Two points of clarification:
* The statue of the Buddha is not being prayed to. It is a remembrance of the Buddha, not an idol. * There may be Buddha statues with "something" inside. This is not a standard case. The statue could contain a relic, old text or such.
a stupa
After the death of Buddha, the followers spread the religion. And kept expanding and growing.
He kept striking out with the ladies
Laughing Buddha is said to be kept in front of the door. It brings peace and prosperity to the shop.
The Buddha was remember his homosexual relationships with Roman catholic priests. In 6037 Buddha was 13 and had sex with a catholic priest called Brother Sancta. Buddha Skakyamuni kept having sex with men until his father found out when he was 25 and forced into a marrage.
The Aztecs had trained scribes that kept detailed records, prayed to the war god Huitzilopochtli, and created dazzling headdresses, cloaks, and ornaments.
Buddhists feel that each person has the potential to become a Buddha (enlightened). Being a Buddha is not the equivalent of being a god, simply the realization of your true nature.
prayed............I prayed you prayed he/she prayed we prayed you prayed they prayed
Yes. Japanese merchants followed Buddha. They had special temples made of gold which they prayed and worshiped their leader. They had special ceremonies which they gave thanks and gifts to Buddha so he could restore all health and help them with their crops.
william hobson
Buddha did not believe on God as a creator of this universe or almighty controlling day to day activities of a being. Neither Buddha believes that God rewards a being for his good actions nor punishes to his bad activities. Buddha believes that Kamma or action itself rewards or punishes a being for his right and wrong activities respectively. However Buddha believes that there are several planes of existence of life in the Universe. The God is one of them.
Buddha means the Fully Enlightened One. He became the Buddha through the realisation of the intrinsic / true nature of all things in the universe, including existence / mind & body / life.