Phra Mae Thorani Woman Painting

This fine woman painting of traditional Southeast Asian Buddhist art depicts Phra Mae Thorani (—the Earth Goddess revered in Thai and Theravada traditions. The painting captures one of the most vital moments in Buddhist cosmology: The Victory over Mara (Maravijaya).

According to Buddhist legend, as the Buddha-to-be (Siddhartha Gautama) sat in deep meditation under the Bodhi Tree on the verge of enlightenment, the demon lord Mara arrived with his monstrous army to disrupt him and challenge his right to attain Buddhahood. Mara demanded proof of the merit Gautama had accumulated over hundreds of past lives.

Gautama reached down with his right hand in the iconic Bhumisparsha Mudra (“calling the earth to witness”) to touch the ground. Responding to his call, Phra Mae Thorani emerged from the earth.

Throughout all of Siddhartha’s past existences, every time he had performed a good deed or poured a ceremonial libation of water (Yaddok), the Earth Goddess had absorbed it into her hair. Standing as his witness, she wrung her long dark hair, releasing a torrent of water representing his accumulated virtues. The resulting deluge flooded the battlefield and washed away Mara’s demonic army, allowing the Buddha to achieve supreme enlightenment.