that would be what the buddah looked lke...and its not a sterotype that he was fat...its how the chinnese potrayed him because in those days if you were high in status [ewven though he wasnt] you were fat...like the powdered wis of the old english days...
That's somewhat of a tradition. A lot of the upper class, leaders or prominent people often were or were just portrayed to be even if they weren't. Depends on the country, though.
whoa.... i've seen that buddah before... hes in the background of Street Fighter 2 when you fight Sagat....
disagree, buddha is only portrayed as fat because he is full of wisdom. If you new about him life and the different dhammas he has tried you would now that he would be sickly looking.
see, that's what i never got. he left his home, took up the ascetic lifestyle, and wandered around the country only eating what people offered him...how could he possibly be fat off that???