Girimekhala (Girimekhalā) is the elephant that carries Mara in Theravada Buddhism.

Buddhist tradition

Its height is 250 yojana.[1] When Mara and his army of evil tried to prevent the future Buddha from achieving enlightenment, the Buddha asked the earth to bear testimony for his deeds and Girimekhala fell in front of the Buddha.[2][3]

Girimekhala appears in the Buddhist chant Buddha-jaya-maṅgala Gāthā (Verses of the Buddha's Auspicious Victories):[4]

Bāhuṃ sahassam-abhinimmita-sāvudhantaṃ
Grīmekhalaṃ udita-ghora-sasena-māraṃ.
Dānādi-dhamma-vidhinā jitavā munindo:
Tan-tejasā bhavatu te jaya-maṅgalāni.
[Tan-tejasā bhavatu te jaya-maṅgalāni.]

Video games

Girimekhala has made appearances in video games including:

Television

In The Real Ghostbusters, Winston battles against a demon pitcher who resembles Girimekhala in a game of baseball.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G P Malalasekera (1899-1973)p614.
  2. ↑ Becoming the Buddha: The Ritual of Image Consecration in Thailand,p133.
  3. ↑ Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G P Malalasekera (1899-1973)p614.
  4. ↑ The Dhammayut Order in the United States of America (2013). A Chanting Guide: Pali Passages with English Translations (PDF).
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