What Do Buddha Day of the Week Postures Mean in Buddhism?
Shop for Birthday Buddhas here, or read below for a description of what each posture of Buddha means for each day of the week.
Sunday Buddha
Right hand over left, the standing Buddha in Monday’s birthday posture shows a Buddha reflecting on what has been done.
Buddha in Monday’s posture is that of deep thought… he is contemplating the attainment of complete letting go as occurred with Nirvana (Nibbana) while sitting under the Bodhi tree. After attaining liberation, Moksha, liberation from this world’s inevitable pain – Buddha sat under the bodhi tree for seven days as he examined the suffering of all living things.
He decided it was best to share the knowledge with others and dedicated his life to helping others attain the same freedom of mind.
Monday Buddha
Raised right hand, this standing Buddha in Monday’s birthday posture shows a Buddha stopping disease and tragedy in Vesali.
Preventing tragedy is the theme for Monday’s Buddha posture. The story goes that the city of Vesali was being plagued by evils from 3 origins – poverty, disease, and evil spirits. Evil spirits had overtaken the city and were eating the people – dead or alive.
The king of the city sought advice from sages who told him to contact the Buddha to see if there was anything he could do. Buddha, arriving in Vesali first made it rain torrents of rain to clean the city of dead bodies and disease.
Buddha’s disciple, the monk, Ananda went all over the city chanting parts of the Tipitaka and splashing holy (blessed) water all over parts of the city. Suffering humans here healed of their infirmities… the evil spirits were banished.
Tuesday Buddha
Reclining Gigantic Buddha.
There was a giant in a kingdom, Asurindarahu. This giant wished to visit the Buddha, and when he did, he didn’t want to bow down before him in humility. Why should he, he was the biggest, the strongest – so he thought.
Buddha then made himself bigger than the giant – dwarfing him. He showed the giant a part of the heavens with giant figures all much larger and greater than the giant. Asurindarahu was humbled and bowed before Buddha.
A very large reclining Buddha statue is found at Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom province near Bangkok.
Wednesday Buddha
Buddha holding a bowl to go alms gathering.
This Wednesday Birthday Buddha posture relates to the first morning that Buddha went into the city to receive alms.
Thursday Buddha
Thursday’s birthday Buddha posture is that of a meditative Buddha.
Usually shown as the Buddha sitting in a half-lotus posture with the right leg on the crease between the left calf and thigh.
The right hand is placed on the top of the left hand. In this posture, Buddha is representing the vow to sit and attain enlightenment by cutting through the causes of suffering… and culminating in the cessation of all suffering.
Friday Buddha
Buddha’s pose for the Friday birthday posture is that of contemplation. His hands are crossed in front of the chest – his right hand has been placed over the left.
Contemplating, questioning… Buddha wonders how he can put into words the cause of suffering to others so they too can break free from its bonds.
Saturday Buddha
Buddha sits in an Anapanasati meditation posture on the coils of naga (serpent) while 7 naga serpents outline his head like a halo.
The naga protects the Buddha from evil. Also called “Mucalinda’s cobra hood”. Mucalinda is the ruler of the Naga serpents. Nong Khai has quite a history of Naga serpents in the water of the Mun River there.
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I was born 3rd nov 1975
That was a Monday! I googled “What day was I born on?” there are a bunch of online calculators. :P