Buddha is usually depicted in paintings and sculpture with long ear lobes that signifies that Buddha is able to listen inwards as well as to the people. The bump on his head represents enlightenment. Some Buddha busts and sculptures have a sort of aura around the head, like in Christianity, it represents his purity.

Brass Buddha statues and figures have been made in India since the 8th century. Until the 13th century Buddhism was widespread in India and it was natural that Indian artisans would make Buddha statues with brass, the popular metal of the times.

Hat tip to Universal Buddhism

Cute and beautiful bags inspired by the wisdom of the Buddha and Buddhism. Like the Buddha bag on the right, which refers to the doctrine of karma as it says ‘What we think we become’.

The lotus shown is a symbol of spiritual attainment as it grows out of the mud (the dirt of everyday life) towards the sun (symbol of truth and love). Orange, red and yellow are the traditional colors Buddhist monks and nuns have dressed in for centuries.

The top 3 Buddhist Books

	You might want to digest this book slowly, a few pages at a time. Although Zen teacher Steve Hagen has a knack for putting the philosophy of Buddhism in a “plain and simple” package, it may take a while to sink in. There is so much there. Seeing reality, realizing the wisdom of the self, breaking free of dualistic thinking–this is pretty heady stuff. Thankfully, Hagen passes it along in the form of examples from life, psychological tidbits, and stories from Buddhist teachers past and present. And when it clicks in, it can be life-transforming. Hagen explains this shift in outlook and how the fundamental way we look at the world affects everything we do. As an outline, Hagen follows the basic teachings of the Buddha, and we see that, rather than dogmatic truths, they are reminders for us as we reconsider the life we have taken for granted for so long. As it turns out, Buddhism is life, plain and simple. –Brian Bruya Price: $6.15 List Price: $10.95
	The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching What should we think when on the one hand Buddhism tells us that life is suffering and on the other we are told to enjoy life’s every moment? Loved around the world for his simple, straightforward explanations of Buddhism, Thich Nhat Hanh has finally turned his hand to the very core of Buddhism and conundrums such as this. In the traditional way, Thich Nhat Hanh takes up the core teachings one by one–the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Twelve Links of Interdependent Co-Arising–but his approach is as fresh as a soft breeze through a plum orchard. For illustration, he dips into the vast stores of Buddhist literature right alongside contemporary anecdotes, pointing out subtleties that can get glossed over in other popular introductions. He also includes three short but key sutras, essential source teachings from which all Buddhism flows. Studying the basics of Buddhism under Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh is like learning basketball from Michael Jordan. –Brian Bruya Price: $8.57 List Price: $14.95
	Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life Thich Nhat Hanh’s writing is deceptive in its subtlety. He’ll go on and on with stories about tree-hugging or metaphors involving raw potatoes; he’ll tell you how to eat mindfully, even how to breathe and walk; he’ll suggest looking closely at a flower and to see the sun as your heart. As the Zen teacher Richard Baker commented, however, Nhat Hanh is “a cross between a cloud, a snail, and piece of heavy machinery.” Sooner or later, it begins to sink in that Nhat Hanh is conveying a depth of psychology and a world outlook that require nothing less than a complete paradigm shift. Through his cute stories and compassionate admonitions, he gradually builds up to his philosophy of interbeing, the notion that none of us is separately, but rather that we inter-are. The ramifications are explosive. How can we mindlessly and selfishly pursue our individual ends, when we are inextricably bound up with everyone and everything else? We see an enemy not as focus of anger but as a human with a complex history, who could be us if we had the same history. Suffice it to say, that after reading Peace Is Every Step, you’ll never look at a plastic bag the same way again, and you may even develop a penchant for hugging trees. –Brian Bruya Price: $6.95 List Price: $15.00

Still, there are a few things to take into account:

1. Real Buddhists have taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha
2. Many Buddhists meditate (though traditionally this was only done by a few monks)
3. Buddhists will often vow to take on the Five Vows – pancha sila – either on religious holidays or throughout their life.
4. Many Buddhists are vegetarians
5. Buddhists often have rituals dedicated to the Buddha: puja rituals.

Buddhism is making a name for itself as a modern spiritual path towards happiness, without dogma. The calendars on this page share uplifting quotes and inspiring photographs to help you make the best of your life.

See these Buddhist calendars 2010

In the West religion is often defined by what one BELIEVES, but many other religions are more easily defined by either community or what one DOES, aka practices and rituals.

Buddhism is perhaps most easily defined as a belief in a a path towards enlightenment, with the main teacher of this path being Gautama Buddha, aka Siddhartha.The rest of this article about Buddhism: practices and beliefs.

Karma means action. The idea is, at it’s simplest, that good is rewarded and evil punished. Or more practically put: selfishness is punished and unselfishness rewarded. The Dalai Lama puts it even more radically: From the perspective of karma it is selfish to help others, because that will be rewarded.

Belief in karma means that reincarnation follows logically: otherwise the actions done just before death would not have their logical result.

The rest of this article about karma and reincarnation: how good and evil come in.

These books explain Buddhism for a modern Western audience. They generally focus on the practical aspects of Buddhism: how to live your life well and meditation. See also the best scholarly books on Buddhism.