List of common misconceptions
The historical Buddha was not obese.  The "chubby Buddha" or "laughing Buddha" is a tenth century Chinese folk hero by the name of Budai.  In Chinese Buddhist culture, Budai came to be revered as an incarnation of Maitreya, the Bodhisattva who will become a Buddha to restore Buddhism after the teachings of the historical Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, have died.