Can Somebody Please Enlighten Me?

[ThaiPauly]

This may sound very nieve, but why do all images of the Bhudda portray him to have very long ears ?

I met a man who was 100 years old on Saturday night, who impressed me very much, a devout Bhuddist who showed a great deal of interest in the fact that I was a Bhuddist Farang

However this Man DID have very long ears and I remarked on this too my Wife (that I had never met anyone before who had ears that looked like the Bhudda so much)

I know that The Bhudda did not live to be 100, so why are his ears portrayed in this way?

I don't mean in any way to be disrespectful, it is just something that I want to know, I have never seen or read anything about this subject, it seems to be a case of "It is what it is"

Can anybody shed some light on this matter for me so I can understand more?

Many Thanks

TP

[Abandon]

There are a number of characteristics of a Great man in the Suttas (admittedly some of the more bizzare suttas) The one of interest to you is no.49 of the secondary 80 characteristics.

http://www.dcult.com/Buddhism-(L-Z)/Physic..._the_Buddha.php

Various physical atributes are mentioned at various times ... such as a long tongue that can reach into the ears or cover the nose. Also the male gentials are enclosed in a sheath.

My grandfather had long ears too. Funny thing was he could play lots of musical instruments having leared only by ear. He could also pick up languages in a matter of months, just by ear. He always blamed his long ears on his mother who was always gripping him by them.

Captian Spock has three ears.

The left ear, the right ear, and the final frontier.

Anyway see also:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_symbolism

and

http://www.buddhism.ndirect.co.uk/32marks2.htm

for an explanation of the significance.

Edited January 24, 2006 by Abandon

[Totster]

Captian Spock has three ears.

The left ear, the right ear, and the final frontier.

silly sod

totster

[orchis]

I thought because when he was still a prince the jewelry

in his ears were so heavy as to elongate the lobes.

[robitusson]

I understood it was a symbol of wisdom to have long ears.

[jdinasia]

Symbolic of perfection and enlightenment I believe ... just the same as you will often see the toes and fingers on images/statues being the same length