Embellished print available here
8x12" open edition giclée on Hahnemühle cotton rag
Bhumisparsha was inspired by a sweet Buddha statue, around 1000 years old, at the Angkor museum in Siem Reap. Each recounting of the Bhumisparsha Mudra varies, but here is my best attempt at the essence of the story:
Siddhartha sat beneath a bodhi tree, determined to remain there until he reached realization. Mara, lord of desire, challenged him with an army of demons and seduced him with his three daughters, but Siddhartha remained still. Finally, Mara claimed that his own enlightenment held more power than Siddhartha, and his demon armies rose to bear him witness. Mara then asked “Who speaks for you?” Siddhartha reached down and touched the earth with his right hand, and the earth shuddered and roared “I bear you witness!” Mara and his demons fled, and the sun and moon stood still as Siddhartha broke through the illusions of egocentric existence.
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© Lauren Nova 2024