# Why are Buddha statues so popular in the west? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 27, 2022, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431 "2022-08-27T10:56:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/62 "2025-04-03T05:02:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In case anyone is curious, @crowmanyclouds didn’t bump this thread. A spammer (selling, as you might imagine, Buddha statues) did, and then got zapped. The central message of Buddhism is “every man for himself”, after all. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/63 "2025-04-03T14:28:44Z")
So it’s Ayn (“Buddha”) Rand? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/64 "2025-04-03T14:42:54Z")
Just as a note, most “Buddha” statues aren’t meant to portray the historical Gautama Siddhartha, or even the Fat “Lucky” Buddha (I’ve heard about four different explanations for that figure, by the way). Some statues are of Maitreya (the “future Buddha”), some are Bodhisattvas (“a compassionate Buddhist being who has attained enlightenment but chooses to delay entering paradise to help others”), including Avalokiteshvara, “The Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion” (AKA Kwan-Yin AKA Guanyin AKA Gannon AKA Chenresig, and a lot of other aliases – look it up), which is arguably the most worshipped figure in the world. In fact, there is a class of “starving Buddha” figures portraying Siddhartha in emaciated form to represent him fasting, which is the very antithesis of the familiar “fat Buddha”. There are a lot of books to tell you about them and their representations and symbols (which are as varied and distinct as the Western Saints). I think of these books as “Field Guide to the Buddhas”. One of the best is Alice Getty’s **The Gods of Northern Buddhism** > **[The gods of northern Buddhism, their history, iconography, and progressive...](https://archive.org/details/godsofnorthernbu00gettrich/page/n7/mode/2up)** > > lii, 196 p. 30 cm > **[Avalokiteśvara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara)** > > In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (meaning "the lord who looks down", IPA: /ˌʌvəloʊkɪˈteɪʃvərə/), also known as Lokeśvara ("Lord of the World") and Chenrezig (in Tibetan), is a tenth-level bodhisattva associated with great compassion (mahakaruṇā). He is often associated with Amitabha Buddha. Avalokiteśvara has numerous manifestations and is depicted in various forms and styles. In some texts, he is even considered to be the source of all Hindu deities (such as Vishnu, Shiva, Saraswati, Brahma, While Av... ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/65 "2025-04-03T19:39:46Z")
A bit late to the garden party, but I figure that most Buddha statues in landscapes wind up there because they’re thought to emphasize serenity/meditativeness. The places that sell mass-produced garden statuary (usually concrete) have more Christian saints than Buddhas, somewhat for the same reason but with more overtly religious overtones. I have a couple of Chinese foo dogs around the garden, along with gargoyles, including this guy: > **[dedo statue - Bing](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=9E4WLvq7&id=3B34A809846C513117C37E179179C2560BDB7D80&thid=OIP.9E4WLvq7Asz_3ysjELlW_gHaHu&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F31%2Ff4%2F34%2F31f43465841639a93cea1ab8c03d3438.jpg&cdnurl=https%3A%2F%2Fth.bing.com%2Fth%2Fid%2FR.f44e162efabb02ccffdf2b2310b956fe%3Frik%3DgH3bC1bCeZEXfg%26pid%3DImgRaw%26r%3D0&exph=522&expw=500&q=dedo%2Bstatue&simid=608000089754633302&form=IRPRST&ck=CECD44FC197AA8B9448126DE8DCDE3A6&selectedindex=5&itb=0&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0&vt=1&sim=11)** > > Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you. No “spiritual” significance, I just like them. Lots better than the cherubs, fairies and cutesy animals that some prefer. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/66 "2025-04-06T18:28:15Z")
> [@HorribleMutantBoy](#): > > Buddhist teachings are much more well known in the west compared to those of Hinduism or Jainism. People wouldn’t really get much of a feeling from a statue of Ganesha or Krishna. I have a number of Ganesha statues, and I have a good feeling about this particular god (and his little mouse buddy). > [@susan](#): > > I’m not Christian, but I have some Marian representations. They are from majority culture in my country, so hardly “exotic” or a attempt to make an identty statement. After a trip to the Northeast US in my twenties, I was struck with a lifelong craving for a bathtub Mary. I just don’t know where I’d put her as I don’t have a front yard. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/67 "2025-04-06T21:52:33Z")
I do miss the bathtub Marys! ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/68 "2025-05-01T19:49:52Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I have a couple of Chinese foo dogs around the garden, Those are lions, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/69 "2025-05-01T21:30:26Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I have a number of Ganesha statues, and I have a good feeling about this particular god (and his little mouse buddy). I want to make a statue of an elephant-headed god out of emulsified chocolate. That way, I’ll have a Ganache Ganesh. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/70 "2025-05-01T22:01:10Z")
Sounds yummy! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/71 "2025-05-01T22:06:22Z")
The making might well be properly worshipful. I’m thinking it’ll be hard for the eating to be anything but sacrilegious. I’m no believer in anyone’s religion. But somehow disrespecting anyone’s iconic images and forms seems gratuitously rude. Laughing at their beliefs is one thing. Poking rudely at their statuary is another. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/72 "2025-05-01T22:13:56Z")
I was just making a silly pun. If I offended anyone, I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/73 "2025-05-01T23:08:05Z")
Not I. It was clever. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/74 "2025-05-01T23:22:26Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The making might well be properly worshipful. I’m thinking it’ll be hard for the eating to be anything but sacrilegious. Mmm… sacrilegious. [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/sBuqGOn.png "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/sBuqGOn) (dunno why, but “last supper candy bar” seems to be a thing) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/75 "2025-05-02T00:18:46Z")
If the proper way to eat a chocolate Ester bunny is to bite off the ears first, ISTM the only way to properly eat a last supper bar is to go for jeebus’ head first. So wrong. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/76 "2025-05-02T00:53:10Z")
Gotta save Jesus for last, though. I’d say go for Judas first, but he’s kinda buried in there. In cross form, clearly you bite off the arms first, then the head, then the feet: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/I20shKo.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/I20shKo) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/77 "2025-05-02T00:56:17Z")
Dayum, but there are some things I just can’t wrap my irreverent heathen brain around. They happily sell these by the thousands or millions but get upset about _Piss Christ?_ WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/78 "2025-05-02T01:02:12Z")
To be fair, I don’t know who exactly is buying or selling these things. I grabbed the cross ones from this site: > **[Religious Chocolates, Chocolate Jesus, Chocolate Mary, Chocolate Christ](http://chocolatefantasies.com/religious.htm)** > > Chocolate Crosses, Chocolate Angels, Chocolate Crucifix, Jewish Chocolates, Star of David Chocolates They have plenty of Jewish-oriented stuff too. Not to mention “adult” chocolates. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/79 "2025-05-02T01:14:58Z")
That’s quite a site / cite. Yeah, I’d say that whole place deals in irreverent and we can assume most of the religious items are sold to unbelievers in whichever faith’s icons are being modeled and mocked. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/80 "2025-05-02T01:18:05Z")
Long as it’s chocolate, I don’t think it matters. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431/81 "2025-05-02T13:37:28Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > If the proper way to eat a chocolate Ester bunny is to bite off the ears first… I think you need you wash your mouth out with [soap](https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Organic_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_(Organic_Chemistry)/Esters/Reactivity_of_Esters/Saponification#:~:text=Esters%20can%20be%20cleaved%20back,the%20ester%20hydrolysis%20of%20fats) for that heresy [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-buddha-statues-so-popular-in-the-west/970431.md?page=5)