Life Story Of Buddha Print
Introduction To Buddha's Life Story:
This thanka print as its name suggests depicts the life story of Buddha.
Buddha’s life can be categorized into 12 segments namely. 1. Conception 2. Birth 3. Education 4. Life in the Royal palace 5. The Great departure 6. Escape 7. Austerities 8 . Enlightenment 9. The subjugation of Mara( Lord of temptation ) 10. Doctrine 11. Miracles 12. Paranirvana.
On the top left part of the painting, Queen Maya Devi ( Buddha’s mother ) is lying on her bed having a dream in which a white elephant is seen descending from Tushita heaven, which eventually enters her womb (Here the white elephant represents Buddha himself ).
It is believed that after this incident took place, Queen Maya Devi gave birth to Buddha while wandering in the forest of Lumbini with the palace helpers. She gave birth to Buddha standing in the Salbhanjika posture holding a branch of Plaksa tree. This scene is depicted in the center-left part of this painting. Prince Siddharta Gautama was born some 2,500 years ago as a prince in Lumbini in Nepal. At his birth, many special signs had appeared. His father had asked a sage living in his kingdom for advice on his son. The sage predicted that Gautama would become either a great King or a great spiritual teacher.
How does Thangka benefit us?
The Thangka is revered as a holy item. They promote positivity, spread Buddhism's teachings, bring about peace, harmony, and oneness, and dispel any negative energy that may be there. There are numerous uses for thangka, not just by core practitioners, but also by others for positive vibration, meditation, and prayers. The Thangka swiftly transforms into a meditational tool for anyone who wants to contemplate Buddha's life and existence since it depicts Buddha's physical manifestations and distinctive characteristics. Even a glance of the Thangka can instantly reflect its sacredness.
