This is a relatively rare amulet.  The originals had been stored in a stupa when it was built.  When the structure collapsed, a century later, thousands of these amulets were found.  Those original amulets are now valued at $6,000 USD.

Only two other examples of this amulet were recovered from this estate, brought here be a group of visiting Theravada monks on holiday. According to the inventory ledger pertaining to that pair of prized votives, she quotes them as telling her; "The power of these holy items is the Thai's belief in Buddha's good for everything powers to bring good luck, happiness, life protections, good fortune, wealth, power, prosperity, prevent evil spirits and dark magic."

Our own research revealed, Phra Chao Sua, translates as “Buddha on a Mountain,” which resonates deeply with the Chinese cultural beliefs intertwined with Feng Shui.  In Chinese culture, mountains symbolize strength, stability, and protection.  Combined with the image of the Buddha, this takes on an enhanced meaning.  In Feng Shui, the surrounding landscape plays a crucial role.  Mountains, especially those positioned behind a dwelling, provide “support” to its inhabitants.  This strong backing is believed to attract wealth, prosperity, and positive energy, ensuring the residents or businesses flourish.  The idea of a “Mountain Buddha” becomes a potent emblem of spiritual and material well-being.  The placement of a Buddha statue, particularly in this context, is believed to amplify the flow of chi (energy).  When this statue is associated with the strength and protection of a mountain, the combined symbolism serves as a powerful tool in Feng Shui practices to harness and optimize positive energies.  

Luang Phor Thaud amulets are highly desirable among worshippers and collectors alike.  Thai belief coincides with one of her journal entries which reads; "here is protection from oneself harm.  The image is blessed by many temples and monks over the years.  These prayers, still chanted today, enrich every amulet in the world, assuring its power remains intact!"

 Luang Pu Thuad amulets are exceptionally regarded for their ability to protect from danger, evil spirits and accidents.  Many believe amulets bearing Luang Pu Thuad's image have powers of protection that grants safety in times of distress, especially saving the lives of believers from seemingly accidents. 

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Bodhi Tree

Excerpts from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, for the most part...

The Bodhi Tree ("tree of awakening"), also called the Mahabodhi Tree, Bo Tree, is a large sacred fig tree (Ficus religiosa) located in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India.  Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher who became known as the Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment or buddhahood circa 500 BCE under this tree.  In religious iconography, the Bodhi Tree is recognizable by its heart-shaped leaves, which are usually prominently displayed.

The original tree under which Siddhartha Gautama sat is no longer living, but the term "bodhi tree" is also applied to existing sacred fig trees.  The foremost example of an existing tree is the Mahabodhi Tree growing at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, which is often cited as a direct descendant of the original tree.  This tree, planted around 250 BCE, is a frequent destination for pilgrims, being the most important of the four main Buddhist pilgrimage sites.

Other holy bodhi trees with great significance in the history of Buddhism are the Anandabodhi Tree at Jetavana in Sravasti in North India and the Sri Maha Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.  Both are also believed to have been propagated from the original Bodhi Tree.

The Forest Research Institute of India assists in the upkeep of the tree since 2007.  Cloning has been considered in 2008.  Its sacred leaves can also be bought by pilgrims as mementos.  Religious offerings, which would draw insects, were shifted to some distance from the tree.

The Bodhi tree at the Mahabodhi Temple is called the Sri Maha Bodhi. Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment (bodhi) while meditating underneath a Ficus religiosa.  According to Buddhist texts, the Buddha meditated without moving from his seat for seven weeks (49 days) under this tree.  A shrine called Animisalocana cetiya, was later erected on the spot where he sat.

The spot was used as a shrine even in the lifetime of the Buddha.  Emperor Ashoka the Great was most diligent in paying homage to the Bodhi tree, and held a festival every year in its honour in the month of Kattika.  His queen, Tissarakkha, was jealous of the Tree, and three years after she became queen (i.e., in the nineteenth year of Asoka's reign), she cursed the tree to be killed by means of mandu thorns.  The tree, however, grew again, and a great monastery was attached to the Bodhimanda called the Bodhimanda Vihara.  Among those present at the foundation Kattika the Maha Thupa are mentioned thirty thousand monks from the Bodhimanda Vihara, led by Cittagutta.

In the 7th century CE, Chinese traveler Xuanzang wrote of the tree in detail.

Every time the tree was destroyed, a new tree was planted in the same place.

In 1862 British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham wrote of the site as the first entry in the first volume of the Archaeological Survey of India:

The celebrated Bodhi tree still exists, but is very much decayed; one large stem, with three branches to the westward, is still green, but the other branches are barkless and rotten.  The green branch perhaps belongs to some younger tree, as there are numerous stems of apparently different trees clustered together.  The tree must have been renewed frequently, as the present Pipal is standing on a terrace at least 30 feet above the level of the surrounding country.  It was in full vigour in 1811, when seen by Dr. Buchanan (Hamilton), who describes it as in all probability not exceeding 100 years of age.

However, the tree decayed further and in 1876 the remaining tree was destroyed in a storm.  Cunningham says the young scion of the parent tree was already in existence to take its place.

Bodhi Day

On 8 December, Bodhi Day celebrates Buddha's enlightenment underneath the Bodhi Tree.  Those who follow the Dharma greet each other by saying, "Budu saranai!" which translates to "may the peace of the Buddha be yours."  It is also generally seen as a religious holiday, much like Christmas in the Christian west, in which special meals are served, especially cookies shaped like hearts (referencing the heart-shaped leaves of the Bodhi) and a meal of kheer, the Buddha's first meal ending his six-year asceticism.

Bodhi Puja

Bodhi Puja, meaning "the veneration of Bodhi-tree" is the ritual to worship the Bodhi tree and the deity residing on it (Pali: rukkhadevata; Sanskrit; vrikshadevata).  It is done by giving various offerings such as food, water, milk, lamps, incense, etc. and chanting the verses of glory of Bodhi tree in Pali. The most common verse is:

"Ime ete mahabodhi lokanathena pujita ahampi te namassami bodhi raja namatthu te."

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We have been contacted and visited by a number of people who were interested in the items from this estate since our first batch was listed.  Among the buyers have been known psychics and practitioners.  More than one, after adorning themselves or handling their purchase, stated "this is a woman of power!"  Many of our customers, after receiving items from this estate have reported dream contacts and other unexplained phenomenon.

Unusual, authentic Voodoo Priestess Estate piece and at a bargain price!

This is truly a rare opportunity to own anything with attributes to this estate.  The majority of this estate is now gone.  Most of what we had left, and it was considerable, has been split up and sold to a couple of private, foreign collector practitioners and will never be available to the public again.  We made the decision to do this as we have had some pretty strange visits from even stranger individuals and there have been enough unexplained phenomenon going on in the warehouse where her things were kept that many of our employees refused to go in there.

The pieces offered and sold here are some of the few remaining pieces that will ever be offered to the public.

Nice addition to any collection, wardrobe, altar, or decor, displays really well.

 Really doesn't get any better than this.

There are 8 photographs, so please give them time to load, and enjoy the listing.

Buyer to pay $0.00 for USPS Insured Ground Advantage (scenic route) Mail with Unreliable Tracking and handling with lagniappe.

Rest assured your order will be carefully packed to withstand the onslaught of the most deranged of Postal Workers.

 Payment is due at listing end.

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