Alabaster Buddha Ca. 1900-1950

Alabaster carved Buddha Ca. 1900-1950  The Buddha is seated in the "Calling Earth to Witness the Defeat of Evil" Posture. With fingers slightly touching the ground, this position represents the Subduing of Mara the Evil One. The demon Mara in Buddhism is sometimes called Kama-Mara which means desire and death and has parallels with Greek mythology as well as psychology in Eros-Thanatos. Mara assaulted and bombarded The Buddha with demons, monsters, violent storms and finally the three seductive daughters. In some accounts of The Buddha's Enlightenment, it is said that the demon Māra didn't send his three daughters to tempt but instead they came willingly after Māra's set back in his endeavor to eliminate the Buddha's quest for enlightenment. Mara's three daughters are identified as Taṇhā (Craving), Arati (Aversion/Discontentment), and Raga (Attachment/Desire/Greed/Passion). Remaining steadfast in His Meditation, The Buddha touched the earth and called the Earth Goddess, Mae Thorani to