Buddha Maravijaya -
the "Buddha who vanquished Mara" – a name given in Siam to the episode in which
Gautama called upon the Earth goddess to bear witness and gained victory over
Mara, the lord of evil forces.
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to Glossary
Lanna -
a state in the Far North of present-day
Thailand that existed up to the late 18th century. It flourished from
the second half of the 13th century to the middle of the 16th.
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to Glossary
Enlightenment -
comprehension of the Sublime
Wisdom available only to buddhas.
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to Glossary
Bhumisparshamudra -
a gesture of "calling the Earth to witness", performed by the seated
Buddha: the left hand lies palm upwards in the lap, the right hand
on the shin with the palm inwards, the fingers touching the ground.
This gesture symbolizes Gautama's victory over Mara, the lord of evil
forces, when he called upon the Earth goddess to attest to all his
previous merits and virtues.
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to drawing
Meditation -
a state of deepened contemplation,
detachment from external objects and some inner feelings; one of the chief
means of attaining religious liberation.
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to Glossary
Virasana -
a sitting pose: the legs bent at the knees, the right leg placed
on the left.
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to drawing
Vajrasana -
a sitting pose: legs crossed, the heels turned outwards.
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to drawing
Mahapurushalakshana -
"signs of a Great
Man" - is a concept adopted from India of special signs on the bodies
of great rulers and deities testifying to their merits and perfection.
According to the canon, the Buddha had 32 major and 80 minor tokens of
his highest degree of perfection.
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to Glossary
