A bronze
Phra Phanatsabodih statue at
Wat Luang Phih Saem (fig.)
depicting the Buddha standing on
Brahmanaspati (fig.), a composite
animal that is known as
‘Lord of
Brahmanism’
and combines features of the
vahana or mounts
of the three main Hindu gods, thus having the beak of
Vishnu's
Garuda, the
horns of
Shiva's
bull, and the wings of
Brahma's
hamsa,
i.e. a sacred swan. This creature mounted by the
Buddha, represents
the ascendancy of
Buddhism over
Hinduism.
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