History of Ayutthaya - Siampedia

Bai sema (Th.)	See Sema
Bakheng (Kh.)	The name of a Khmer style of art created circa late 9th to early 10th centuries A.D. Its important religious monument is the Phnom Bakheng sanctuary tower constructed around the late 9th century A.D. [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Ban (Th.)	Traditional Thai unit of volume equal to 1000 liter or 500 Kg.
Banlang (Th.)	See Harmika.
Baphuon (Kh.)	The name of a Khmer style of art executed around the 11th century A.D. Its important structure is the Baphtuon sanctuary tower, believed to have been erected around the middle of the century. [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Barali (Th.)	Finials evenly spaced on the roof-ridge between the two cho fa finials (See also Cho fa). [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Bayon (Kh.)	The name of a Khmer style of art created circa late 12th to early 13th centuries A.D. The important monument is the Bayon sanctuary tower built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Bodhi (Skt)	A Sanscrit word, in Siamese, Phothi, has in both languages the same meanings - (1.) wisdom ; (2.) the sacred fig-tree, pipul, ficus religiosa, or Bo-tree - the tree under which Buddha sat during the meditation which raised him to omniscience, and which is to be found in the grounds of almost every temple in Siam. [Ref: The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - Trubner & Co, London - page 163.]
Bodhisattva (Skt.)	[Bodhisatta (P.); Phothisat (Th.)]: In Theravada Buddhism, the name given to a Buddha-to-be, a being who is destined to become a Buddha, especially the historical Buddha in his previous incarnations. In Mahayana Buddhism, he is a compassionate being who voluntarily postpones nirvana in order to help all beings achieve a similar state of perfection, so that all may attain an end to rebirth. [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Brahmanism	The religion during the pre-Buddhist era, developed from the Vedic culture which the Aryans had brought into northern India. Later, it evolved into Hinduism of which the greatest divinities are Trimurti : Brahma (the Creator), Visnu or Phra Narai (the Preserver) and Siva or Isvara (the Destroyer). In Hinduism, to destroy is also to create as the Hindus believe in rebirth. [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Bua chongkon (Th.)	See Bua hua sao
Bua hua Sao (Th.)	[bua (lotus) + hua sao (capital)]: Capital in the form of a stylized lotus ornamenting the viharn or ubosot columns. Some lotus capitals are formed in a bulb shape with tiers of overlapping small petals (Thai : bua klum or bua ho) or they are in the form of a stylized long-petalled blooming lotus (Thai : bua chongkon). [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Bua khwam bua ngai (Th.)	See Bua pak rakhang.
Bua Klum (Th.)	See Bua hua sao.
Bua pak rakhang (Th.)	A row of upper and lower lotus petalled motifs around the bottom of the anda. [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Bua thala (Th.)	A series of superimposed inverted Cyma Recta mouldings fixed around the structures. [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Bua tho (Th.)	See Bua hua sao.
Buddha	In Siamese, Phut and Phutha, 'The Wise,' is the principal title of every Buddha, of whom it is supposed there have been infinite numbers, who have enlightened the world successively at distant intervals. The word comes from the Sanscrit "Budha" which is derived from "budh" - to fathom, penetrate, understand. [Ref: The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - Trubner & Co, London - page 163.]
Buddha subduing Mara	An attitude of Buddha images. This attitude is represented by a seated image in a folded-leg posture, with the right hand hanging down on the right knee and the left palm on the lap. With this gesture, He is calling upon Dharani, the Earth Goddess, to acknowledge and witness His right to Enlightenment. Other terms used to describe this attitude are the Victory over Mara, the Defeat of Mara, the Maravijaya and Calling the Earth to Witness. (See Mara) [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Buddha under Naga	The attitude of Buddha images popularly created in Khmer art. In Thai art, the Buddha under Naga generally refers to an episode from the Life of Gautarna Buddha after He had attained Enlightenment. That is, in the sixth week after His Enlightenment, He moved from the place called Ajapalanigrodha to sit under the Mucalinda tree (Chik tree). While He was meditating there, a storm arose. The king of nagas (Nagaraja) named Mucalinda came up from the pond beside and coiled itself around the Buddha in seven coils and spread its seven-headed hood over Him to prevent the stormy rain from touching His body. This seated-Buddha attitude is conventionally believed to be the special image for the one who was born on Saturday. [Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Buddhist Council	The first Buddhist Council; The assembly convened by Adjatasattru [King of Magadha], immediately after Buddha's death, is known as the first Buddhist Council, and is said to have consisted of five hundred monks, who had all attained to the Kahatship, or highest degree of sanctity, which confers miraculous powers, and immediately precedes the reception of Nirwana. The council was presided over by Kasyappa, under whose direction the whole canon of Buddha's teachings was recited. These teachings are divided into three parts, known as the three baskets (Trai Pidok, or Pitaka). [...] These three parts, carefully remembered by the auditors, are supposed to have been orally transmitted for some hundreds of years, though some say that they were at once written in the Sanscrit language. Such is the tradition of this first council. [Ref: The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - Trubner & Co, London - page 166-7.]
Bunyaphi	Bunyaphi (meritorious) is of two kinds. First, the meritorious predisposition which will lead to birth in one of the six sensual heavens. This is the state of every one who, without attaining to the ecstatic meditation (Dhyana), is nevertheless eminently pious, a practiser of alms giving, an observer of the commandments, a perseverer in the simple meditations (Bhawana), and an attentive listener to religious teaching, and a follower of that teaching to the best of his ability. Second, the meritorious predisposition of those who have attained the four states of Dhyana, which will cause their re-birth in the heavens of the Brahamas who have form. [Ref: The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - Trubner & Co, London - page 235-6.]