One of his several names is Bansidhar, which means the holder of the flute. So it came as a pleasant surprise to me that Buddha, the enlightened one, too, played this divine musical instrument made from the bamboo plant.
No written records about Gautama were found from his lifetime or from the one or two centuries thereafter. But from the middle of the 3rd century BCE, several Edicts of Ashoka (reigned c. 268 to 232 BCE) mention the Buddha and Buddhism.
Transverse flutes made out of animal bones were used in Europe in the Paleolithic era. These instruments can certainly be regarded as the ancestor of the flute.
These Jdtaka tales14 consist of narratives interspersed with chanted verses. Ii Jiiraka Number 243 tellsI6 how the Buddha had once lived the life of an eminent musician playing the vwd ("arched harp")17 at the court of Benares.
The fig tree became known as the bodhi tree because the Buddha reached enlightenment (bodhi) after meditating beneath one such tree for 49 days.
He then would sleep for an hour. Thus we can see the Buddha was busy the whole day. In fact he only slept one hour each day during this 45 years of teaching. During the early hours of the day he saw the whole universe, blessed it with his boundless love and brought happiness to millions.
After reaching enlightenment at Bodhgaya, Shakyamuni meditated and fasted for forty-nine days. Thus, showing him as an emaciated renouncer relates to his enlightenment and his status as a yogic ascetic who has ultimate control over his body.
Before he touched the first note, the Buddha reflected on how many, many years ago he played the flute as the Sakya prince in the capital city of Kapilvastu.
The performance and consumption of singing is strictly prohibited. Regulations on chanting and recitation are mutually exclusive and context dependent. Chanting is required on two occasions: when one praises the Buddha's virtues and when one performs the Tridaṇḍaka ritual.
Musical and ritual instruments
For use in Buddhist practice: Vajra and bell sets, Large cymbals, Tingsha, Gongs, Drums, Conches, Damarus, Chod drum, Tibetan Trumpet, each designed to evoke certain energies and engage Body, Speech and Mind in practice.
According to a Greek legend, Athene had invented the flute, and then cast it aside because it distorted the features of the player. Marsyas took it up, and became so skilful as to challenge Apollo, the patron god of the lyre.
He's called Kokopelli: a prehistoric, musically talented fertility deity with roots in Native American culture, where he's represented across pottery, cave art, and lore.
Theobald Boehm (1794-1881) was a German inventor and musician best known for developing the modern flute and improved fingering system, known as the “Boehm system.” Boehm patented his new fingering system in 1847.
Some high level Buddhists have drawn analogies between Jesus and Buddhism, e.g. in 2001 the Dalai Lama stated that "Jesus Christ also lived previous lives", and added that "So, you see, he reached a high state, either as a Bodhisattva, or an enlightened person, through Buddhist practice or something like that." ...
A long passage in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra shows the Buddha speaking out very forcefully against meat consumption and unequivocally in favor of vegetarianism, since the eating of the flesh of fellow sentient beings is said by him to be incompatible with the compassion that a Bodhisattva should strive to cultivate.
Light golden skinn – the Indo-Aryan race had golden brown skinn. The Buddha belonged to the elite of that society, and probably had a lighter golden brown colour. Dark hair with a topknot – before the Buddha began his training towards awakening, he had dark wavy/curly hair and a topknot.
Essential reminders
The Buddha image should not be used in any way and on any object: T-shirts, pants, plates, slippers, etc. it's no ! Buddha image can not or should not be tattooed. A tattoo of Buddha is generally very badly perceived in Asia.
Conscious eating is followed among all Buddhists. Buddha advised monks to avoid eating 10 kinds of meat for self-respect and protection: humans, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, boars and hyenas.
What the Buddha Never Taught is a musical celebration of the western encounter with Buddhism. Based on the book by Tim Ward, the story is set in a fictional international monastery populated by an assortment of western practitioners.
A Laughing Buddha is the ultimate symbol of happiness, taking away any problem, symbolizing good fortune, wealth in private and career, life fulfillment. Budai is regarded to be an incarnation of the Bodhisattva Maitreya.
Some people believe that the ball represents wisdom. Others also interpret it as 'peach' that brings good health and prosperity. The beads represent meditation which is an essential part of a monk's life. Some people also relate it to wisdom.
Instead of going vegetarian, some Buddhists will opt to prioritize preventing food waste over vegetarianism. While alive, the Buddha merely restricted his intake of meat but did not fully ban it. In fact, the Buddha's last meal was tainted pork which led to the Buddha contracting food poisoning and death.
Completely abandoning his luxurious existence, he spent six years as an ascetic (1987.218. 5), attempting to conquer the innate appetites for food, sex, and comfort by engaging in various yogic disciplines. Eventually near death from his vigilant fasting, he accepted a bowl of rice from a young girl.