Laughing Buddha
Budai or Pu-Tai[1][2] (Chinese: 布袋; pinyin: Bùdài), or Hotei in Japanese, Bố Đại in Vietnamese, is a Chinese folkloric deity. His name means “Cloth Sack,” and comes from the bag that he is conventionally depicted as carrying. He is usually identified with (or as an incarnation of) Maitreya, so much so that the Budai image is one of the main forms in which Maitreya is depicted in East Asia. He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in Chinese, the Laughing Buddha (Chinese: 笑佛).
The laughing Buddha is regarded as one of the most auspicious Gods of wealth in Feng Shui. It brings prosperity, success and financial gains to the house. The location of placing the Laughing Buddha is important.
How to place Laughing Buddha:
It has to be placed at an height of some 30” approximate and should be-facing the main door directly. The Laughing Buddha greets the energies that enter from the main gate and activates them manifold, and turns highly prosperous. If this location is not possible, the next best place to keep the Laughing Buddha is on a side table or a corner table, which is diagonally opposite to the main door and facing the door. It is not advisable to keep the Laughing Buddha in a bedroom or in the dining room. This God of wealth is not worshiped or prayed to, but just displayed and its presences is purely symbolic and auspicious. There are many forms of Laughing Buddha. Some are in standing position and some are in the sitting position. However using any form of Laughing Buddha, may it be having a bag behind him, may it be in the form of holding an ingot in his hands or may it be sitting on the bed of the coins and ingots, are all good and therefore advisable.
It is a known fact that by placing the Laughing Buddha in any direction facing the entrance of your home or office; you bring in prosperity and good fortune to yourself.
