高僧
妙华长老 (1922-2009)
简历
妙华长老1922 年生于中国福建福鼎县。1935 年，长老于福州西禅寺礼传谨长老为师，披剃为僧。1938年在西禅寺依永心老和尚座前禀受三坛具戒。1945 年，长老于越南西贡主持“二府庙”寺务，后任二府庙住持长达15 年之久。1960 年，长老在越南西贡胡志明市创建万佛寺，并为开山住持。
1960年，长老参加第一届世界华僧大会，受委任副秘书长。过后，长老于万佛寺接受白圣长老的传法，成为曹洞宗第47 法嗣。同年长老在台湾台北市阳明山创建地藏寺，在美国加州创建妙慧寺。
属于龙山寺派下之弟子的妙华长老在1979 年离开越南到新加坡龙山寺。在龙山寺居住一段时间后，应龙山寺方丈广洽长老邀请，荣任龙山寺监院，其间还任弥陀学校董事。同年，长老受托接管新加坡知归佛社。1988年，长老又在福建厦门市重建鸿山寺。1992年，长老辞别龙山寺到知归佛社主持寺务。
工艺品
工艺品描述
Bearing a wide smile, the laughing Buddha is depicted as an oversized jolly monk with a large belly protruding from his robes. Laughing Buddhas are typically shown carrying a cloth sack which is absent in this particular guise, symbolising contentment rather than abundance.
历史背景
Based on legends and folklore, the laughing Buddha is the incarnation of Chinese zen monk Budai from the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), who was proclaimed to be the future Buddha Maitreya.
The Chinese name 'Budai' was given to the monk as he carries a sackcloth slung upon his shoulder, which stores his possessions and gifts for children, alluding to symbols of abundance and joy.
In Japan, Budai is known as Hotei and is known as one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, who became widely revered and celebrated during the Edo Period (17th CE - mid 19TH CE). As such, Hotei was regarded as the god of good fortune and was referred as the patron deity of fortune tellers and liquor merchants.
Figures of the laughing Buddha are commonly enshrined at Buddhist temples of East Asia like China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.