The White Crane Buddha (from the series: Ars Longa Vita Brevis)
As a youth, I was attracted to Buddhism after reading Nietzsche. Nietzsche condemned it, of course, but was less virulent with his words than when he brought his hammer down on Christianity. Nietzsche was the boldest of all philosophers - incapable of mincing words. He condemned Buddhism as nihilistic, which it is not - to those who do not philosophize with a hammer.
Unlike most other Gods or messengers, the Buddha is quite often depicted wearing a smile on his face. What is this smile? One legend explains that as the Buddha opened the gate to Nirvana, he suddenly paused and looked back at the perpetual painful struggling of humanity, and a sad smile crossed his face. And, so they say, he stands there even now, at the gate of Nirvana looking back at humanity with a sad smile on his face.
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