00:00 This episode is about the laughing Buddha, a small statue often seen in Chinatown tourist shops.

02:08 The laughing Buddha is often mistaken for the actual Buddha, but it is not technically Buddha; the actual Buddha was an eighth-century man named Siddhartha Gautama who achieved Nirvana and became the teaching Buddha of our era.

04:17 Buddhism has grown to have nearly 400 million followers and includes many deities and Bodhisattvas, who work for enlightenment for everyone and put off achieving nirvana to make the world a better place.

06:33 The Buddha is believed to be reborn every time the world is destroyed, and in this incarnation, Gautama became the teaching Buddha of our age, with the reincarnated versions of the Buddha being called avatars.

08:46 The Laughing Buddha, also known as Budai, was a 10th century Chinese monk who was beloved for his potbellied, happy, and gregarious nature, and for giving out treats and rice to the poor and children.

11:00 The Laughing Buddha became associated with abundance and fulfillment, and his self-proclaimed incarnation as the future Buddha cemented his position in the pantheon of deities, but he also became associated with restaurants and bartenders, possibly due to his popularity in art and sculpture during the 15th century and the expansion of global trade in the 16th and 17th century.

13:04 The image of the Laughing Buddha spread to the West and became a popular souvenir, and his association with contentment and fulfillment led to him being revered by restaurant owners and bartenders.