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In Hinduism the goddess of the earth is Bhumidevi, in Buddhism she is Mae Phra Thoranee. In Buddhism she was called before the demon Mara to bear witness to the merit the Buddha accumulated in his previous lives. She is often depicted in Thai and Cambodian iconography wringing water from her long hair which drowns the armies of the demon Mara (fig.). Official name of the opulent train that runs between Singapore and Bangkok, via Penang and Butterworth in Malaysia. The luxurious dining car offers a five star menu, cooked by internationally renowned chefs. Popular name Oriental Express (fig.). Architectural term for the ornament supporting the roof eaves. On Buddhist temples in Thailand they are often in the shape of a naga or other, usually mythological, figure. Sometimes its function is merely decorative (fig.).
The Thai educational system consists of two years of kindergarten called anubahn, six years of elementary or primary school called prathom, six years of high school divided into three years of junior and three years of senior high school called mathayom ton and mathayom plaay, respectively. Compulsory education starts at the first year of elementary school or prathom 1 and ends at the third grade of junior high school or mathayom 3, thus 'higher education levels' start at the first year of senior high school. For education higher than high school there are colleges and universities called mahawithayahlay, and institutes (of higher education) called satahban. Academic degrees or parinyah are a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and a doctor's degree or doctorate and are called parinyah trih, parinyah toh and parinyah aek, respectively. Uniform is obligatory for students in the lower grades and in most schools it is also compulsory in the higher levels. Teachers have beige uniforms with epaulettes showing their rank and degree, which they have to wear on Mondays, the first day of each working week. Education in Thai is called kaan seuksah.
Name for the entire solar system, also known as the Surya-system. Seen from outer space as an ovoid body of light, an egg-shaped irresolvable nebula. This includes the entire solar world, from the very heart of the Sun to beyond the confines of what astronomers call the farthermost planets. It is composed of concentric spheres with at the heart of each one of them the Sun. Each one of these spheres is a cosmic world, including our Earth. See also loka and Brahma. In Sanskrit called Brahmanda. The Eight Immortals from Chinese mythology worshipped by most Chinese. They are usually depicted together on a raft crossing the ocean from their home in the Taoist paradise to worship Xi Wangmu, Queen Mother of the West and mother of the Jade Emperor, after attaining their Enlightenment. The mother of the supreme god is also the guardian of the Peaches of Immortality, an attribute often accompanying the Eight Immortals (fig.). They are known by the names: Chung-li Chuan, Li Tieh-kuai, Lu Tong-pin, Chang Kuo Lao (fig.), Ho Hsien-ku, Lan Tsai-ho (fig.), Han Hsiang Tzu and Tsao Kuo-chiu. In iconography they often hold an attribute for recognition (fig.). In Chinese called Ba Xian and in Thai Paet Sian.
The last of the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha's teaching which outlines the eight steps one must follow in order to eliminate suffering and thus attain Enlightenment or nirvana. The eight steps are: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. In iconography often portrayed by a wheel with eight spokes. See also dhammachakka. ekamukhalinga (एकामुखलिङ्ग) Sanskrit. Representation of a linga with a single face.
Ekatanta (एकादन्त) Sanskrit. 'Single tusk'. A name for Ganesha.
Younger brother of king Naresuan and co-ruler of the kingdom of Ayutthaya during the latter's reign. He ascended the throne on 25 April 1605, after the death of his brother and stayed in power until his own death, which occurred sometime between October 1610 and November 1611.
See Asian elephant. The amrita or elixir of immortality that arose during 'the churning of the Ocean of Milk' by the gods and demons in the Indian epic the Ramayana. The legend also occurs in the Mahabharata, a heroic poem from Hinduism. Often identified with soma, the nectar of life. A World Heritage site in India with a total of 34 caves of religious significance, including Buddhist (600-800 AD), Hindu (600-900 AD), and Jain (800-1100 AD). The interiors are carved with religious sculptures, architectural ornamentation, and relief panels. Glaze or glazing used to cover pottery and earthenware. Also called enamel. An 66 centimeter tall dark green jade-like jasper Buddha image with a lap span of 48 centimeter, housed in Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok and regarded as the palladium or guardian spirit of the kingdom. It is considered Thailand's greatest art treasure and enjoys national veneration. According to the seasons it is dressed in different attires (fig.) put on by the king himself (or a representative). The statue was accidentally discovered when in 1434 AD the octagonal chedi of a temple in Chiang Rai was destroyed by lightening, thus revealing the statue. After having wandered throughout the kingdom, it was in 1772 AD, after the conquest of Vientiane finally brought to Bangkok by general Chakri, and initially placed in Wat Arun.
The Buddhist state of true understanding or perfect knowledge reached while still on earth. The Buddha attained this state seated under a bodhi tree. Followers can attain this state and redemption of all suffering and further rebirths by following the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. See also bodhi and nirvana. A series of events of an heroic nature, an heroic poem. Greek. Specific shape of the upper eyelid which gives the typical slant eyed characteristic of people of the Mongoloid race, including the Chinese and Japanese.
Greek. A carved inscription. Latin. Up to 18 meters high Southeast Asian climber, often seen around tree stems. Its green leaves, sometimes with creamy-white to yellow-golden marbled spots, can grow up to one meter in length and 45 cms wide. Also called devil's ivy or pothos.
The science of the meaning of representation of horses as depicted in art and the illustration of horses according to this science. Equestrian is derived from the Latin word equus, meaning 'horse' whereas iconography comes from Greek and means 'image description'. It consists of a set of rules in which the representation and the pose of the horse and its rider are significant. This goes especially for equestrian statues of historical figures. A rearing or rampant horse (fig.) in statues for example may suggest a dynamic rider prone to action and adventure, whereas a horse with all four hooves on the ground (fig.) would rather indicate the steadfast authority and power of its rider. These rules have however ramifications into several popular beliefs in which the number of raised hooves of an equestrian statue connote the status of its rider. A first such belief suggests that if the horse has one front or hind leg up, its rider has already died; if the horse has two legs in the air, either rearing with both front legs up or at trot with one front leg and one hind led up, its rider has died of causes other than natural; if the horse has three legs off the ground, its rider has died in battle; and if all four hooves are on the ground, the rider was still alive when the statue was made. This belief is contradicted by another popular conception which proposes that if the horse has one front leg up, the rider was wounded in battle or died of wounds sustained on the battle field; if the horse is rearing, that is with both front legs in the air, the rider died in battle; and if the horse has all four legs are on the ground, the rider died of causes other than combat. Both beliefs are contradictory to each other and their implication, especially of the latter, seems to be more often than not incorrect.
Period or age. Erawan (เอราวัณ) The Thai name given to the multi-headed elephant Airavata, produced during the 'churning of the Ocean of Milk'. He is the symbol of the clouds and the mount of the deity Indra, the Vedic god of the heavens, weather and war. He is generally depicted as a white three-headed elephant though sometimes may have 33 heads, representing the various heavenly states. One text mentions Erawan as a 100-headed white elephant which serves as the mount of Phra Narai, the Thai name for Vishnu, and the second version of the Ramakien written by Rama II fully describes Erawan when Indrachit, one of the demon characters disguised as Indra, succeeds in fooling the monkey general Hanuman. Although officially the mount of the god Indra, he is in art often depicted with other riders, such as Ganesha (fig.). Often found in art and in temples (fig.). In Samut Prakan is an Erawan Museum (fig.).
Latin. Scarlet red flower of the genus etlingera of which in total some 57 species are found. The flower appears embedded in a waxy pyramid-like cone of pink-edged, bright red bracts, with a diameter up to 25 centimeters. The inflorescence is borne on a 1.5 meter high leafless stem. The approximately one meter high oblong leaves are borne on bamboo-like stalks (fig.). Also called nicolaia elatior and phaeomeria speciosa. Its popular name is torch ginger.
Belgian physician and founder of the first Thai pharmacy and of the Thai Red Cross Society. He was also for 17 years the personal physician of king Chulalongkorn (Rama V). |
