The avatar I’ve chosen is Hotei, the Japanese form of a Chinese Buddha, Pu-Tai, the Buddha of Happiness and Contentment. With his big, fat belly and bright smile, it may be the most popular form of Buddha in the West.

Hotei is a happy hobo that goes from town to town carrying lots of small and beautiful presents for children; he’s always smiling, always drinking and enjoying life at its fullest. He is said to be one of the incarnations (“avatars”, properly) of Lord Maitreya, the Buddha Still to Come.

More info on Hotei, here

I like Hotei because he sums up the contribution China made to Buddhism: instead of the cold and sometimes rigid precepts of Hinayana Buddhism, like abstaining from any kind of pleasure, he gives us a very mundane and essentially lovable image of religion and trascendence; the small, wonderful, instant illumination you can have from watching the sun behind red clouds or the smile of the ones you love.

So, even though I love my Spike Spiegel (from Cowboy Bebop) avatar, here I am, now, as Hotei. A life a definitely would have liked to live!