From year to year, the oldest religion of the East - Buddhism - replenishes its ranks with new followers. Like any other faith, Buddhist teachings resonate with millions of hearts. Someone decorates the home with symbols of their faith, someone focuses on clothes and jewelry, and some prefer to immortalize the talisman on their body in the form of an image.
Recently, however, Buddhist tattoos have been chosen not only by religious people, but also by those who like oriental teachings. About which tattoos in the style of Buddhism are most relevant, you will learn in our article.
Great buddha
Of course, the most popular Buddhist tattoo is the image of the founder of this faith - Buddha. It carries several meanings and as a whole acts as a talisman for its owner. The main message of the Buddha image is faith in the best, enlightenment, abundance and good luck. This, according to Buddhists, is the most important criteria of human life. In the photo below you can see what a sketch of a Buddhist tattoo looks like.
Variations of the image of the Buddha can be a great many. And also, if desired, its size and color scheme are selected. Typically, the Buddha is portrayed surrounded by other positive charms of Buddhist practice. Thus, the strength of the tattoo increases by several times.
Dharma Wheel
For those who are not ready to depict the Buddha on their bodies, one should pay attention to another talisman-tattoo - the wheel of the Dharma, which symbolizes enlightenment as a whole and the path to it. It is believed that each of the wheel spokes carries a special meaning, which is extremely important for Buddhists.
Most often, the wheel of the Dharma is depicted on the body in color, highlighting each of the spokes with its own shade. Such a tattoo will be a wonderful decoration for the forearm or wrist.
Lotus
Girls, as the most gentle creatures on the planet, prefer to decorate their bodies with flowers. When it comes to Buddhist tattoos, the choice often falls on the lotus. According to legend, it is believed that a woman who chooses a padding in the form of a blossoming lotus flower tends to be wiser, as well as find peace of mind and harmony with the world. In addition, Buddhists believe that the lotus is a symbol of true purity and purity.
Like any tattoo, there is no and cannot be a certain place for applying the lotus. Its location and the shape of the image of the flower depends on the personal desire of the hostess. Professional craftsmen offer their customers lotus sketches with oriental patterns on the petals, in a minimalist style or graphics.
An interesting fact is that the selected shade of the flower also matters. For example, a white lotus is able to protect its owner on a spiritual level, red - indicates the crystal clear soul of a woman, and blue symbolizes the desire for wisdom and the desire to comprehend the truth of human life.
Hotei Tattoo
No less significant figure for Buddhists is Hotei or, in other words, the God of prosperity and abundance. Surely, many of you have often seen in the homes of relatives or friends a figure of a cheerful fat-bellied and bald monk. This is Hotei. According to legend, this figure brings prosperity, good luck and happiness to the house. Therefore, many decide to make it an image on their body.
A Buddhist amulet tattoo with Hotei is depicted on the upper arm, back or hip. And, most often, this choice is made by the male representatives. Probably due to the fact that on the female body the cheerful God Hotei looks a bit overweight.
Hotei himself can be depicted with various objects in his hands, symbolizing certain wealth of the material world or the spiritual. However, one thing remains unchanged, namely the bag in the hands of the monk. Buddhists believe that in it Hotei carries everything that a person aspires to, that is, wealth and varied food.
Elephant tattoo
A very serious and positive symbol of Buddhists is the elephant. Of course, for our country, the choice of this animal as a picture on the body may look a little strange, but in eastern countries elephants are very revered and loved. These large, strong and friendly animals have incredible energy and power. By depicting the head or the full figure of an elephant on the body, a person wants to acquire or strengthen in himself such qualities: dignity, will and love for people around him.
By the way, an elephant tattoo does not have to be large at all. Women prefer small images on the clavicle, wrist or lower abdomen.
Thai Monk Tattoos
In eastern countries, there is such a thing as tattoos of Buddhist monks, called Yantra. Their essence lies in the magical influence on the person on whom they are applied. The tattoo itself is an ancient pattern interspersed with the prayers of Buddhists.
Yantra is made manually, using a metal needle with ink. In order to make such a tattoo, everyone is sent to the temples of Thailand, where this type of protection is practiced.
In each of these temples, there is a monk who does this work. After passing a special ritual and making small donations for the temple, you can become the owner of this magic tattoo in literally 30 minutes.
The sketch is chosen by the monk tattoo master himself, depending on what kind of protection you want to receive and depict on your body. Regarding the health and safety of the Yantra, there is indeed a risk of infection. Since, as a rule, the conditions where the monks make these tattoos are somewhat unsafe. However, it seems that this item does not bother the guests of the temple, who come every day for a new amulet.
Problems with Buddhist body tattoos
Recently, in the news more and more often stories of people have come up who, one way or another, could have some problems due to the images on their Buddha body. For example, some tourists with such tattoos were simply not allowed out of the airport and sent to their homeland, considering the tattoo with Buddha unacceptable.
Also, professional masters of Buddhist tattoos and their meanings are aware that in the Eastern countries there is an unwritten rule regarding the place of the image of the Buddha. It is believed that the lower part of the human body is dirty, while the upper opposite is clean. This is due to simple concepts, so the face and body of the Buddha should not be in contact with these places. Thus, the tattoo applied to the upper body remains clean and inviolable.
Perhaps for some, these rules will seem frivolous, but still consider them if you decide to make a Buddhist tattoo on your body. After all, you never know where life can take and what problems can be due to the seemingly innocent underwear mascot.