Laughing Buddha, the statue of him itself brings a sense of happiness and a pleasant aura around you. The Laughing Buddha is cherished all over the world. He is found in homes, restaurants, places of business and so on. He is also known to bring wealth and prosperity to a home or business. It is very easy to recognize the Laughing Buddha. He is shown wearing a robe and prayer beads often hang around his neck. He is bald and has a big fat tummy. 

                                                      There are different types of Buddha statues like Laughing Buddha playing with kids, Laughing Buddha with a bowl, Laughing Buddha with a fan, Laughing Buddha with a sack or bag, Laughing Buddha with dots or balls. Many of us know there is a saying that if wish for something rubbing the stomach of laughing buddha your wish will be granted but how many of us know the story of laughing buddha and who he was?

                                                      He was named Hotei or Pu-Tai is best known as the jolly Laughing Buddha. In China, he is known as the Loving or Friendly One. He was truly a great Zen master and legend has a great story which is so inspirational for all of us. The jolly good saint that he was used to going from one place to the other. He went to the Town Square, he was so funny looking and always smiling that people used to crowd around him. He would then distribute sweets and small toys to all children who had gathered around him. Then keep his bag down, look to the sky and just start laughing. He used to laugh madly whether he was interested or not. Soon his laughter used to be contagious and all who had gathered would start to laugh. The whole town used to laugh and laugh. 

                                                   After some time he would pick the bag, which he had kept down, smile to all, and go to the next town. All his life he did only this action and it was said that many people attained Nirvana, enlightenment just through this process. Hence he was called as the laughing Buddha. His saying says "It is our birthright to laugh" and "No matter what happens we should come back to laughing". He just didn't preach this, he made people realize this through his actions. 

                                                   He never did deviate from this path, even just before he died he hid a lot of crackers and rockets in his clothes. So there also he created such laughter by the suddenness of the situation. So Hotei not only lived in laughter all through his life, he also died in laughter. It's such a blessing to have a statue of such a man at our homes or business but more to all his principle of laughter does make lives much better.