Phra Mae Thorani

She is known by various names throughout Southeast Asia.

In Khmer, she is known by her title Neang Konghing ({{linktext|នាង|គង្ហីង}}, lit. "lady princess"),{{sfn|Guthrie|2004|p=2}} or as Preah Thoroni ({{lang|km|ព្រះធរណី}}) or Preah Mae Thoroni ({{lang|Th|พระแม่ธรณี}}; "Mother Earth Goddess").{{Cite book|title=Cambodian-English Dictionary|last=Headley|first=Robert K.|publisher=Catholic University Press|year=1977}} In Burmese, she is known as Wathondare (ဝသုန္ဓရေ) or Wathondara (ဝသုန္ဓရာ) (from {{langx|pi|vasundharā||earth}}) and variously transliterated as Wathundari, Wathundaye, Vasundari, etc.{{sfn|Guthrie|2004|p=2}} In Thai and other Tai languages, she is known as Thorani (from {{langx|pi|dhāraṇī|lit=ground, earth"}}){{sfn|Turner|Turner|2006|p=385}} in various appellations, including Nang Thorani ({{linktext|นาง|ธรณี}}), Mae Thorani ({{linktext|แม่|ธรณี}}), and Phra Mae Thorani ({{linktext|พระ|แม่|ธรณี}}).{{sfn|Guthrie|2004|p=2}}

{{Infobox

| title = Various depictions across the Suvarnabhumi

| image =

{{image array|perrow=2|width=125|height=115

| image1 = Phra Mae Thorani 815.jpg | caption1 = at Bangkok National Museum

| image2 = Une pagode de Luang Prabang - Laos.jpg| caption2 = Lao art

| image3 = Restaurant_Chao_Praya_-_Paris_-_75_-_FR.jpg| caption3 = in Art of Myanmar

| image4 = Buddhism 07 Ниин Кон Хинь Хоpни.jpg | caption4 = "Preah Thorani" in Cambodia.

}}

|caption =

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Images of Phra Mae Thorani are common in shrines and Buddhist temples of Burma, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. According to Buddhist myths, Phra Mae Thorani is personified as a young woman wringing the cool waters of detachment out of her hair to drown Mara, the demon sent to tempt Gautama Buddha as he meditated under the Bodhi Tree.

{{quote|The Bodhisattva was sitting in meditation on his throne under the Bodhi Tree, Mara, the Evil One, was jealous and wanted to stop him from reaching enlightenment. Accompanied by his warriors, wild animals and his daughters, the personifications of desire, he tried to drive the Bodhisattva from his throne. All the gods were terrified and ran away, leaving the Bodhisattva alone to face Mara's challenge. The Bodhisattva stretched down his right hand and touched the earth, summoning her to be his witness. The earth deity in the form of a beautiful woman rose up from underneath the throne, and affirmed the Bodhisattva's right to occupy the vajrisana. She twisted her long hair, and torrents of water collected there from the innumerable donative libations of the Buddha over the ages created a flood. The flood washed away Mara and his army, and the Bodhisattva was freed to reach enlightenment.|A Study of the History and Cult of the Buddhist Earth Deity in Mainland Southeast Asia{{sfn|Guthrie|2004|p=1}}}}

In temple murals, Phra Mae Thorani is often depicted with the Buddha in the mudra known as calling the earth to witness. The waters flowing forth from her long hair wash away the armies of Mara and symbolize the water of the bodhisattva's perfection of generosity (dāna paramī).

{{See also|Maravijaya attitude}}

In the iconography of Gautama Buddha in Laos and Thailand, "touching the earth" mudra (Maravijaya Attitude) refers to the Buddha's pointing towards the earth to summon the Earth Goddess to come to his assistance in obtaining enlightenment by witnessing to his past good deeds.{{sfn|Cooler|2009}}

File:Yezetcha ceremony.PNG

In Buddhism in Burma, the water ceremony (yay zet cha), which involves the ceremonial pouring of water from a glass into a vase, drop by drop, concludes most Buddhist ceremonies including donation celebrations and feasts. This ceremonial libation is done to share the accrued merit with all other living beings in all 31 planes of existence.{{cite book |title=Burmese supernaturalism |last=Spiro |first=Melford E. |year=1996 |publisher=Transaction Publishers |isbn=978-1-56000-882-8 |pages=44–47 }} While the water is poured, a confession of faith, called the hsu taung imaya dhammanu, is recited and led by the monks.{{cite book |title=Buddhism and society: a great tradition and its Burmese vicissitudes |last=Spiro |first=Melford E. |year=1982 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-04672-6 |pages=213–214 }} Then, the merit is distributed by the donors, called ahmya wei, by saying Ahmya ahmya ahmya yu daw mu gya ba gon law three times, with the audience responding thadu, Pali for "well done." The earth goddess, known in Burmese as Wathondara ({{lang|my|ဝသုန္ဒရာ}}) or Wathondare ({{lang|my|ဝသုန္ဒရေ}}), is invoked to witness these meritorious deeds. Afterward, the libated water is poured on soil outside, to return the water to the goddess.

Phra Mae Thorani is featured in the logo of:

• The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority and Provincial Waterworks Authority of Thailand.
• The Democrat Party (Thailand) to emphasise the importance of earth and water for Thailand, together with the Pali proverb sachamwe amatta wacha ({{lang|th|สจฺจํเว อมตา วาจา}}) "truth is indeed the undying word," to symbolise the values of the Party.{{sfn|Guthrie|2004|p=175}}

Temptation_of_the_Buddha_with_Mara_and_his_daughters_and_the_demons_of_Mara_fleeing_Sanchi_Stupa_1_Northern_Gateway.jpg| Buddha during the battle with Mara, pointing towards the earth, summoning Phra Mae Thorani to come to his assistance from Sanchi. She is on the left hand and holding Kalasha.

094a Mara and his Army attack the Bodhisattva who calls the Earth to Witness (28727045626).jpg |Buddha during the battle with Mara pointing towards the earth, summoning Phra Mae Thorani to come to his assistance from Borobudur. She is on the left hand and holding Kalasha.

2016_Bangkok,_Dystrykt_Samphanthawong,_Wat_Traimit_Witthayaram_(13).jpg|Buddha during the battle with Mara pointing towards the earth, summoning Phra Mae Thorani to come to his assistance in Wat Traimit

Battle with Mara.jpg |Painting in a Laotian wat. Buddha during the battle with Mara pointing towards the earth, summoning Phra Mae Thorani to come to his assistance

Phra Mae Thorani 837.jpg|Phra Mae Thorani fountain, Bangkok

Buddhaimage7.JPG|Calling the earth to witness

Phra Mae Thorani 847.jpg|Wat Phnom Mural: Phra Mae Thorani placing herself between the demons and Gautama Buddha

Phra Mae Thorani wood carved statue in Wat Chetawan, Selangor.jpg|Wooden statue of Phra Mae Thorani in Wat Chetawan, Malaysia

• Mother goddess
• Prithvi
• Vasudhara
• Phosop
• Bhūmi

{{Reflist|group=n}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Cate|first=Sandra|title=Making Merit, Making Art: A Thai Temple in Wimbledon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C8QDtGFOxNYC&pg=RA1-PA35|year=2003|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|isbn=978-0-8248-2357-3}}
• {{cite web| url= http://www.seasite.niu.edu/burmese/cooler/Chapter_3/Part4/Images/pagan_period_4.htm| title= The Enlightened Buddha | access-date= 2011-01-20| last= Cooler | first= Dr. Richard M. | date= 2009| format= Illustrated study guide| work= The art and culture of Burma, Chapter III The Pagan period : Burma's classic age - 11th To 14th centuries, Part 4 D. Sculpture, 2. A thematic discussion of iconography and meaning | publisher= SEAsite, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University}}
• {{citation |title= A Study of the History and Cult of the Buddhist Earth Deity in Mainland Southeast Asia

|last= Guthrie |first= Elizabeth |date= 2004 |work=Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD in Religious Studies at the University of Canterbury |publisher= University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand |page= 2|hdl = 10092/4350}}

• {{cite book|last=Holt|first=John|title=Spirits of the Place: Buddhism and Lao Religious Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a72gff91-u0C&pg=PA240|year=2009|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|isbn=978-0-8248-3327-5}}
• {{cite book|last=Marshall|title=Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n2FpRCam224C&pg=PA452|year=2005|publisher=Marshall Cavendish|isbn=978-0-7614-7563-7}}
• {{cite book|last=Mishra|first=P. K.|title=Studies in Hindu and Buddhist Art|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AqSAQpCOifoC&pg=RA3-PA356|date=1 January 1999|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-368-7}}
• {{cite book|last=Roveda|first=Vittorio |title=Images of the Gods: Khmer Mythology in Cambodia, Thailand and Laos|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tv7VAAAAMAAJ|date=2005|publisher=River Books|isbn=978-974-9863-03-9}}
• {{cite book|last=Stratton|first=Carol|title=Buddhist Sculpture of Northern Thailand|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EVpSSigMi4cC&pg=PA337|year=2004|publisher=Serindia Publications, Inc.|isbn=978-1-932476-09-5}}
• {{cite book|last=Swearer|first=Donald K.|title=The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LReQ_nw9HEMC&pg=PA45|date=1 January 1995|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-1-4384-2165-0}}
• {{cite book|last=Terwiel|first=B. J.|title=Monks and magic: an analysis of religious ceremonies in central Thailand|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WlfYAAAAMAAJ|year=1994|publisher=White Lotus|isbn=978-974-8495-91-0 }}
• {{cite book|last1=Turner|first1=Sir Ralph Lilley|author-link=Ralph Lilley Turner|first2=Dorothy Rivers |last2=Turner|title=A comparative dictionary of the Indo-Aryan languages.|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=soas&query=dharani+&matchtype=exact&display=utf8|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121215095134/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=soas&query=dharani+&matchtype=exact&display=utf8|archive-date=2012-12-15|edition=Accompanied by three supplementary volumes: indexes, compiled by Dorothy Rivers Turner: 1969. – Phonetic analysis: 1971. – Addenda et corrigenda: 1985.|orig-date=1962|date=2006|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=London}}

{{commons category}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20111127094941/http://www.grandevillehotel.com/goddess-of-earth.html Mae Phra Thorani Monument]
• [http://magiedubouddha.com/p_thai-thorani1.php Maï Thorani, Déesse de la Terre]

{{Burmese nats}}

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Category:Female buddhas and supernatural beings

Category:Earth goddesses

Category:Thai goddesses

Category:Culture of Southeast Asia

Category:Burmese folklore

Category:Cambodian folklore

Category:Laotian folklore

Category:Thai folklore