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Pu-tai

A Dictionary of Buddhism | 2004 | | Copyright

Pu-tai (10th c.). A Ch'an monk of the Five Dynasties period (907–60) of whom very little is known but whose image has become very famous. His name means ‘cloth bag’, and derives from the cloth bundle that he carried on the end of his staff. Traditional sources describe him as very fat and of unrefined and free speech. One story relates that he kept small pastries and sweets in his bag, which he would give to children; as his supply gave out, he would beg money in order to buy more. Later Chinese tradition identified him as a manifestation of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the future Buddha. His image—fat, jolly, with robe hanging open exposing his considerable bulk—has become widely recognized as the ‘laughing Buddha’ seen in many homes and businesses. It is popularly believed that rubbing his stomach brings good fortune. See also Hōtei.

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DAMIEN KEOWN. "Pu-tai." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

DAMIEN KEOWN. "Pu-tai." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-Putai.html

DAMIEN KEOWN. "Pu-tai." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-Putai.html

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Pu-tai

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | | Copyright

Pu-tai (popular figure in Zen iconography): see HOTEI.

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JOHN BOWKER. "Pu-tai." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Pu-tai." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Putai.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Pu-tai." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Putai.html

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