Possessing a Smile Like the Buddha

Possessing a Smile Like the Buddha

A smile is a universal language.
It breaks down barriers between people and brings hearts closer together.
The smile of a Buddha or Bodhisattva holds a deeper meaning.
It recognizes that despite human suffering, there is hope for liberation.
Modern people can learn through meditation,
feeling less troubled and smiling more.
Possessing a smile like the Buddha's.
 
■ Xu Huijuan (徐慧娟)

A baby in swaddling clothes, teased by their parents, giggles, making one feel like smiling should be instinctive, and something that comes with just a joke. Yet, we've also discovered that the inability to smile seems to be a common phenomenon among modern people. Whether it's a smile, a chuckle, or a heartfelt laugh, smiling—a universal language that transcends race and culture—has become something that must be encouraged.
 
In fact, no matter where in the world, even if one doesn't understand the local language, a simple smile can build a bridge of communication. Coincidentally, a smile is also a common expression found in statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. While Buddha statues around the world may differ in style due to different ethnicities and regions, the smile on their faces remains constant.
 
Buddha and Bodhisattva statues are created according to human forms and the thirty-two auspicious characteristics described in Buddhist scriptures. Buddha statues always convey a warm, loving, and joyful smile. What meaning do the smiles of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas represent?

The Subtle Meaning behind the Buddha's Smile

In his article "The Smile of Philosophy (哲學的微笑)," Hong Kong cultural figure Liang Wendao (梁文道) recounts his interest in Buddhism after stumbling upon a distinctive smile on the face of a Buddha statue while traveling. "I've always been puzzled by that smile. What are they actually laughing at? What do they see behind those slightly closed eyelids?" As a student of philosophy, he began his exploration of Buddhism with the usual skepticism of philosophers.
 
The Buddha's smile must also be a crucial element in guiding sentient beings to learn Buddhism, right? Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, who was born around the 2nd Century CE and preached Mahayana Buddhism, analyzed the subtle meaning behind the Buddha's smile in his "Treatise on the Perfection of Great Wisdom (大智度論)", a commentary on the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra (摩訶般若波羅密經).

Nagarjuna believed that the Buddha's smile held multiple layers of meaning. Gazing upon sentient beings with compassion, the Buddha saw those deluded beings seeking to escape suffering while simultaneously doing more things that make themselves even more miserable, and a smile of compassion and forbearance crept across his face. The Buddha knew that helping sentient beings understand the Dharma and escape suffering was not easy. However, while observing the difficulties, he also saw hope for their liberation. Thus, a smile once again crept upon the Buddha's face. The subtle smile of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas holds a rich depth of meaning, distinct from the smiles of sentient beings caused by various worldly causes and conditions.

Art historians have also attempted to understand the smile on the Buddha's face through the lens of the development of Buddhist art. Research has revealed a striking resemblance between the Buddha's smile and a facial expression known as the "archaic smile" found on ancient Greek statues. This smile was a key feature of ancient Greek sculptures and its influence permeated sculpture throughout Europe.
 
Around 200 BCE, Buddhist sculpture began to develop in the Gandhara region (present-day Pakistan), deeply influenced by Greek culture. The Greek "archaic smile" was cleverly borrowed by Buddhist artists, thereby becoming part of the Buddhist iconography. While the Greek smile and the Buddha's smile share similar techniques, their connotations are distinct. The Greek smile emphasizes an engaging with the world and humanistic spirit and carries a sense of "heroic victory." The Buddha's smile, on the other hand, transforms this "heroic victory" into a display of compassion and wisdom, imbued with profound implications for inner reflection.

Smile, Happy Endorphin

So what's the difference between an ordinary person's smile and a Buddha's? Is it possible for ordinary people to possess a smile as peaceful and at ease as that of a Buddha or Bodhisattva? For ordinary people, laughter is the truest reflection of inner joy. When an innocent child tastes sweet ice cream or when an athlete wins a competition, they naturally smile.
 
From a physiological perspective, this smile, born of joy, seems to be simply the coordinated action of the brain, nerves, and muscles—a simple concept. However, from a psychological perspective, it's not necessarily so simple.

Venerable Guo Xing (果醒法師), Abbot of Dharma Drum Mountain Retreat Center in New York, believes that "a person's facial expressions are actually a reflection of their inner state." When a person lacks inner joy, it's difficult for them to smile. This is especially true given the pressure of survival competition in modern life, the growing indifference in interpersonal relationships, and excessive self-defense. This has caused the genuine, precious smile to vanish from many people's lives. How to restore this precious smile to those who don't love to smile has become a pressing issue.

Venerable Guo Xing shared his own personal experiences as someone who has been through it himself. He was cheerful, lively and full of smiles since childhood, but as an adult, he lost his vibrant smile due to various pressures. Later, he studied Buddhism and became a monk. Through his spiritual practice, he experienced a sense of peace and ease, and finally rediscovered his long-lost smile. Now, Venerable Guo Xing often touches those around him with a friendly, warm smile. Believing that maintaining a smile has many benefits for both body and mind, Venerable Guo Xing constantly encourages Chan practitioners to smile more and practice "Smiling Chan" in his daily teachings and meditation sessions.

The physical and mental benefits of smiling are even more widely recognized in contemporary medicine. According to medical research, when we smile, our bodies secrete a hormone called endorphin (also known as enkephalin), which creates a sense of happiness. This naturally produced "happiness hormone" by human body has been medically proven to have antidepressant effects, yet is healthier and safer than medication. Venerable Guo Xing once had a student suffering from depression who, with his encouragement, began practicing smiling and ultimately successfully cured her depression. Furthermore, smiling is significantly effective in treating physical and mental distress such as headaches and insomnia, and can improve cardiopulmonary function and enhance antibodies. The remarkable medical benefits of smiling have even led to the development of "gelotology," a field combining physiology and psychology.

Contentment and joy can make worries vanish

Smiling is not only beneficial for physical and mental health but also offers practical benefits in meditation. Venerable Guo Xing believes that the most important function of smiling in meditation is relaxation. Traditional meditation methods, such as counting the breath, following the breath, samatha and vipassana, and silent illumination, all emphasize the importance of relaxation. More recently, the internationally renowned  Chan Master Thich Nhat Hanh has incorporated smiling as a relaxation aid into traditional Chan practice. "Inhale, smile gently; exhale, smile gently." Whether in sitting meditation, walking meditation, or his teachings on everyday activities such as standing, walking, sitting, and lying down, Thich Nhat Hanh consistently incorporates the element of smiling. He believes that smiling can help meditators relieve burdens and stress while also fostering mindfulness, making their practice more effective. Venerable Guo Xing deeply agrees with this sentiment. He believes that when a smile spreads through the body like ripples, the entire body will relax as a result, allowing the meditator to more quickly enter a meditative state. Conversely, the tranquility and ease of meditation naturally allows the meditator to smile. From this we can see that there is a subtle causal relationship between smiling and meditation.

So, for those of us who struggle to smile under pressure today, when it comes to regaining a smile, it seems we can also view smiling as a method. Venerable Guo Xing believes that the primary reason we lose our smiles is the accumulation of afflictions. Our minds constantly shift and accumulate emotions due to various causes and conditions, resulting in more afflictions and fewer smiles. However, the Buddha's mind is different. His mind is like a blank sheet of paper; no matter what color is painted on it, it ultimately returns to zero, leaving no trace. Chan meditation aims to return the mind to a blank sheet of paper, to zero afflictions. Only then can we experience true contentment and joy, and possess a smile like the Buddha's.
If you, too, are looking to rediscover your smile, try "Smiling Chan."



Related articles:

Smile – Chan

Possessing a Smile Like the Buddha

[Story] Golden Flower Rain and Smiling Chan

[Image and Meaning] The Charm of the Buddha's Smile

Chan Meditation Series - Seeing a True Smile





  Resource: Issue 304 of Humanity Magazine, Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Photo: 橘子
Translation: Christina
Editing: Keith Brown, YKL