Thai Trip - Many forms of Buddha

After traveling around a few areas in Thailand, I became more aware that the Buddha is represented in many forms, and I was sure that his position in the statues must be representative.  I guess I used to have a vague notion of these different forms, and assumed it had to do with different religions, and different forms were no doubt manifestations of various cultures' influence on a religion... as it turns out, it is not nearly so simple (as anything to do with culture or religion goes, I guess)!

Here are some of my pictures of these various positions with their meanings (as I have understood them from the Thai, and subsequent readings... since I couldn't always understand everything everyone was trying to communicate to me - one of the greatest frustrations/adjustments to Thailand, actually... I have been taking for granted how easily I can communicate with people in Indonesia now!):

Touching the earth: aka. "calling the earth to witness".  This form is supposed to represent the Buddha renouncing 'worldly desire'.  It is the one I saw MOST around Thailand... I guess that's appropriate since life is full of temptations, and their renunciation is the central moral precept of Buddhism.

 

Absence of fear: either one or both arms are shown bent at the elbow and the wrist, with the palm facing outwards and the fingers pointing upwards. It shows the Buddha either displaying fearlessness in the face of adversity, or enjoining others to do so.

Teaching:  The gesture represents intellectual debate or discussion and teaching; it indicates communication and explanation of the Dharma (or Buddha's teachings).  This is when the tips of the thumb and index finger touch, forming a circle... Sometimes the middle finger and thumb touch - a gesture of great compassion; and sometimes the thumb and ring finger touch, expressing good fortune.

Charity: the right palm open, signifying that the Buddha is granting or receiving charitable offerings.

Setting the wheel in motion: both hands held in front of the chest.  I thought it would have something to do with love, or feeling 'touched' (and maybe in a sense that's true)... This pose refers very specifically to the Buddha's first sermon, when he "set the wheel (of his life's work) in motion."

Meditation: the hands are shown lying flat in the seated Buddha's lap, palms upward.  It shows that the Buddha is disciplining his mind through mental concentration, a necessary step to achieving enlightenment.

Reclining: The reclining posture may represent the Buddha resting or sleeping, but more usually represents the Buddha's final state of enlightenment before his death.

Then there's the fat laughing buddha, whom I only saw ONCE in Thailand... unfortunately I was on my own, so didn't have a chance to ask anyone why.