Growing pears in the shape of a Buddha

This got to me through Boing Boing (as posted by Cory Doctorow), but if you can read it in Portuguese, you’re welcome to. Using a transparent plastic form you can apparently get pears to grow in a Buddha-like shape. It’s not clear to me who actually did this, or whether it can be done, but it certainly looks like fun.

Now if I had been put inside a plastic form like that when I was a month old would I have grown up shaped like a little buddha?

Kids, don’t try this at home.

I’m not sure why buddhas are seen as little plump guys in some cultures. It must be cultural. In Tibetan and Indian paintings, the Buddha is shaped pretty much like a mainstream guy. Speaking of Little Buddha – Keanu Reaves ain’t shaped like any pear that I’ve ever seen. Though I suppose anything is possible in The Matrix.