Product Description
Buddha Amulet 3
Material: Wood
Style: Thailand
Size: Height 4 cm, Width 3 cm
Order Number: MHSBA3
Theravada Buddhism was introduced to Thailand from Sri Lanka in the 13th century and plays an important part in Thai culture with numerous temples, Buddha images and monks.
Every Buddha image is treated with great reverence. They range from a few centimetres in height to massive statues. The most common images are made of bronze, but other materials, such as clay, teak, sandalwood, ivory, lead, copper, silver and gold are used.
Nearly every Thai has an amulet on their body worn for protection. Collecting and trading amulets in Thailand is a big business. The most popular are small images of the Buddha to ward off evil and black magic.
Although laymen are not excluded from making amulets, they are normally made by older monks. Their power derives from the identity and sanctity of the maker, ideally a highly revered Buddhist monk. Rituals are held at various stages in the making of the amulet the times of which are determined by Brahman astrologers.
In addition, the amulet ought to be sacralised to ensure protection for the person wearing it. The usual sacralisation ritual is called pluk sek: taking the amulet in both hands the monk brings it to his mouth and murmurs a short Pali formula. When he utters the last syllable of the spell he may blow sharply on it. Or he may draw a simple geometrical drawing (yan) over the amulet with his right index finger or with a pencil while saying the Pali words. The recipient should press the amulet against his forehead as a gesture of appreciation.
One side is Buddha and the other is a stupa. The Buddha’s gesture is the gesture of touching the earth and represents an important moment in his life at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, India when He called upon the Earth to witness his unshakeable faith. The Buddha is sitting in the lotus position with his right hand reaching down over his right knee to touch the ground. His left hand on his lap palm up is in the meditating gesture. He is dressed in monastic attire in open mode, leaving the right shoulder bare. His head is ringed by a firey aureole.
Buddha is calling upon the Earth to witness when the evil King Mara sent armies of wicked demons and many beautiful women to distract him from his goal of attaining enlightenment by offering riches, power and sensual pleasure. The Buddha was not distracted from his intense meditation and called the Earth to witness this. Moments later, he attained spiritual enlightenment.
The Buddha’s relics were enshrined in stupas as objects of veneration. In Thailand they are called chedis. Building stupas has always been an excellent way to accumulate good karma.
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