Phra Buddha Sihing

THAILAND

The Buddha’s curled hair rises to a flame finial. Beneath perfectly arched eyebrows, the eyes are downcast and the full lips firmly set. A monastic robe leaves the right shoulder bare. The hands do not form the usual dhyana (meditation) mudra, but overlap in such a way that one can see the fingers are of equal length and the tips bent slightly. The figure sits in half lotus position displaying toes of equal length, a characteristic included among the Buddha’s Thirty-Two Marks of Excellence.
The triple lotus throne is a unique example of the Lanna Thai (circa 1259–1558) design. Other features, such as the detachable flame ornament, the pointed curls, the bow-shaped mouth and the abnormally long fold of the robe over the left shoulder are all sculptural traits of northern Thailand. The statue’s resemblance to other Buddhas of Lanna Thai helped scholars date it to this time period.
The form of this statue dates back to 2nd century Sri Lanka, when three kings and a sage are said to have cast an exact likeness of the Buddha. A naga king who had once met him manifested in his likeness to provide the model. The form reached Thailand a thousand years later amid continued controversy regarding the legend.