The white color is a sign of purity and holiness in Buddhism. This symbol is found in a variety of Aśoka’s remains, along … The elephant dream foretelling Buddha’s Birth Buddha’s Birth as a young prince. For Hindus, elephants are important due to their connection with the Ganesha, one of the most worshiped symbols of the subcontinent. The royal sages predicted the birth of a great monarch or a Buddha. The untamed, black, elephant symbolizes the mind of a beginning Buddhist practitioner. There are actually two elephants in the Buddhist tradition, the gray and the white elephant. In the Buddhist tradition, the elephant is a symbol of the mind. The white elephant, according to Buddhist belief, represents the penultimate incarnation of Gautama Buddha before he was born to Queen Maya. The gray elephant reflects a wild creature that runs amok and is the symbol of a cluttered mind. The elephant also has very specific religious meanings for both Hindus and Buddhists. To the man, it means something expensive and useless, which would limit his ability to do as he likes. According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha-to-be was residing as a bodhisattva in the Tuṣita heaven, and decided to take the shape of a white elephant to be reborn on Earth for the last time. Buddha’s conception or descent, known as Avakranti, is symbolized by a white elephant. Finally the elephant disappeared and the queen awoke, knowing she had been delivered an important message, as the elephant is a symbol of greatness. The idea of a white elephant in the story, therefore, is a complex symbol. But … It is often considered sacred and symbolises royalty in Thailand and Burma, where it is also considered a symbol of good luck. The white elephant is the symbol of the mind that has been trained to be strong and calm. His mother, Queen Maya, dreamed of a white elephant who offered her a white lotus with his trunk and entered her womb. A white elephant (also albino elephant) is a rare kind of elephant, but not a distinct species. White elephants are indicative of a tame mind and embody serene intelligence and composed calmness. The elephant is commonly known for its power and wisdom, and white elephants also have the all these characteristics. A white elephant is rare and given special significance. The white elephant was significant in the Buddha’s birth. In Buddhism, elephants symbolize mental strength on the path toward enlightenment. The Elephant. His … The image of the elephant in Buddhism symbolizes inner strength. According to tradition, Buddha was born as a Shakya noble prince on a full-moon day in May in 623 BCE at Lumbini in Kapilavastu at the borders of present day Nepal and India. In Buddhist iconography, the elephant is associated with Queen Māyā of Sakya, the mother of Gautama Buddha. Elephant symbolism In Buddhism & Hinduism. 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