cultures. Proportions The image of Buddhas started to emerge from the first century CE in North India, developed in Gandhara and Mathura. The art of Gandhara was influenced by Ancient Greek art, leading to the development of Greco-Buddhist art with anatomically well-proportioned and realistic figure of the Buddha. One of the most influential Buddhist art was Gupta art and the later Amaravati style. From India the depiction of Buddha spread to the rest of Asia. The Buddharupas of India, Sri Lanka, Javanese Sailendra and Cambodian art usually depict a well-proportioned figure, but sometimes he is shown emaciated, in recollection of the Buddha's years of ascetic practices. Many people may be familiar with the "Happy" or "Laughing" Buddha, a different historical figure, who should not be confused with the images of Gautama Buddha. Budai, a Chinese Buddhist monk also known as Hotei, is depicted as fat and happy, almost always shown smiling or laughing, and is associated with Maitreya, the future Buddha. Postures, gestures and artifacts A statue or a painting of Buddha always illustrates a mudra or gesture. There are large numbers of these, but a few are the oldest and most common. In Mahayana Buddhism, some of the most common have also become identified with the five transcendental Buddhas, also called “Dhyani Buddhas” or “Pancha Buddhas”, further complicating identification of the figure shown. These mudras are as follows. Dharmachakra Buddha Mudra – Vairochana: Dharmachakra mudra has two hands held against the chest with the tips of the thumbs and forefingers of each hand united. This mudra represents a gesture of teaching. Bhumisparsa Buddha Mudra – Akshobhya: This gesture, “touching the earth” (Bhumisparsa) mudra, became Buddha Akshobhya's mudra. The Buddha called upon mother earth to bear witness to his attainment of Enlightenment. To indicate this, he touched the earth with his right hand as witness to his perfection. This mudra is related to the Maravijaya attitude. Varada Buddha Mudra – Ratna Sambhava: In this mudra right hand lies open near his right knee. His left hand is seen holding an alms bowl. In Sanskrit, Varada means ‘granting a boon’. The gesture shows the right palm turned towards the receiver of boons, with the fingers pointed downwards. Dhyana Buddha Mudra – Amitabha Buddha: This mudra has the left hand resting on the lap with the palm facing upwards, the right hand on the top of the left one (also with its