laughing Buddha?
laughing Buddha?
I’ve read a fair number of suttas and sutras, but I’ve not read any that describe the Buddha as laughing. Did the Buddha have a sense of humor?
“Enlightenment means to see what harm you are involved in and to renounce it.” David Brazier, The New Buddhism
“The most straightforward advice on awakening enlightened mind is this: practice not causing harm to anyone—yourself or others—and every day, do what you can to be helpful.” Pema Chodron, “What to Do When the Going Gets Rough”
“The most straightforward advice on awakening enlightened mind is this: practice not causing harm to anyone—yourself or others—and every day, do what you can to be helpful.” Pema Chodron, “What to Do When the Going Gets Rough”
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dzogchungpa
- Posts: 6333
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Re: laughing Buddha?
There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
Re: laughing Buddha?
According to some traditions Arhants cannot laugh, but under certain circumstances they can smile, which the Buddha did in certain Suttas.
Kevin...
Re: laughing Buddha?
Thank you for the link.dzogchungpa wrote: ↑Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:33 am You might find this interesting:
https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Wri ... 151017.pdf
I guess an academic book about the Buddha’s humor was destined to be humorless. The Introduction argues that the suttas are not without humor, that the fault is with the translators or with us, but fails to present (even with explanation) anything that can remotely be called humorous.
Even the story that made the Buddha’s smile lacks humor.
“Enlightenment means to see what harm you are involved in and to renounce it.” David Brazier, The New Buddhism
“The most straightforward advice on awakening enlightened mind is this: practice not causing harm to anyone—yourself or others—and every day, do what you can to be helpful.” Pema Chodron, “What to Do When the Going Gets Rough”
“The most straightforward advice on awakening enlightened mind is this: practice not causing harm to anyone—yourself or others—and every day, do what you can to be helpful.” Pema Chodron, “What to Do When the Going Gets Rough”
Re: laughing Buddha?
Thank you for the links to earlier discussions. It seems the answer is “not really” and there’s not much more to say about it.
“Enlightenment means to see what harm you are involved in and to renounce it.” David Brazier, The New Buddhism
“The most straightforward advice on awakening enlightened mind is this: practice not causing harm to anyone—yourself or others—and every day, do what you can to be helpful.” Pema Chodron, “What to Do When the Going Gets Rough”
“The most straightforward advice on awakening enlightened mind is this: practice not causing harm to anyone—yourself or others—and every day, do what you can to be helpful.” Pema Chodron, “What to Do When the Going Gets Rough”
Re: laughing Buddha?
Apparently, back in the days when he was still a Bodhisattva on the Path, The Tathagata used to poke fun here and there.
https://sdhammika.blogspot.com/2008/09/ ... ataka.html
"You have to make the good out of the bad because that is all you have got to make it out of."
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Sentient Light
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- Location: San Francisco, California
Re: laughing Buddha?
I think SA110 is hilarious. https://suttacentral.net/sa110/en/analayo
After defeating a Jain in a debate, the Buddha proceeds to ridicule the Jain thusly:
After defeating a Jain in a debate, the Buddha proceeds to ridicule the Jain thusly:
At that time the Blessed One, in that great assembly, took off his upper robe and bared his chest, [saying]: “Try to see if you could stir a single hair of the Tathāgata!”
Nam mô A di đà Phật 
Nam mô Quan Thế Âm Bồ tát Nam mô Đại Thế Chi Bồ Tát Nam mô Bổn sư Thích ca mâu ni Phật Nam mô Di lặc Bồ tát Nam mô Địa tạng vương Bồ tát -
dzogchungpa
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- Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 10:50 pm
Re: laughing Buddha?
clyde wrote: ↑Thu Jul 05, 2018 6:11 amThank you for the link.dzogchungpa wrote: ↑Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:33 am You might find this interesting:
https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Wri ... 151017.pdf
I guess an academic book about the Buddha’s humor was destined to be humorless. The Introduction argues that the suttas are not without humor, that the fault is with the translators or with us, but fails to present (even with explanation) anything that can remotely be called humorous.
Even the story that made the Buddha’s smile lacks humor.
Tough room.
There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
Re: laughing Buddha?
Vajrakilaya laughs. His laugh is a bit hair raising, but it is a laugh nonetheless!
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE
"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE
"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde