Hello there
This is a brief version of the "Awakening" according to Theravada
Tradition. While it is different than the "Awakening" story known to
those of us who are in Mahayana Tradition (though only in some of the
details) it will explain the relationship between the Buddha and
Torani.
While the Buddha meditated under the Bhodi Tree, Mara sent three of
his daughters to try and seduce Him. When He ignored them, they left
as old hags.
Then Mara approached the Buddha with an army of demons and demanded
that He stop His meditations and that He had no right to reach
enlightenment.
The Buddha then touched the Earth and asked her to bear witness to His
merit from His many past lives.
The Earth goddess (Torani) responded by wringing from her hair the
water He had poured over the hands of those He had given gifts in
those multitudes of past lives. The flooding which happened as a
result of this washed away the demon army and Mara bowed before the
Buddha in worship.
The Theravada version of Sakya's life contains many elements adopted
from Hinduism which were minimized or eliminated by Mahayana
reformers. The enlightenment story within Mahayana deals with three
temptations which are similar to the three temptations of Christ in
many ways. As Jodo Shinsu Buddhists, we minimize even those.
You will find the longer and more complete version of the story here:
http://www.umich.edu/~hartspc/acsaa/Acsaa/LLabelPdf/81LL.pdf - By John
Listopad and University of Michigan - a PDF file. - - If you do not
have Acrobat Reader, here is a cashed version of the page in
HTML:http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:tVShA-R2cjcC:www.umich.edu/~hartspc/acsaa/Acsaa/LLabelPdf/81LL.pdf+Torani+buddhist+image&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8
Torani image - http://www.rama9art.org/sweang/wk5.html - From - 4th
National Exhibition of Art, 1953, Bangkok
The Padhanasutta is a book of scriptures ( ("Discourse on the
Exertion") of the Pali Suttanipata, one of the earliest texts, where
the story is told again:
http://www.omhros.gr/Kat/History/Rel/Bud/Buddha.htm - "Siddhartha
Gautama - The Buddha"
An excellent book on the subject is "Hindu Deities in Thai Art/Gauri
Devi." 1996, 184 p., plates - You will find graphic examples of Hindu
divinities in conjunction with Theravada Buddhist practice in
Thailand.
I am wondering about the spelling of your other references as nothing
shows up for them.
Search - Google
Terms - torani, buddha's awakening, buddha's enlightenment, hindu
earth goddess/goddesses, thai iconography
If I may clarify anything before you rate the answer, please ask
before doing so.
Cheers
digsalot |
Clarification of Answer by
digsalot-ga
on
16 Jan 2003 11:42 PST
Just as a side note, there is an excellent chance your "Suttanippa" is
simply an error in spelling of the "Pali Suttanipata" which is given
reference in the answer above.
Cheers again
digs
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
torani-ga
on
18 Jan 2003 15:38 PST
I don't know if you want to spend more time at this for $2.00.
If not that is fine.
I am actually trying to track the figure represented in Yunnan,SW
China,
particularly in Xishuangbanna. I believe it is Torani, also I
learned yesterday seaching, she is referred to as Thorani, and a
couple of other names in Pali and Burmese. I am not sure that the
figure in Xishaungbanna
is called Torani, but the majority minority there are Dai who are
related to Thai.
If you want to keep pursuing it out of your own curiousity, let me
know
Let me know otherwise also and I'll just give you 4 stars and say
Thanks.
torani
|
Clarification of Answer by
digsalot-ga
on
18 Jan 2003 17:18 PST
I choose questions because they are interesting rather than by price.
You have given me some additional information to work from so I'm
still on it. Whatever I find I will post for you.
Thanks
digs
|
Clarification of Answer by
digsalot-ga
on
18 Jan 2003 18:33 PST
Here is some more information in the meantime.
Thorani instead of Torani has led to much more information. First of
all, here is another image:
http://www.chiangmai1.com/chiang_mai/sub/thorani.shtml - Also a brief
description of the goddess. - From "Window to Chiang Mai, Thailand"
There is also a Thorani image here at Wat Lao Veluwanaram in Canada:
http://www.watlao-veluwanh.com/Home.htm It is the picture on the far
right about half way down the page.
Another is here, third down on left side, rather small but the picture
is of a shrine to Thorani:
http://newsroom.tat.or.th/new_products/539.asp
What I would like to know from you, are the images in Yunnan large
landscape figures which are outdoors or are they small temple images?
I have found many temples in the area but no landscapes showing large
figures as the Quan Yin figures are other places in East Asia. The
interior photos show the Hondo or main image hall with a Buddha figure
but little else.
|
Clarification of Answer by
digsalot-ga
on
18 Jan 2003 18:56 PST
In fact, could it be a Quan Yin you are looking for? She also is
associated with the pouring of water for healing, but not necessarily
from her hair. Under the name Avalokitesvara, she is venerated widely
in Yunnan and statues and images of her are wide spread. I just
thought I would ask.
|
Clarification of Answer by
digsalot-ga
on
21 Jan 2003 09:23 PST
The holiday weekend is over so I'm hoping to get a couple of responses
to emails sent to American Theravada buddhist temples.
|
Clarification of Answer by
digsalot-ga
on
22 Jan 2003 16:13 PST
I think I'm starting to hit the wall here. The response from the
temples relates pretty much to what has been covered. And the answer
is "yes," Avalokitesvara and Quan Yin do have a 'cross over identity'
in some regions where Theravada is practiced. This rather composite
divinity is also known as the "Luck of Yunnan" and the "Water Maiden."
It may also interest you to know that Avalokitesvara was originaly a
male divinity before the association with Quan Yin. I can find no
other reference to Thorani in Yunnan online. Your best bet may be the
book I recommended earlier.
Cheers
didgs
|
