The laughing Buddha is considered as a symbol of happiness, abundance, contentment and wellbeing. Laughing Buddha statues are considered auspicious and are often kept in homes, offices, hotels and restaurants, for positive energy and good luck. Read on to find out more about the significance of Laughing Buddha and how to keep it in your home.
Laughing Buddha: Meaning
The laughing Buddha is a statue of a short, pot-bellied man who has a contented smile on the face. These statues are believed to be symbols of happiness, plenitude, and good luck. For this reason, the laughing Buddha figurines are quite popular as part of home decor. These statues always show the laughing Buddha carrying a cloth bag filled with food and other riches. Laughing Buddha statues come in a variety of forms, each of which symbolises something, ranging from luck, prosperity, and wealth to happiness, love of family, and other values.
Laughing Buddha: History
The person depicted in the laughing Buddha statues and images is a Zen monk from China named Budai, who lived during the later part of Liang dynasty around 907 to 923 AD. With a loving and kind character, he always had a jolly smile on, earning him the name of “laughing Buddha”. Some Buddhist traditions considered him to be the future Buddha or ‘Bodhisattva Maitreya’.
Laughing Buddha statue: Significance
The statue of the laughing Buddha reminds us to be grateful, overcome obstacles and most importantly, be happy in life. In the Feng Shui tradition, the reason for buying and placing statues in the home, is to correct a certain imbalance in one’s life. Although it is a symbol from Feng Shui, Vastu Shastra practitioners also encouraged the placement of laughing Buddhas at home. The laughing Buddha bears a similarity to Kubera, (the god of wealth). So, Indians associate it with prosperity.
Opting for a laughing Buddha statue for home in Vastu and placing it in the northeast direction is said to be auspicious.
Also read: Buddha statue for home Vastu tips
Laughing Buddha: Real name
As per the Chinese traditions, laughing Buddha is a depiction of the Chinese Zen monk known as ‘Budai’. The Buddhist name of this monk was Qieci (Pinyin in Chinese) and he was a native of Fenghua.
Laughing Buddha statue: Popularity and prevalence
Most Chinese temples feature laughing Buddha statues at their entrances. The Lingyin temple in Hangzhou is renowned for its huge 24.6 m-tall laughing Buddha statue, which is carved out of camphor wood and covered with 60 taels of gold. This is China’s largest wooden statue. Laughing Buddha statues are also sold as souvenirs in gift shops and outside temples and monasteries all around the globe.
Laughing Buddha: Types
There are many different types of laughing Buddha statues you can add to your home. Here is a list with the meaning and significance of each type.
Laughing Buddha with a sack or bag

The sack signifies that the laughing Buddha gathers one’s suffering and misery and puts them in his sack and gives one abundance and positivity. The sack also represents wealth and good fortune.
Laughing Buddha holding beads

The beads symbolise meditation. The beads are believed to bring affluence and prosperity. Other interpretations are that it signifies pearls of wisdom or a fruit like a peach or apricot, representing health.
Laughing Buddha figurine sitting on a gold nugget

This statue of a laughing Buddha sitting on a large gold nugget and giving a smaller golden nugget, depicts him bestowing good luck. This statue will protect one from negativity and give good vibes.
Laughing Buddha with a fan and wu lou

The figurine of a laughing Buddha with a fan in one hand and wu lou (bottle gourd) in the other hand bestows blessings and good health. The fan wards off misfortune while the bottle gourd protects from ill-health.
Laughing Buddha with a hat

This statue symbolises a long, happy, healthy and relaxed life. Keep this figurine to remove troubles and be blessed with contentment, happiness and a stress-free life.
Laughing Buddha holding a gold ingot with his hands upright

This pose symbolises riches and good luck. It is believed that this pose attracts blessings from the heavens, prosperity and ample luck for one’s endeavours.
Laughing Buddha figurine with a bowl

Laughing Buddha with a bowl represents a monk, who spends his life just for the happiness of people and in pursuit of enlightenment. The bowl symbolises receiving good fortune and positive energy and higher wisdom.
Laughing Buddha surrounded by children

This laughing Buddha statue represents the well-being of the family. This figurine is also kept in the house to eliminate problems related to children. It improves fertility and overall health.
Laughing Buddha sitting on dragon tortoise

This statue is a symbol of good career and success. It denotes that one will never face hurdles in education. The dragon represents strength and the turtle signifies stability.
Meditating laughing Buddha figurine

For a calm and peaceful life, opt for a statue of a laughing Buddha in the state of meditation. Doing so, will help you manage any stress in your life with ease and enjoy serenity.
Laughing Buddha sitting on an elephant
This statue of laughing Buddha on an elephant symbolises good luck and fortune. An upward-pointed elephant trunk denotes happiness, prosperity, success and wisdom. Place it in the living room, facing the main door, to attract positive energy.
Laughing Buddha with fish
This statue symbolises the Buddha’s wealth and abundance. Keeping this statue at home brings prosperity, success and financial gains, as fishes in Feng Shui represents abundance.
Laughing Buddha on a money frog
Source: Pinterest
The Laughing Buddha statue with a money frog is a powerful symbol associated with wealth and prosperity. The money frog serves as the Buddha’s conveyance, representing abundance and good fortune. As depicted in the image above, a joyful figure rides the money frog, embarking on a journey of success and happiness. Placing this Buddha statue in your home, particularly in the wealth corner or home office, can attract wealth, luck, positivity and blessings to your career. Embrace the symbolism of this statue to invite prosperity and abundance into your life.
Standing Laughing Buddha
This particular Laughing Buddha statue embodies pure joy and prosperity. The figure stands upright, exuding a celebratory energy with gold ingots in hand, symbolising wealth and the happiness it brings. If you’re looking to attract wealth and keep a positive outlook, place this statue in your study or home office. It serves as a cheerful reminder of abundance and can help create a welcoming environment for prosperity in your life.
How to choose Laughing Buddha?
The Laughing Buddha ideal for you depends on why you want to get it. Here are a few things which will help you choose the best laughing buddha for your house.
- For boosting positivity and eliminating misery: Laughing Buddha with a sack or bag
- For bringing good luck: Laughing buddha sitting on a large golden nugget and handing out a smaller gold nugget
- For wisdom and affluence: Laughing Buddha with beads and eyes closed
- For wealth and blessings: Laughing Buddha with a fan and bottle gourd.
- For happiness and healthy: Laughing buddha with a hat
- For attracting prosperity and wealth: Standing laughing buddha with an ingot over its head
- To eliminate problems related to children: Laughing buddha surrounded by kids
- To pursuit enlightenment: A laughing buddha with a bowl
Laughing Buddha statue: Material
Laughing Buddha statues for home are crafted from various materials, each carrying its own symbolic significance related to the elements of nature. Here’s what each material represents:
- Metal: Laughing Buddha statues made of metals like gold, silver, copper, brass or pewter are ideal for attracting improved career prospects and stimulating creativity. They are also beneficial for those seeking to start a new family or embark on a journey.
- Stone: Jade is the most popular stone used for crafting laughing Buddha statues. Jade is associated with luck and good fortune, making a jade laughing Buddha statue ideal for enhancing relationships and promoting good health. It fosters family harmony, knowledge, and personal growth.
- Wood: A wooden laughing Buddha statue helps attract both health and wealth. Placing it in the family sector of your house promotes harmonious relationships and overall well-being for your loved ones. Additionally, positioning a wooden Buddha statue in your office can attract a favourable reputation and fame.
Choose the material that aligns with your intentions and desired outcomes to enhance the positive energy and blessings in your home or office space.
See also: Tips to bring wealth and good luck using elephant figurines
Laughing Buddha: Colours
Laughing Buddha statues are available in many different colours. To help you choose the best one for your home, here’s what each colour signify.
- Though the most popular colour of laughing Buddha is golden yellow, which symbolises prosperity and abundance.
- Laughing Buddha in black colour is associated with the water element in Chinese culture. It helps invite fluidity, good luck and wisdom.
- Laughing Buddha in green jade colour stands for the wood element and is associated with growth, hope and harmony.
- A laughing Buddha statue in red is linked with fire that can help in passion, inspiration and also good fortune. It is a colour that denotes celebration and luck.
- A white-coloured or silver-ceramic laughing Buddha signifies wealth, peace and happiness.
Laughing Buddha statue: Posture
- The sitting posture of the laughing Buddha is considered to be that of love and it symbolises the stability of thoughts and tranquillity.
- The standing Buddha symbolises treasure and happiness.
See also: Vastu Shastra tips for water fountains
Laughing Buddha statue: Meaning of different hand positions
Many different kinds of laughing Buddha statues are available with a variety of postures. Here’s what the laughing Buddha’s hand positions signify.
- Laughing Buddha with both hands raised signifies success in financial matters or personal obstacles. Also, this pose brings blessings from heaven.
- The hand lowered with the palm facing outward is the gesture of bestowing joy and blessings. The hand is extended downward and the wrist is bent at the right angle with the forearm suggesting charity and magnanimity.
- The hand on the head symbolises enjoyment, happiness, and good fortune.
- The hand raised and palm facing outward fingers pointing upward is the symbol of reassurance and positivity.
- Both hands of laughing Buddha with palms upward, the right hand is on the top of the left head signifies meditation, the balance of thought and tranquil mind.
- The left hand in the lap, palm upward and the right-hand bends on the right knee with fingers slightly touching the ground symbolising spiritual knowledge and wisdom.
Why is laughing Buddha lucky?
It is believed that when you install a laughing Buddha statue in your home, it’s essential to keep it happy. As per legends, this can be done by rubbing his belly. It’s believed that rubbing the belly of a laughing Buddha statue brings wealth, good luck, and prosperity.
Laughing Buddha: Vastu and Feng Shui tips for placement at home
When adorning your living space with a laughing Buddha figurine, the direction suitable for its placement should be kept in mind to reap the benefits and invite good luck.
When placing a Buddha statue for home, in Vastu, make sure the area is clean and clutter-free.
According to Feng Shui, placing statues in the home helps to overcome imbalance in one’s life, bring harmony and have a peaceful and prosperous life. Here, we look at the correct placement of the laughing Buddha at home.
Laughing Buddha statue in entryway
The entrance of your home serves as the face you present to the world. Placing the Laughing Buddha here symbolises your intention to welcome prosperity, joy, and laughter into your life. It serves as a daily reminder, greeting you each time you enter or exit your home.
Laughing Buddha statue in garden
Incorporating the Laughing Buddha into your garden is a wonderful choice, as it connects with the natural world. A stone Laughing Buddha can harmonise the energy in both your home and garden, inviting the presence of happy nature spirits.
Laughing Buddha statue in wealth corner
Within the Feng Shui bagua map, there exists a dedicated area known as the wealth corner. To locate it, stand at your front door and look to the far left. Given the Laughing Buddha’s association with wealth and prosperity, placing it strategically in this area can be advantageous. Consider selecting a Laughing Buddha seated on a bed of coins or treasures, and you can also add some precious items of your own to create a corner dedicated to inviting abundance.
Laughing Buddha statue on desk or home office
In Feng Shui principles, your desk or home office symbolises your career and work life. Placing the Laughing Buddha on your desk or within your home office can infuse your workspace with joy and prosperity, potentially enhancing your professional life.
Laughing Buddha statue in living room
The living room is a central gathering place in most homes, making it an ideal location for the Laughing Buddha. By positioning an image of the Laughing Buddha here, you introduce a daily reminder of joy and abundance into your living space, enriching your everyday experiences.
Laughing Buddha in meditation area
Your meditation area holds significance for spiritual practices, and it’s a suitable spot for meaningful items such as images of the Laughing Buddha. If this resonates with you, consider placing an image of the Laughing Buddha or other wisdom deities on your meditation altar, representing qualities you aspire to embody during your spiritual practice.
Laughing Buddha statue in children’s room
As laughing Buddha statue for home is considered a protector of children, place a small statue in children’s room, facing the door for protection and good luck.
See also: Vastu-compliant study table designs for your home
Laughing Buddha: Right directions as per Vastu
The Laughing Buddha is a cherished symbol in both Feng Shui and Vastu, believed to invite positivity and good fortune. For optimal benefits, place it in an area where you spend most of your time, whether at home or in the office. Here’s how different directions influence the Laughing Buddha’s energy according to Vastu principles:
- East-facing: This direction, associated with sunrise, is ideal for the Laughing Buddha to face, as it is thought to usher prosperity into the home.
- Southeast: Positioning the Laughing Buddha here is recommended for enhancing financial well-being.
- Main door: To purify the home’s energy, place the Laughing Buddha facing the main entrance.
Laughing Buddha: Things to avoid
- One should never place the statue in the kitchen, bathroom or toilet.
- Never keep the statue on the floor directly. The statue should be placed at least at eye level.
- Always keep the area around the statue clean and clutter-free.
- Avoid placing the statue near electrical outlets, motors, or above any electronic appliance as it can disturb or block the aura of good energy.
- Never keep the laughing Buddha above a shoe rack.
Housing.com POV
Incorporating a Laughing Buddha statue into your home can bring positivity, joy, and a sense of well-being, reflecting both ancient traditions and modern design sensibilities. Whether placed in your entryway, garden, wealth corner, or workspace, this statue radiates happiness and prosperity, symbolising gratitude, wisdom, and contentment. Choosing the right type, material, and colour allows you to personalise its energy to best suit your intentions, enhancing harmony and balance in your living space. By following the suggested Vastu and Feng Shui guidelines, you can invite abundant positive energy, ensuring that your home remains a sanctuary of joy and prosperity.
FAQ
Which is the best Laughing Buddha statue for home?
The best Laughing Buddha statue for your home depends on your intentions and desired blessings. For prosperity and wealth, choose a Laughing Buddha sitting on a gold nugget or holding a gold ingot overhead, as it symbolizes riches and good luck. If you seek joy and well-being, a Laughing Buddha surrounded by children or with a fan and bottle gourd is ideal. For peace and relaxation, opt for a meditative or seated Laughing Buddha, promoting stability and contentment. Placing the statue in the entryway, wealth corner, or on your desk can amplify its positive energy, inviting happiness, success, and harmony into your home.
Which is the best placement of laughing Buddha at home?
The laughing Buddha can be placed in the east, south-east or north-east direction of the home, or opposite to the main entrance, facing the inside of the house.
Is Laughing Buddha good or bad?
The laughing Buddha is believed to be a lucky charm that brings wealth, prosperity and health.
Is laughing Buddha a god?
It is believed that the laughing Buddha figurine is a depiction of Budai, a Chinese monk from the 10th century.
Can I keep a laughing Buddha statue in the garden?
One can place a laughing Buddha in the garden but ensure that it is not placed on the ground directly. Keep it on a tray or a stool and the statue should face the east direction.
Is laughing Buddha the same as Gautam Buddha?
Laughing Buddha is not the same as Gautam Buddha. Laughing Buddha is a Chinese monk who was a patron saint of children, while Siddharth Gauatma is the prince of Kapilavastu and the founder of Buddhism, who is known as Buddha, the enlightened one.
How many laughing Buddha statues can I keep at home?
There is no specific number in Feng Shui, regarding keeping laughing Buddha statues at home. Each statue suggests something that can harmonise various aspects of your life. Nevertheless, it is better not to keep too many statues and to place them in the correct direction to attract positive energy.
Can I keep laughing at Buddha in the car?
One can hang or display a laughing Buddha on the front dashboard of the car. It signifies taking away of worries and bringing of joy. It can also be a form of protection for a safe journey.
What does the Baby Buddha monk statue signify?
Little Laughing Buddha Statue or monk figurine the adorable little Buddha is in trend in home decor. It signifies good fortune, peace and happiness, These cute statues come in various colours and poses such as reading, meditating, dancing, speaking no evil, hearing no evil gestures etc.
Which pose represents ‘Happy Buddha’?
The Standing Buddha represents ‘The Happy Buddha’ and is said to bring wealth and happiness, into your home. This pose is also called Jolly Hotei since he is laughing with his hands lifted above his head in celebration.
What are the different names of the laughing Budha?
The Laughing Buddha has become a popular name for Budai, a Chinese, Buddhist Zen monk. He is also known as Fat, chubby and Happy Buddha or Budai (Chinese) or Hotai (Japanese). He is also called Pu-Tai (Budai), which means ‘hempen sack’ which he always had with him full of goodies, such as sweets for children.