Buddhism is one of the oldest and most widely practiced religions in
the world. Through its long history, spanning diverse cultures and
far-flung locales, it has developed serious complexity – only one or two
basic principles are common to all traditions, and some sects barely
resembles others at all. Still, all modern Buddhist sects are derived
from the teachings and practice of one man: the Buddha. The term “the
Buddha” in Western culture typically refers to Gautama Buddha
(Siddhartha Gautama), the historical leader of what has become modern
Buddhism. In Buddhist teachings, however, the word has a more flexible
meaning and may refer to other incarnations of the Buddha that occurred
in the past or will come in the future, when he is next reincarnated.
In tattoo art, “Buddha tattoos” may refer to tattoos of either
Siddhartha Gautama or to Budai (also called Hotei), the “Laughing
Buddha”, the smiling, pot-bellied Buddha from Chinese folklore. This is a
different figure, one who is unlikely to have existed historically, but
who some believe will be the next incarnation of the Buddha. Within
those two main categories of designs, there are two additional main
types: designs that depict the Buddha as he would be painted or as a
man, and those that are based on statues (and look like statues or
sculptures).
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Those
who sport Buddha tattoos may wish to show their devotion to this
particular faith or may simply admire aspects of it or of the Buddha
personally – especially a meditative spirit or disconnection from
material possessions. Those who choose Laughing Buddha tattoos may also
relate to the jolly, kind-hearted, yet spiritually deep reputation of
that figure.
Many
Buddha tattoo designs will incorporate elements from traditional
Buddhist art. Many depict the Buddha meditating in front of the Bodhi
Tree, a Sacred Fig tree in India under which the Buddha is said to have
achieved enlightenment. He is often surrounded by lotus flowers, another
popular symbol in Buddhist art that represents the path of spiritual
progression – the lotus takes root in mud but rises above the water to
bloom, floating serenely. In this same way, the soul is said to progress
beyond the temporal material preoccupations of the world, reaching a
transcendent state.
Some
designs will focus solely on the face and/or head of the Buddha. Often,
especially in sculptures, he is pictured with small circular whorls on
his head – it was said by some that he had long, curly hair as a boy,
and when his hair was shaved it came in in tiny ringlets. Others have
suggested that it is an artistic representation of his Crown Chakra or
another spiritual feature. There may also be influence from nearby
Cambodia, where many figures in art are pictured with similar traits. It
is entirely likely that truth is a combination of things like this.
In
designs that base Buddha’s head on representations from statues, of
course, the primary colors are shades of grey. However, color may be
integrated a number of ways, including through the setting of the design
(such as water or clouds) or including things like lotus flowers.
Juxtaposing color beside black and white can make both the colored and
uncolored portions of the tattoo stand out all the more.
The
Buddha’s robes are usually depicted as clean and well-kept, though the
color varies. Various sects Buddhism have different styles of robes for
their monks, and often the sect that produced that particular piece of
art will picture the Buddha in the robes of their tradition. This is
quite often orange, traditional in the Theravada sect of Buddhism that
is predominant in much of Southeast Asia.
Some
designs combine these symbols in a more literal sense, such as using
the Buddha’s face in the center of a lotus flower, a serene and surreal
design feature.
The
Laughing Buddha is usually pictured with a large stomach, the origin of
the term “Buddha belly”. It’s fitting, then, that some people choose to
own their Buddha bellies and have a jolly Laughing Buddha tattooed on
their own stomachs.
Other
designs simply present the Laughing Buddha as he typically exists in
art, smiling and carefree, an unerringly positive figure. Usually he is
clad in monk’s robes, though his stomach hangs out of the front, often
exposing Buddhist prayer beads.
Buddha
tattoo designs may be chosen as a show of affiliation with Buddhism
itself or to represent characteristics associated with the Buddha in
culture – enlightenment, a meditative spirit, peace, transcendence above
material pursuits, etc. Regardless of the designer’s specific
intentions, images of the Buddha are packed with layer upon layer of
complex meaning and connotations.
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