Lalitāsana
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lalitāsana (T. rol pa’i ’dug stangs).[1] A posture (asana) of "relaxation" that is frequently found in Indian and Buddhist art. It is commonly referred to as a posture of "royal ease" in English, since it is a relaxed pose typical in royal portraits and those of bodhisattvas or deities whose "royal" attributes are being emphasized.
In this posture, typically the left leg is bent and resting on the seat, and the right leg is "pendent" (hanging down) to touch the ground or rest on a support.[1] Occasionally the leg positions are reversed.[1]
A pose with one arm resting on a raised knee is common in Chinese Buddhist images of bodhisattvas. This form of the pose became associated in China with Guanyin from the late 9th century.[2]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Robert E. Buswell Jr., Donald S. Lopez Jr., The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (Princeton: 2014), s.v. Lalitasana
- ↑ "Guanyin seated in Royal-ease pose, ca. 1250", Princeton University Art Museum