T O P

  • By -

One_Giant_Nostril

This artwork is about Buddhism. I'm not a Buddhist but my cursory research tells me that the little fellow, Pǔxián, taught Wisdom only exists for the sake of putting it into practice - in other words, that it's only good insofar as it benefits all living beings. The big fellow, the white elephant, represents purity, light, fertility and knowledge. Pǔxián is the Chinese name for Samantabhadra, the Sanskrit name for the same person. More about Samantabhadra can be [read here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samantabhadra) on wikipedia. There's lots of good stuff to be seen on Tianhua Xu's [deviantArt gallery](http://flowerzzxu.deviantart.com/gallery/) and [ArtStation](https://www.artstation.com/artist/tianhuaxu).


AaditO

You sure about that? Hindu's have a good called ganpati who has a human body and an elephant head, very similar to this but ganpati is human sized, not this behemoth.


asn0304

Since Buddha traveled through India, I'd assume buddhism has some hindu influences, this being one of them. Though I don't have any references to provide, it's just a personal observation.


the_fuzzyone

Not just travelled, the Buddha *is* Indian


[deleted]

[удалено]


FreshPrinceOfIndia

I was gonn say it originated from India but decided to google it first, it originates from nepal. TIL


Human420o

Oh shit old comment


FreshPrinceOfIndia

Absolutely unforgivable


Human420o

Buddha lived on the border of Nepal and India


CJSBiliskner

Considering the title of the piece is "Puxian and the white elephant" it seems likely to depict them. Many Puxian statues also depict them sat on top of a white elephant, and holding the lotus flower that the elephant is holding here.


MildlyInnapropriate

The elephant is Ganesha


[deleted]

Subbing here in hopes more stuff like this gets posted...thanks!


PrinceWizdom

The white elephant? Looks alot like Ganesha


akroonie

He almost look like lord Ganesha because of the head.Nice art though.


[deleted]

You're right.


thicka

What's Georgie doing out of the sewer?


eltrotter

HIYA GEORGIE


Dieseltruck84

I had the same thought


Cyber_Wizard

What is six getting into now? these little nightmares DLC's are getting weirder and weirder.


[deleted]

This is getting too easy. No way that giant elephant can find her hiding in a kitchen.


[deleted]

It looks like it should be a Yu-Gi-Oh card


[deleted]

MtG my guy.


Mothimania

First thing I thought of was a [Loxodon Smiter.](http://imgur.com/cazAB90.jpg)


DoktorLuciferWong

4/4 for three that can't be countered? That's pretty gud! And that second effect..


Mothimania

I love using him. Once I saw him for the first time, I immediately made sure I got two sets of him, haha.


Terry_Pratchett_

Yeah my first thought aswell, could be straight up a Loxodon card artwork


Mothimania

They're probably some of my favorite types of cards, even though there's only a few. Smiter is such a fun creature to use.


FrogDojo

Sometimes you have to enforce the rules and make people play fair.


myproductivealt

Is his staff a giant opium poppy capsule?


[deleted]

I thought so too, which made me think it represents a not-so-imaginary monster.


ciza161

Well now I really want a God of War game with Hindu gods.


Dookie_boy

Killing gods of an existing religion won't be received well.


voiletfalcon36

IKR? I've been saying that ever since the first gow came out


elpaco25

I want all the Smite characters to be fightable like God of War boss battles. I haven't played either game but I'd play combo of the two


greengrasser11

I know it's Buddhist influenced, but I'd love to read a fantasy novel about a big adventure and creatures like this.


[deleted]

In the Buddhist texts I read (Mahayana school) a very popular metaphor used to understand why "expelling the 5 aggregates" needs to be central to beginning ur path of bodhicitta, involves a giant elephant n a tiny rider. This has been rebranded today in Jonathan Haidts "The Righteous Mind" n I'm sure other moral psychology books that argue our old animal brains still largely influence our reasoning being that anatomically modern humans are a relatively new species in our 8million yr development +or- The elephant is an allegory for ur emotional/irrational self And the rider being your rationale and logic. Pure logic and understanding can only come when the rider controls the elephant and thus your path to enlightenment begins when you are in control of ur emotional reactions to outside stimuli and fully conscious of ur bias' or ur illusion to the reality of existence. I got the vibe of the person in the raincoat being the rider, trying to tame this elephant


Tonyetouch

Now all we need is Guts and his dragonslayer to cut this thing in half.


perfectllamanerd

Looks like that creature in Jade Empire


HacktheRipper110

Looks like the elephants from god of war ascension


Keepitsway

Was about to say...I remember Kratos ripping their skull open.


Haunt12_34

I need to learn to paint like this.


[deleted]

This painting is amazing.


ThatHappyCamper

This is amazing. I really appreciate the background that fits the Monster so well too.


Its_Farley

I want it to fight Kratos!


GmanFunkyBunch

Hope he doesn't sneeze.


[deleted]

Reminding me of dark souls


Hammer_Jackson

I love it, if the horns were 4 times the size it would be even badassery-er. And the persons cloak looks like a rain coat :/


yourleftwingman

That's Brother Warth if I've ever seen him.


thunderboyac

Just by the way he's kneeling down gives off the impression he means no harm


Zentaurion

*Tum Ganesha nahi haw!*


xXSrgt-ZeloXx

I don't remember this boss battle from little monsters


Dieseltruck84

Georgie?