Important Buddhist Religious Day (Vesak Day)

วันสำคัญทางพุทธศาสนา - วันวิสาขบูชา

2023/2566-05-26

To commemorate the annual Visakha Bucha Day

2023/13-17

3 Baht, 3 Baht, 3 Baht, 3 Baht, 3 Baht

3 Baht, 3 Baht, 3 Baht, 3 Baht, 3 Baht

15 Baht (unused), 5 Baht (used)

n/a

51 x 36 mm

300,000 pieces per design

Various Buddha images depicting four different buddhas of the past, as well as one of the future buddha, each seated in a different pose with a specific hand position called a mudra, and against a background in another colour. Each one sits on a lotus pedestal, underneath a certain bodhi tree, i.e. a sacred tree under which they attained Enlightenment, and in front of a crystal palace, i.e. an arch-like ornamental structure known in Thai as reuan kaew: 1. Kakusandha, seated against a white background, in the half lotus position with a dhyani mudra, in Thai called pahng samahti and symbolizing ‘meditation’, and underneath an East Indian Walnut Tree (Albizia lebbeck); 2. Konagamana, seated against a blue background, in the half lotus position with a vitarka mudra, which means ‘explanation’, and underneath a Cluster Fig Tree (Ficus racemosa - fig.); 3. Kassapa, seated against a yellow background, in the full lotus position with a dhammachakka mudra, which represents the ‘turning of the Wheel of Law’, i.e. ‘teaching’, and underneath a Banyan Tree (Ficus bengalensis - fig.); 4. Gautama, seated against a green background, in the full lotus position with a maravijaya or bhumisparsa mudra, which means ‘touching the earth’ and represents ‘victory over Mara’, and underneath a Sacred Fig Tree (Ficus religiosa - fig.); 5. Maitreya, the future buddha, depicted as a crowned buddha seated against a red background, in the half lotus position with a bhumisparsa mudra, and underneath a Ceylon Ironwood Tree (Mesua nagassarium). Furthermore, the background colours of the stamps correspond to the colours of the five transcendental buddhas according to Mahayana Buddhism, who are also known as the dhyani buddhas, the Five Great Buddhas, and the Five Jinas, which are associated with the directions of the compass, i.e. four for the main directions and one for the zenith. They consist of Vairochana (fig.), the principal buddha, who is white and is placed in centre of the other four dhyani buddhas; Akshobhya, the buddha of the East, who has a blue complexion (fig.); Ratnasambhava, the transcendental buddha of the southern universe, who has a yellow or golden complexion (fig.); Amoghasiddhi, the buddha of the North, who has a green complexion (fig.); and Amitabha, the buddha of the western paradise, who in mandalas has a red complexion (fig.).

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