Tattoo advice.

[DaGG]

Hi I`m a big fan of tattoos. I had a few tattoos earlier. Recently I`ve become the Buddhism follower. Now I want to have the Buddhism dedicated tattoo. Can anyone give me advices of what should I have? Thx.

[mikenz66]

Welcome DaGG,

You might look at the threads here


Mike

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Having become a Buddhist one should try to abandon external forms, and focus on inner moral and mental purity. The right way to honour the Buddha is to put his teachings into practice.

Tattoos are potentially harmful, and prove nothing about one's love or devotion to anyone.

[Caodemarte]

Please note that if you travel in Asia a tattoo will mark you as a gangster or at least very superstitious in most countries. If there is any Buddhist content you may be viewed as someone insulting Buddhism and/or charged under the relevant laws. In many SE Asia countries an insult to Buddhism is considered an insult to the state or people.

[BlackBird]

To the OP: How long have you been interested in Buddhism? I think getting a Dhamma related tattoo should come from the heart, with the right mind set it can serve as a reminder to oneself of one's dedicated to the Triple Gem. But if you are a new practitioner, my advice would be to wait a year or two until your understanding is quite deep, then the right kind of art will come to your mind on its own, and that will be more authentic. I think tattoos should always be authentic to who you are as a person and not done out of vanity or with others in mind.

I have a tattoo of some Kanji that means 'Minimum effort, Maximum efficiency' - It's a Judo phrase, and I got it after a couple of years of Judo, which is one of my great passions. If someone walked into the Dojo and spent a week doing Judo then decided to get one I would be a little annoyed.

Tattoos can be a valid form of dedication in my mind, one that requires pain and time to produce. A good tattoo is no different than a good wall mural in my mind. Your choice to have it on your body should not be done on a whim.

As others have stated, some people in some Asian countries might take offence to you having a Dhamma tattoo if it is displayed in a public setting. A couple of tourists have been arrested and deported in Sri Lanka for having Buddha tattoos:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014 ... 03823.html

While this undoubtedly an over zealous and nasty thing to do to someone who is a practicing Buddhist, you have to understand that 'native' Buddhist countries have a lot of people in them that will see a Buddha tattoo as an insult, degrading the sanctity of the Triple Gem. This is because of cultural attachment but nonetheless, it's a risk you will have to carry if you should choose to get one and travel to those countries. To a westerner there is (usually) no discrepancy between being a dedicated Buddhist and getting a piece of artwork permanently on one's body, but people in Asia often see Tattoo's linked with crime and gangsters and so there is quite a bit of stigma to them.

I think you'd be less likely to get in trouble if you had a Dhamma Wheel, or a Bodhi Leaf, as these images are not elevated to the same level of veneration as the Buddha Rupa.

I would be inclined to get something like this if I were to get a Dhamma related tattoo:


Be well
Jack

[Caodemarte]

Just a sidebar: The traditional reason for the existence for the state in many SE Asia countries is to protect Buddhism. This is why perceived insults to Buddhism can also be interpreted as threats or challenges to the state. If the state does not visibly react it may be perceived as weak and as a loss of legitamacy. On the other side of the coin, I read the story of a tourist arrested in Tibet for wearing a Phil Silver t-shirt. The old American comic actor had an uncanny likeness to the Dalai Lama. The Chinese authorities thought the hapless tourist was trying to honor the Dalai Lama. They would have encouraged her to disrespect Buddhism. So know what signals you are sending!

P.S. The tourist became actively interested in Buddhism as a result.

[DaGG]

Tnx. Everybody about your answers. I understand that tattoos of Buddha itself can be insulting in many Asian countries.
I just want a small tattoo. This is my way to carry Buddhism in my heart.

What do you think about this one http://tattooimages.biz/picture/19139-c ... o-on-back/. Not that big, just smaller version.

[chownah]

I think that the fact that you are asking people here what tatoo to get and how do they like a particlar one is an indication that you should not be getting a tatoo.
chownah

[BlackBird]

What do you think about this one http://tattooimages.biz/picture/19139-c ... o-on-back/. Not that big, just smaller version.

What does it matter what we think? It's your body, not ours. What does that Wheel mean to you? What is it a symbol for to you. Tattoos should be deeply personal.

[_anicca_]

As Blackbird said, what has meaning to you is what matters in this case.

Personally, I agree with Bhikkhu Pesala: this is all highly contrarian to Buddhist practice.

However, if you were to get a tattoo, I think having the dhamma wheel in a small, inconspicuous place is the best way to go. I imagine it would be more accepted than having the Buddha on your body...