Why is the Buddha depicted in different ways?
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Because there are different Buddhas :) \nBuddha simply means enlightened one, so thus there are many figures of the many people who became enlightened, became a Buddha.\n\nNo, once the man has been enlightened, they have achieved what is called moksha, it's a release from the cycle of birth, karma and death. Thus they can not be reborn again. \nSome Buddhists believe that you have 18 incarnations (or so) until you achieve enlightenement, others see it as limitless, however they are all searching for the same thing :) \n\nWhat's most interesting is that Siddhartha asked them to not make "a god" out of him: ie: make these huge and wonderful sculptures that they pray to. Now, they've made sculptures of all the many ancient Buddhas, but I just think they're all amazing. I hope to go over to Thailand/Japan sometime to see a few of them in person.\n\nTri- Thank you for your input too, I wasn't aware about the difference between the Buddha and the bhodisatva.
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the Buddha’s enlightenment is the direct result of this combination of meditation and wisdom - concentration and insight. \n\nAccording to the Buddha, a sentient being who aspires to persevere on the path of Bodhisattva and accumulates unlimited pure merits for three Great Asogi Kalpa periods, may go to a pure land and attain Buddhahood.
404629
Christianity has been changed to the convienience of the people in power of it during the years, maybe it simmilarities were made because someone wanted to eliminate the egyptian beliefs and put the image of his god over the image of horus. Maybe it is a coincidence or more. maybe is a cultural mixture
822554
many buddhists consider jesus to have been a bodhisattva, which means a spiritually enlightened being (no bearing on divinity btw) who makes a conscious choice to stay in the living plane in order to help others.
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To start with, Christianity has a problem with any faith that does not conform to the doctrines set forth in their bible. Buddhism does not conform to their teachings in any way.\n\nFirst and foremost, the argument is that the bible does not recognizes Buddha as one of gods messengers. And if it is NOT in the bible, it is not the truth. \n\nChristians teach that there is one god and only one god.  => Buddhism teaches that there are many devas and none are worthy pf praise for they are just beings trapped in Samsara. (The cycle of life, death and rebirth.) \n\nChristians believe that Jesus was the son of god and thus, god himself. => Buddhists do not share this belief because gods are not omnipotent creators to be praised. \n\nChristians believe in a soul...a sprit that lives on after the death of the body => Buddhist do not. There is no self that lingers or move on or anything.  There is no 'self'. There is just the essence of the Chita. \n\nChristens believe in a heaven with their god  => Buddhist do not have a belief in heaven. \n\nChristians believe that Jesus died to free them of their sins.  => Buddhist do not believe in sin. There is karma, and only we can change the outcome our actions and thoughts will have on us, not some god.\n\nChristians believe that only the chosen will be liberated and go to heaven. => Buddhist believe that ALL beings can be liberated and attain enlightenment. \n\nChristians believe that the catalyst for their salvation is external to themselves, via god.  => Buddhist believe that the catalyst for enlightenment can ONLY be found within ourselves...our unborn Buddha Mind! \n\nThere are many other arguments, but these are the most prominent. \n\nI hope this helps.
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Just come back from a Buddhist temple 1 hour ago!Had a visiting monk from California giving a sermon on morality!\nSo what goes on in the temple?When there is no function devotees might come and do meditation.Not much decoration,but we have a big Buddha image with neon light behind the head!You are welcome to visit any of the Buddhist temple!
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Buddha was born in India. he was a price. his father tried to protect him from illness and horror of the world but he saw sick people and old people when he left the palace. he rejected his inheritance and went to travel in search of wisdom. he rejected the caste system and said that it is not necessary to be in the highest cast to achieve liberation from the birth/rebirth cycle.
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Last I heard, they couldn't find him.\n\nAs for one Buddha per era, that's bunk.  All of us are capable of attaining buddha-hood.  There were buddhas before Shakyamuni, there were buddhas after him, there will conitinue to be buddhas.  He never claimed to be anything more than just a regular man, who found a means for relief of suffering, and shared that means with anyone who would listen.  He never set out to found a 'religion', only to help people discover the means to find their own path.  He's not a God, and never claimed to be.\n\nBack to the subject at hand.  Whether he is, or whether he isn't, does it really matter?  The world will continue to turn, and reality will keep on being reality, whether the boy is still sitting beneath the tree or not.
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I think people tend to make Jesus look like themselves in order to feel closer to him.  I have seen artwork in which Jesus is depicted as Asian, African American, or hispanic.  Since Jesus died for everyone, I don't really see a problem with this.\n\nClick on the link below to see the artwork of one of my favorite artists, He Qi.  The Asian influence in his artwork is obvious, but I also think it is incredible.
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Improper Use of Images. Whereas humans are to imitate and endeavor to mirror the qualities of their heavenly Father and model their lives after his Son, the veneration of physical images in worship is consistently condemned throughout the Scriptures. God’s detestation of such practice was clearly expressed in the Law given to Israel. Not only carved images but the making of the “form” of anything in heaven, on earth, or in the sea as an object of religious worship was prohibited. (Ex 20:4, 5; Le 26:1; Isa 42:8) Such objects might be made of any substance, in any form—wood, metal, stone; carved, cast, hammered, hewn; in the figure of humans, animals, birds, inanimate objects, or just symbolic forms—but none were approved by God for veneration. The making of them was a ‘ruinous act,’ the committing of evil in Jehovah’s eyes, a detestable and offensive thing bringing his curse upon those doing so. (De 4:16-19, 23-25; 27:15; Nu 33:52; Isa 40:19, 20; 44:12, 13; Eze 7:20) The decking of them with gold and silver would not make them less disgusting in God’s sight nor prevent their being defiled and discarded as “mere dirt!”—De 7:5, 25; Isa 30:22.\n\nSuch use of images is shown to be inexcusable before God, since it goes contrary to all reason and intelligence and betrays foolish, empty-headed reasoning as well as a refusal to acknowledge obvious facts. (Isa 44:14-20; Jer 10:14; Ro 1:20-23) The images would prove to be of no benefit; giving no knowledge, guidance, or protection; being speechless, helpless, and lifeless, an eventual cause for shame. (Isa 44:9-11; 45:20; 46:5-7; Hab 2:18-20) Jehovah’s prophetic declarations, accurately foretelling future events, thwarted any efforts of the unfaithful Israelites to attribute the outworking of such events to their idolatrous images.—Isa 48:3-7.\n\nDespite God’s clear pronouncements, the Israelites and others foolishly attempted to combine the use of religious images with the worship of the true God, Jehovah. (Ex 32:1-8; 1Ki 12:26-28; 2Ki 17:41; 21:7) A woman in the time of the Judges even sanctified certain silver pieces to Jehovah and then used them in the making of a religious image. (Jg 17:3, 4; 18:14-20, 30, 31) Prior to Jerusalem’s destruction by the Babylonians, detestable religious images had been introduced into the temple area, and one such is described as a “symbol of jealousy,” evidently referring to the incitement of God’s jealousy by giving to an image the praise rightfully belonging to him.—Eze 8:3-12; Ex 20:5.\n\nHowever, certain objects, formed in the image of plants, flowers, animals, and even cherubs, were made at Jehovah’s command and hence were proper. While serving as symbolic representations in connection with God’s worship, they themselves were given no veneration, or worship, as in the matter of prayer or sacrifice.—See IDOL, IDOLATRY.
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QUESTION: Wasn’t it irresponsible for the Buddha to walk out on his wife and child?\n\nANSWER: It couldn’t have been an easy thing for the Buddha to leave his family. He must have worried and hesitated for a long time before finally leaving. But he had a choice, dedicating himself to his family or dedicating himself to the whole world. In the end, his great compassion made him give himself to the whole world. And the whole world still benefits from his sacrifice. This was not irresponsible. It was perhaps the most significant sacrifice ever made.\n\n-------------\n\ni also heard that it is her wife who ask Siddharta to give birth for her so she can remember him, she agree with Siddharta's search for truth.\nlater, i heard that his wife and his son and many family members also follows him.. (but you might want to validate it)
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Gautama Buddha ( also known as Siddhartha ).\nSitting under a pipal tree, now known as the Bodhi tree, he attained Enlightenment.
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One true colour remains yellow  ( in western understanding - not Buddhist yellow ). The betrayal of his people  is black which is not a colour but is made up of all colours and is without light  . So we will light candles for all the dead and turn a terrible spotlight on the betrayers.\nDizzy.
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It's the same reason you do not follow the teachings of the Buddha. Diff'rent strokes buddy.
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Why can't the world put aside differences and follow the teachings of the Buddha?\n\nThere are different relgions because, basically, every religion is founded in the self-story of a specific people, and an attempt to make sense of *their* lives, in *their* circumstances, within *their* culture of poetry and myth, and environment.\n\n\n.
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Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of life. Buddhist practices such as meditation are means of changing oneself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path - a path which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood.Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator God, some people do not see it as a religion in the normal, Western sense. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible.\nthe 'devotion' used in Buddhism is not one based on emotion, but one based on reason.\nA Buddha is not omnipotent or all-powerful; otherwise the Buddha would have ended all suffering in the universe....\nHe did not claim that he was a god, the child of a god or even the messenger from a god.\nWhen we bow, we express our gratitude to the Buddha for what his teachings have given us. This is the nature of Buddhist worship.\nWhen someone worships a god, they praise him or her, making offerings and ask for favours, believing that the god will hear their praise, receive their offerings and answer their prayers. Real Buddhists do not indulge in this kind of worship.\n\nhence, the benefits of heart sutra is to understand our realities, not to 'pray' or 'worship' the words in the sutra.
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Because it's not Christianity! \nThe Buddha had a philosohpy that spread peace and understanding not violence and hate. He spread a belief that leads to enlightenment and ultimate unity with nature, self, and the present.