Vacations are enjoyable, but they are tough on the pocketbook. Plus the act of packing and arranging for a trip comes accompanied with its own set of tensions and frustrations. And while a vacation can produce short-term relaxing effects, you do eventually have to come home; returning to all the stresses and tensions you originally tried to escape.
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Meditation and yoga, especially when practiced in tandem, provide a free daily vacation from the stresses and strains of your life. It is a journey of the senses that takes you to a place of serenity and peace—with no worries about gas costs or spending exorbitant amounts of money on souvenirs!

Everyone enjoys a good restaurant meal, but dinners out are a common source of unwanted expense, not to mention excessive calories. Realistically, you may only be able to eat out once or twice a month.

Meditation and yoga, by sublime contrast, supply food for the soul. You’ll eat more sensibly once you start meditating, and won’t be as likely to indulge in fatty comfort food. Through Buddhist yoga meditation, you will find a whole new brand of nurturance.
Most people enjoy a good glass of wine or mug of beer on a special occasion. Yet, due to potential problems with dependence and addiction, you may not want to rely on alcohol as a daily source of relaxation.

And while both over-the counter and prescription drugs are sometimes needed to treat and cure serious illnesses, you can supplement and perhaps ultimately even replace some of the meds that you take with a steady regime of yoga and meditative practices.
Buddhist yoga meditation is the key to healthful, peaceful living; it is fully and truly a vacation of the senses.

Japanese poetry, also, shows the influence of Zen Buddhism. It may be difficult to prove that the form of poetry has been much influenced but its contents reflect every aspect of Zen Buddhist thoughts and ideals. This is peculiarly true of the short stanzas called Tanka, consisting of not more than five lines and thirty-one syllables, and still more of the Hokku, consisting of only seventeen syllables (Izutsu 75). These short poems are really more like epigrams and so are apt vehicles of sentiments too deep for thought or ideals too lofty for many words. The favorite subject matter of these short poems are “the flowers, the birds, the snow, the moon, the falling leaves in autumn the mist on the mountains . . . and the shortness of human life,” but the point of view from which these are treated is usually the Buddhist (Eliot 70). Thus the favorite cherry blossom is the symbol of the brave knight who does not cleave selfishly to this life; the moon is the symbol of the change to which all things are subject, the falling leaves in Autumn point the way of all life, and the shortness of human life is, of course, an ever-recurrent note in Buddhism; and the short stanza is especially well suited to give expression to a sigh over life’s fleetingness.

Then a form of poetry which is distinctively Buddhist is the Wasan or Buddhist hymn. Though the Wasan is not ordinarily ranked very high as literature, occasionally these hymns rise to high levels and compare not unfavorably with our Christian hymns and songs (Dumoulin et al 95).
But if the influence of Zen Buddhism on Japanese life has been strong in the field of art, it has been perhaps even greater in the realm of philosophy and religion. In fact, it is very doubtful whether Shint? would have survived at all if it had been opposed by Zen Buddhism, and not incorporated into it; for Shint? was entirely too primitive to have satisfied much longer the growing intelligence of the Japanese (Eliot 77). Buddhism’s victory might have been delayed but it would have been inevitable. And Confucianism, too, gained its hold in Japan largely because Buddhists propagated it. It was fostered by them because it supplemented the Buddhist teachings, especially in the field of practical ethics. Thus, as we have said, both Shint? and Confucianism had their place in Japanese life largely on terms laid down by Buddhism. This, of course, in turn affected Zen Buddhism and made it quite different in Japan from what it was in other lands. But still the genius of the religion of the Japanese people, especially in its higher intellectual and philosophical aspects, has been for centuries and still is today, more Buddhist than anything else.

The Noble Eightfold Path Is:

Right views, right aspiration, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right contemplation. As the Enlightened One the Buddha statue represents other values as well. The individual is not recognized in Buddhism. All that happens to individuals is based on an impersonal moral “karma.” Once an individual follows all of the steps on the Noble Eightfold path they reach an enlightened pure non-existent state called “nirvana.”

The First Statue

It is believed that the first Buddha statue was not created until four or five hundred years after the death of Buddha out of respect. Therefore, the statues are not an exact replication of the person and there is no “right way” to represent him. The artist had artistic freedom of expression in that area. But, there are certain characteristics and symbolic elements that you will find at least one of in every Buddha statue.

o If the hands are resting in the lap this represents meditation.

o The hands crossing over the chest are a symbol of Dharma-or a state of “being.”

o In the earliest Buddha statue, the figure has both hands raised with the ring finger on the left hand touching the thumb and the index finger on the right hand is touching the thumb to make a circle with the three other fingers held aright. It is not certain what this symbolizes.

Buddhism Exists In Three Forms Today

The first is Mahayana, which reveres Buddha as a God like figure and still uses the Buddha statue to represent him. It is called “the Greater Vehicle” and is the most practiced form of Buddhism in the world today. The second is practiced by just over a third of the Buddhists in the world and is called Theravada, or the “Doctrine of the Elders.” It is atheistic in nature and philosophy but still reveres the Buddha statue. Vajrayana is the least common type of Buddhism and uses the occult and shamanism. It is practiced by just 6 percent of the Buddhists.

Many people looking on the Buddha statue find it a source of happiness and serenity. It is a symbol of the end of suffering and true peace. The Buddhist philosophy that we must strive for perfection and control over our personal cravings to work for the good of all is not a bad philosophy. If society as a whole would adopt at least some of these concepts there would be much more peace and tolerance in the world-we could begin to come to a state of nirvana.

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho is one of the most famous Buddha statues in the world. Incredibly, it’s as long as the Statue of Liberty is high. Wat Pho itself is the largest and oldest temple in Thailand. There are more than a thousand Buddha images in total, with the Reclining Buddha taking center stage. It is decorated with gold plating and mother of pearl. Wat Pho is also where you’ll find the famous massage school. The grounds are certainly worth a bit of exploration, so get your camera ready and enjoy. All the tuk tuk and taxi drivers in Bangkok will be happy to take you to Wat Pho, so you should have no problems finding it.

2. Chachoengsao

The only real attraction is Wat Sothon, which is allegedly one of the biggest temples in the world. People visit this temple to pay their respects to Luang Por Sothorn and to make wishes. Luang Por Sothorn is one of the most sacred Buddha statues in all of Thailand, and there are around 20 other statues in the temple. For a glimpse of Thai culture away from the touristy areas, this is a great place to visit. A little known secret is that the real Luang Por Sothorn is housed next door, and the one people pay their respects to is an exact copy.

3. Chiang Mai

There are a number of famous temples. Wat Chiang Mun has two Buddha statues that are said to be 1,800- and 2,500-years-old. The story goes that they were already there when the city of Chiang Mai was being constructed. Also in the same temple is a tiny crystal Buddha believed to have the power to bring rain. Lai Kam chapel in Wihaan Lai Kham houses the Phra Singh Buddha, the head of which was stolen almost 100 years ago. A reproduced head can now be seen. Chiang Mai is a fantastic place to visit, and it can be reached by overnight bus or train from Bangkok. The 12-hour journey is worth making to see a different side to life in Thailand. If you get a chance to go during one of Thailand’s many festivals, you’ll be in for even more of a treat.

4. Ayutthaya

Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopitah is home to a large, bronze Buddha statue. Wat Phra Mahathat is the famous site of the rows of headless Buddha’s. They are amazing to see, and somewhat spooky in their decapitated states. The biggest bronze Buddha in Ayutthaya can be found a little outside of town at Wat Nah Phra Meru, while Wat Phanancherng boasts its own enormous statue. Ayutthaya is easy to get to, either by bus or by train. Accommodation can cost as little as 100 baht with most of the guesthouses on soi Torgorsor. The locals are all very friendly and there is a strong feeling of community in Ayutthaya.

5. Sukhotai

Mat Mahathat has a large seated Buddha as well as two standing Buddha. Wat Sri Chum in the north zone has another enormous seated Buddha that’s great for taking pictures of. If you can get up early enough to see the sun rise, you’ll be able to witness the incredible effect the emerging sunlight has on the Buddha statues. There are plenty of budget places to stay and eat and Sukhotai is served by a small bus station.

The Buddha statues are in some of the most interesting and striking areas of Thailand. What’s more, they are all relatively cheap to see. All you really need are enough space on your camera’s memory card and a strong pair of legs for all the walking around.

The second type of Buddhism that is mentioned is Eastern Buddhism, also known as Mahayana Buddhism. This sect not only teaches the Pali Canon (which is the religious text of Theraveda Buddhism) but also includes additional texts and beliefs. In order to reach Nirvana, Mahayana Buddhists believe that a person must practice universal compassion, which is the altruistic quest of the Bodhisattva to attain the “Awakened Mind” of Buddhahood. Mahayana Buddhism also has a level of mysticism involved. This type of Buddhism is practiced in China, Korea and Japan, as well as parts of other Asian countries.

The third of the different types of Buddhism is Northern or Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism is also considered to be a type of Mahayana Buddhism, but it also embraces other teachings, texts and practices that are not seen in the Eastern type of Mahayana Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism is also sometimes called Tantric Buddhism or Vajrayana. This type of Buddhism uses both the Mahayana and Theraveda scriptures, as well as a number of Buddhist Tantras – all of which are aimed at attaining Buddhahood in just one lifetime instead of requiring many reincarnations.

Pu-Tai is said to have been so kind that he has become the incarnate of the bodhisattva who will come at some point in the distant future as the Maitreya. Buddhists look forward to a future date when the Maitreya will come to earth bringing with him world peace and harmony between warring factions. According to legend, from time to time throughout the history of mankind, Maitreya is born among men. Though he is recognized as a generous and wise man, he is never recognized by the men of the age for who he really is. The Maitreya lives his life around those who never know the real person.

Pu-Tai is represented as a heavy, bald, laughing man. These characteristics symbolize happiness, good luck, and fortune. Sometimes he is shown with children, other times he has a fan in his hand. The fan is a symbol used by nobility to communicate to their vassals that their wishes will be granted. So, a statue of Pu-Tai holding a fan represents that he is coming to take away the sorrows and unhappiness they feel and replace them with happiness and wealth. Pu-Tai images in statues often also have a bag of money or Chinese coins in their hands.

The image of Pu-tai is not limited to China. This image and story has traveled across the world wherever Buddhism has been transported. In Japan he is known as Hotei. In North America it is not uncommon to see statues of Pu-tai or Hotei in restaurants, temples or worn on amulets. In Western culture, the image of the Happy Buddha comes to mind when people think of Buddha.

Properly considering the lodging, I use it: simply to ward off cold, to ward off heat, to ward off the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun and reptiles; simply for protection from the inclemencies of weather and for the enjoyment of seclusion.

Besides being used in temples and prayers, lotus also has medicinal properties and is used extensively in traditional Thai medicine. Besides this, many handicrafts across Thailand are inspired by the beauty of this flower.

Every year on the 14th full moon night in October, the Lotus Flower festival is held at Bang Phi in Samut Prakan district of Thailand. This festival is celebrated one day before end of the Buddhist Lent. Bang Phi is renowned for its lotus flowers which grows in abundance here. People from all across Thailand come here year in and year out, collect the lotus flowers and offer them to the monks. This Lotus Flower Festival is considered as one of the merit making festivals in Thailand.

During the festival, the image of Buddha is carried on a boat. This image is a replica of Luang Poh To Buddha image. People stand on either sides of the canal and they throw lotus flowers on the boat carrying the Buddha image. These flowers are meant as homage to Lord Buddha, Dhamma and Sangka. The local people also throw lotus flowers on the boats’ of the visitor as a gesture of welcoming them to join the festival.

As per traditions, Buddhist from across Thailand come to this district to pick flowers to offer to monks. The local people consider this as an honor and believe they will be blessed so they volunteer to keep the flowers to distribute it to the visitors. This tradition has become known as the Lotus Receiving Festival or Rap Bua festival.