a Chinese thing. [Addendum: My Chinese cultural consultant says that the big-bellied Buddha is most certainly Maitreya, the future Buddha. The big belly represents being full of potential.]
In Tibetan and Indian iconography, you can clearly see the Buddha represented in a slender and fit body.