Many non-Buddhists have a misunderstanding of the Buddha image. I thought it would be a good idea to write a post explaining the significance of the image from a Buddhist's perspective. First of all, Buddha is not considered God. He isn't really worshiped as such. The Buddha (meaning "enlightened one") was a human being that physically lived on earth many years ago. He was a great and wise teacher, much like Jesus. His teachings are what are important to Buddhists. For those, he is very respected. Buddhists pay these respects in differing ways. A statue of the Buddha is full of symbolism for the Buddhist, all of which remind he/she of the things Buddha discovered and taught. So to say one worships Buddha statues is not an accurate description of what is actually occurring. The physical presence of a Buddha figure merely reminds us to practice each moment and remain mindful of our true nature.
