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We are very happy to receive astounding response from all over the world regarding Phra Sivali and Phra ChanNakMan. However, we were asked to elaborate more on Phra ChanNakMan as many have not heard of it. We are sure that perhaps some of you have own such a Buddha statue without knowing. It is also called “The Buddha Subduing Mara”

This is my personal piece, Phra ChanNakMan Phim Try-Mould Piti WaiKru. Not for sale.

The Historical Events that Unfolds before Buddha’s Supreme Enlightenment in the month of Visakha (Wesak)

The Bodhisatta had gone forth at the age of twenty-nine and spent six years practising extreme austerity. Now at the age of thirty-five, still youthful and in good health, within fifteen days of resumption of regular meals, his body had filled up as before and regained the thirty-two physical characteristics of a Great Being. Having thus built up strength and energy again through normal nourishment, the Bodhisatta practised the in-breathing, out-breathing meditation and remained absorbed in the bliss of the first jhãna, which was characterized by thought-conception, discursive thinking, rapture, joy and one-pointedness of mind. Then he entered the second state of the jhãna, which was accompanied by rapture, joy and concentration. At the third state of the jhãna, he enjoyed only joy and one-pointedness of mind and at the fourth stage, equanimity and clear mindfulness (one-pointedness).

Early on the full moon day of Kason (April) in the year 103 of the Great Era, he sat down under the Bo Tree (the Bodhi Tree) near the big village of Senanigãma awaiting the hour of going for alms food. At that time, Sujãtã, the daughter of a rich man from the village, was making preparations to give an offering to the tree-spirit of the Bo tree. She sent her maid ahead to tidy up the area under the spread of the holy tree. At the sight of the Bodhisatta seated under the tree, the maid thought the deity had made himself visible to receive their offering in person. She ran back in great excitement to inform her mistress.Sujãtã put the milk rice which she had cooked early in the morning in a golden bowl worth a hundred thousand pieces of money. She covered the same with another golden bowl. She then proceeded with the bowls to the foot of the banyan tree where the Bodhisatta remained seated and put the bowls in the hand of the Bodhisatta, saying, “May your wishes prosper like mine have.” So saying, she departed. Sujãtã, on becoming a maiden, had made a prayer at the banyan tree: “If I get a husband of equal rank and same caste with myself and my first born is a son, I will make an offering.” Her prayer had been fulfilled and her offering of milk rice that day was intended for the tree deity in fulfillment of her pledge. However, later when she learnt that the Siddharta had gained Enlightenment after taking the milk rice offered by her, she was overjoyed with the thought that she had made a noble deed to the greatest merit.

Siddharta then went down to the river Neranjara and had a bath. After bathing, he made the milk rice offered by Sujãtã into forty-nine pellets and ate it. The meal over, he discarded the golden bowl into the river saying: “If I were to become a Buddha today, let the bowl go upstream.” The bowl drifted upstream for a considerable distance against the swift flowing current and sank to the bottom. The golden bowl sank to the abode of the snake king, Kala, where the bowls of the three previous Buddhas were. The golden bowl sank with a loud thud that rocked the celestials and heavenly realm everywhere.

Then Siddharta rested the whole day in the forest glade near the bank of the river. As evening fell, he went towards the Bodhi tree, meeting on the way a grasscutter named Sotthiya who gave him eight handfuls of grass. In India holy men used to prepare a place to sit and sleep on by spreading sheaves of grass. Siddharta spread the grass under the tree on the eastern side. He sat down cross-legged on the grass cover facing east.

The time had come and Siddhartha knew it. He must succeed in his quest and he made a vow to himself: “Even if my blood dries up and my muscles shrink leaving skin and bones only, I will not leave this seat until I finally and absolutely achieve the goal of finding, for myself and all mankind, a way of deliverance from the suffering of the never-ending cycle of life and death.” Siddhartha concentrated his will and aroused his mind to ward off all disturbances except the goal of finding the answer. He meditated and contemplated using all the effort and determination he could gather. At this moment, all the gods and angels of the heavenly realm were touched and came to protect Siddhartha. The Great Brahma and Sakka the King of Gods also came down to be by Siddhartha’s side. Animals of all kinds in the forest, touched by the altruistic love and compassion of Siddhartha also came by his side.

Then, the Lord of Evil Mara (a metaphor for ego-self) came and all the gods and angels, Maha Brahma and Sakka and the forest animals fled in fear. All except Siddhartha, who sat upon his seat tightly beneath the Bodhi tree. Mara did not wanted Siddahrtha who achieved awakening and so he tried to tempt Siddhartha away from his contemplation. He sent forth three of his beautiful daughters.

They were supernaturally beautiful and were very seductive. However, Siddhartha remained unshaken and sat steadfast with his mind on his goal. Not giving up, Mara summoned thunderstorms and strong winds, stones and fire, spears and swords and hurled them against Siddhartha. But Siddhartha remained calm and did not move an inch. As the destructive objects came close to Siddhartha, they immediately turned into beautiful petals of flowers of great fragrance.

Mara was incensed. Then, he manifested himself with thousand hands and armed with weapons of various kind, mounted upon a demonic elephant Grimekhala and with an army of a thousand demons, charged towards Siddhartha. But still Siddhartha did not moved an inch, without fail or hatred but instead, of love and compassion. The powers of his love and compassion prevented Mara and his army from getting near him. Mara’s army of demons fled in fear while the elephant Grimekhala bowed down with reverence to Siddhartha. Still Mara did not want to give up. He came face to face to Siddhartha and accused him, “Why do you want to get enlightened? Isn’t it for your own selfish desires? What have you done that is beneficial to humanity? Give up Siddhartha! Give up!”

Siddhartha remained strong and calm. Without any sign of aversion, he asked Mara, “Have you done anything in aid and benefit? Who bears witness?” Mara stretch forth his hands and his army of demons yelled from a distance, “we bear witness!”

Then Mara addressed Siddhartha, “and you? What have you done that is beneficial and is aiding? Who bears witness?”

Siddartha calmly replied “I have through many life times gave alms but thought I have no such living witness as yours, I call upon this solid earth to witness.” Drawing his hand and touching the earth, Siddhartha said “The Earth is my witness.”
And at this very instance, the earth trembled. The beautiful earth goddess, Chao Mae Thoranee rises from the ground. The Earth Goddess wrung her hair out with water.The water representing all the good merits accumulated by Siddharta’s previous lives. This resulted in so many blessings that Mara and the demons were flooded and washed away.

After thus vanquishing Mãra, in the first watch of the night through jhãnic meditations, Siddharta acquired the knowledge of previous existences; in the middle watch of the night, the divine eye; and in the last watch of the night, he contemplated on the law of Dependent Origination followed by development of Insight into the arising and ceasing of the five aggregates of grasping. This Insight gave him in succession the knowledge pertaining to the four Holy Paths, resulting finally in full Enlightenment or Omniscience.

Having become a fully Enlightened One, he spent seven days on the Throne of Wisdom under the Bodhi tree and seven days each at six other places, forty-nine days in all, enjoying the bliss of the fourth state of Fruition (Fruits of Arahatship) and pondering long upon his newly found system of Law (Dhamma).

Phra Phim ChanNakMan behind Chao Mae Po Suk is meant for everyone. This chapter of Siddharta’s life is very crucial, the fact that Siddharta subdued Mara, he achieved Supreme Enlightenment. This itself is a very meaningful iconography of Buddhism. We should wear this as a symbolic of steadfastness, perseverance and strong determination that will lead to all successes in life. However this phim is especially suitable for those whom are in any industry or profession that is related to earth eg. agricultural, property developer, real estate negotiators…etc because of Chao Mae Thoranee. Chao Mae PoSuk is the Goddess of Rice. Those days rice refers to rice itself and all kinds of flour. It is a symbol of reaping good harvest from our hardwork and also we will always be blessed with basic necessities of life like food.

Katha Chao Mae Po Suk

Om Esanakthisak Waisakrakwaknak. Devata Sakhakgaknak Pakriwarayak Akhat Jantuk Paribhunjanti Sawahayak.

Om Sapphak U Pathakwak Sapphadhukka Sapphasok Sappharok Sapphaphaya Sapphasatru Pramucchanti.

Om Waisakrakwaknak Devata Saktaraakkgantu Savahak Sawaha Sawahaya.