In
each position there are variations of gesture or attitude. Each
attitude is related to a perio d
in the life of the Lord Buddha. The most common attitude of a
seated Buddha image is the attitude of subduing Mara. In this
attitude the Buddha is seated with the legs crossed, the right
hand is on the right knee with the four fingers pointing to the
ground, while the left hand rests in the lap. This is also known
as the attitude of calling the Goddess of the Earth to witness.
This is related to the time when the Lord Buddha was about to
attain his enlightenment. He was attacked by Mara (a personification
of evil) and his army. The Lord Buddha summoned the Goddess of
the Earth to witness the attack and to save him by pointing the
four fingers of the right hand to the ground. The Goddess of the
Earth emerged and saved him by wringing the water of merit from
her hair to drown Mara and his army. In this way Mara was subdued.
Thus this attitude is known as subduing Mara.
Another
common attitude is that of meditation showing the Lord Buddha
in meditation when he attains enlightenment. This attitude shows
the Lord Buddha seated with his legs crossed. The two hands are
folded in the lap with the palm of the right hand facing upward.
Som etimes
we see a Buddha image in the attitude of meditation under the
protection of a nine-headed or seven-headed naga. This attitude
is related to the time when a naga named Mujarin spread its hood
to protect the Lord Buddha from a rainstorm while he was meditating
under the Mujarin tree. A Buddha image made in this way is usually
called a seated Buddha image under the cover of a multi-headed
naga.
Standing
Buddha images are also found in various attitudes. For example,
a standing Buddha image with the right hand lifted to chest level
and the left hand resting at the side is called the attitude of
persuading his relatives not to quarrel or the attitude of pacifying
his relatives. The story goes like this. While the Lord Buddha
was staying at a place by the Rohinee River, the relatives of
his father were quarreling with t hose
of his mother about the water to irrigate their rice-fields. The
Lord Buddha pointed out to them that men were move valuable than
water. Therefore it is not worth killing men just for water. Realizing
this the relatives stopped quarreling.
A
standing Buddha image with the left hand raised and the right
hand resting at the side is known as the attitude of restraining
the Phra Kaen Chan from rising from its seat or the attitude of
urging the sandal wood image not to rise from its seat. This is
how the story goes. When the Lord Buddha paid a visit to his mother
for three months on Tavatimsa, the second level of heaven, a king
named Pasentikosol, who was missing the Lord Buddha, had a Buddha
image carved from sandalwood and had it placed in the residence
where the Lord Buddha used to stay. When the Lord Buddha returned
from Tavatimsa. The king requested the Lord Buddha to have a look
at the sandalwood image, which rose from its seats to pay homage
to the Lord Buddha. He urged the image not to rise from its seat
by lifting his left hand in the gesture of restraining.
A
standing Buddha image with both hands raised to chest level is
known as the attitude of calming the ocean the pacifying the ocean.
The Lord Buddha performed a miracle by stopping a rainstorm and
flooding in the presence of the three arrogant hermits. Having
seen the miracle, they submitted to the Lord Buddha and listened
to his sermon. The three hermits and their 1,000 followers were
so impressed with the preaching that they were willingly ordained
as monks.
Information
from: "English for Tourist Guides - 1" by Lertporn Parasakul.
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