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 Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 8:55 pm
Well, I have told a few of my friends that I am Buddhist, and a couple of them, one in particular named William, just made me really angry. He thinks he knows everything and he doesn't. When I told him I was a buddhist he looks at me and starts laughing. Then he goes "so, you worship a fat guy?" GAHH! It just made me angry... has anyone ever said that to you?
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Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 4:03 pm
LOL Thankfully for William, we Buddhists are to have compassion and tolerance for the ignorant...
I haven't had any such experiences, thankfully. You may want to point out that Gautama Buddha is generally accepted as having been slim and handsome, if not physically fit, when healthy...He practiced strict asceticism prior to Enlightenment and was "skeleton-like" for awhile. The "Fat Buddha" is a popular figure that was actually a joyous Chinese monk believed to be an incarnation of Bodhisattva Maitreya; I don't recall his name off-hand. I've yet to see any other fat character associated with Buddhism...Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and saintly figures are almost always pictured as being slim to muscular in build.
Other plump "Buddha-like" figures appear in Far Eastern mythology, notably the Chinese gods of wealth (I believe).
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:16 pm
Thanks for telling me biggrin
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Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 5:21 am
I've had someone ask me with genuine curiosity of Buddhists really worship some fat guy. I was terribly amused, so I laughed, but I began to explain what ElectricLoki has written there.
The reason why the Fat Buddha (who is called "Buddai" in Chinese, or "Hotei" in Japanese) is so popular in North America, and why it seems everyone has seen him, is because when Chinese immigrants came to North American long, long ago, they brought their culture with them. The popularity of Buddai was one of the things they brought with them, and they would tell people, "This is Buddha."
So, to this day, Buddai is associated in popular culture with the historical Buddha. His popularity is unrivaled! xd
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Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:36 am
Nirvahara I've had someone ask me with genuine curiosity of Buddhists really worship some fat guy. I was terribly amused, so I laughed, but I began to explain what ElectricLoki has written there. The reason why the Fat Buddha (who is called "Buddai" in Chinese, or "Hotei" in Japanese) is so popular in North America, and why it seems everyone has seen him, is because when Chinese immigrants came to North American long, long ago, they brought their culture with them. The popularity of Buddai was one of the things they brought with them, and they would tell people, "This is Buddha." So, to this day, Buddai is associated in popular culture with the historical Buddha. His popularity is unrivaled! xd Here's a link to a discussion of the 'fat Buddha's' origin: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/20773
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Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:32 pm
*sigh* Well, a lot of my friends think I am becoming Buddhist because I love Japan. I want to learn Japanese and live in Japan when I grow older, so a lot of my friends think that it's because I like Japan that I became buddhist. I tried to explain that thats not why, and that Japan was a mostly athiest country, but they disagreed. Along with that, during lunch yesterday my friend asked if I was really buddhist and I said "Yeah, I want to become more of one." And then, of course, William, being the one who thinks he's above everyone else turns to me and says "Alex, you are not effing buddhist!" GahH! sorry! Its just frusterating! gonk sweatdrop
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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 9:56 pm
Hmm...I've had issues like that before. They're great opportunities to actually practice that compassion and understanding that you've been learning.
Do you understand why he doesn't think your Buddhist? Do you see how, in your friends' shoes, you could get confused or skeptical about your claims?
Do you see yet how you should deal with it, given your range of options? Is it something that can be dissolved by ignoring the case, or by direct confrontation? (Btw, the answer to that last question is an emphatic "no").
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Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:01 am
mazuac *sigh* Well, a lot of my friends think I am becoming Buddhist because I love Japan. I want to learn Japanese and live in Japan when I grow older, so a lot of my friends think that it's because I like Japan that I became buddhist. I tried to explain that thats not why, and that Japan was a mostly athiest country, but they disagreed. Along with that, during lunch yesterday my friend asked if I was really buddhist and I said "Yeah, I want to become more of one." And then, of course, William, being the one who thinks he's above everyone else turns to me and says "Alex, you are not effing buddhist!" GahH! sorry! Its just frusterating! gonk sweatdrop Why are you getting frustrated? Him declaring it doesn't mean you aren't one and he'll get over it eventually Just forget about it
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Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:50 am
bluewolfcub mazuac *sigh* Well, a lot of my friends think I am becoming Buddhist because I love Japan. I want to learn Japanese and live in Japan when I grow older, so a lot of my friends think that it's because I like Japan that I became buddhist. I tried to explain that thats not why, and that Japan was a mostly athiest country, but they disagreed. Along with that, during lunch yesterday my friend asked if I was really buddhist and I said "Yeah, I want to become more of one." And then, of course, William, being the one who thinks he's above everyone else turns to me and says "Alex, you are not effing buddhist!" GahH! sorry! Its just frusterating! gonk sweatdrop Why are you getting frustrated? Him declaring it doesn't mean you aren't one and he'll get over it eventually Just forget about it I agree. I wouldn't let the ignorance of others get you down.
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Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:21 pm
I've never really been told anything like that but it sounds like it would be infuriating. Your friend William is probably just familiar with the image of the Buddha as a jolly, bigger guy. Ignorance, that's all it is. ^.^
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 12:03 pm
Hmm.
His Buddha is fat.
Not yours.
He doesn't have to accept your Buddha.
=]
I've had similiar problems. Really, it just ammounts to you having to let go of that anger. That anger is very likely the ego saying 'Hey, check me out. I know the Buddha WASN'T fat, and this guy is WRONG.'
So yeah.
I'm sure we all do the same as your friend is doing, sometimes.
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