Thirty-two Marks of Excellence

Also referred to as the “thirty-two major marks” and “marks of a great man,” these are the characteristics of excellence adorning Buddhas and wheel-turning monarchs. The marks on the Buddhas are much clearer and more defined than on the wheel-turning monarchs. In addition to the thirty-two marks, Buddhas and great bodhisattvas (but not wheel-turning monarchs) also are adorned with the eighty notable characteristics, also known as the “eighty minor marks.” In the sūtras, it is said, “It takes one hundred kalpas to perfect the major and minor marks of the Buddha and three incalculable kalpas to perfect the merit and wisdom of the Buddha.”

What are the thirty-two marks of excellence?

First, the mark of “the soles of the feet set down well”:
the soles of his feet are set fully touching the ground, and there is no gap for anything to be inserted, not even a needle.

Second, the mark of “the soles of both feet bearing [Dharma] wheels”:
each with a thousand spokes, a rim, and a hub; all these three aspects are perfect and complete, formed naturally without having been made by an artist. Even Viśvakarman, the architect of the heavens, cannot make such a wonderful mark.

Third, the mark of “long fingers”:
his fingers are long, slender and straight, in beautiful order, and of various lengths.

Fourth, the mark of “broad and even heels.”

Fifth, the mark of “webbed fingers and toes”:
like the king of the geese, the fine webs show when he spreads open his fingers and toes and do not show when he does not spread open his fingers and toes.

Sixth, the mark of “soft and delicate hands and feet”:
like the fine cotton gossamer, they surpass the other parts of his body.

Seventh, the mark of “perfectly formed and arched insteps”:
when stepping on the ground, his feet neither broaden nor narrow. The soles of his feet are like red lotus flowers in color; the fine webs between his toes and the sides of his toes are like real coral in color; his toenails are like pure copper [in color]; the tops of his feet have the color of real gold; and the hairs on his instep have the color of azure lapis lazuli. His feet are beautifully adorned like jeweled sandals, ornamented in various ways.

Eighth, the mark of “antelope-like limbs”:
his limbs taper gradually, like those of the antelope.

Ninth, the mark of “hands touching the knees when standing straight”:
without bending forward or leaning back, he can touch his knees with his palms.

Tenth, the mark of “a concealed male organ”:
just like the well-trained treasure elephant and treasure horse [of a wheel-turning monarch].

Eleventh, the mark of “a body of equal span and height”:
like the Indian banyan tree, the Bodhisattva’s body is in perfect proportion, measuring the same on all four sides.

Twelfth, the mark of “hair turning upward”:
all the hair on his body grows upwards and is very fine.

Thirteenth, the mark of “a single hair growing from each pore”:
his hair is not in disarray and is the color of azure lapis lazuli; the hair curls up toward the right.

Fourteenth, the mark of “a golden hue.”

Fifteenth, the mark of “a ten-foot light”:
the light extends ten feet [from his body] on all four sides; within the light is the Buddha with his supremely dignified magnificence, just like the pure jewel-like radiance of the kings in the heavenly realms.

Sixteenth, the mark of “fine and delicate skin”:
dust does not adhere to his body, just as the leaves of the lotus retain neither dust nor water. Though the Bodhisattva walks over a hill of dry earth, dirt does not adhere to his feet. In the wake of a fierce wind that blasts the earthen hill into dust, not a single particle of dust will adhere to the Buddha’s body.

Seventeenth, the mark of “perfect fullness of the seven parts”:
the seven parts, two hands, two feet, two shoulders, and neck, are all perfectly full and well-formed; their purity and color surpass that of other parts of the body.

Eighteenth, the mark of “perfect fullness under both armpits”:
there are neither bulges nor hollows.

Nineteenth, the mark of “a lion-like upper body.”

Twentieth, the mark of “a large and straight body”:

being the largest and straightest when compared to the bodies of all people.

Twenty-first, the mark of “perfectly, well-formed shoulders”:
none can match the quality of his shoulders.

Twenty-second, the mark of “forty teeth”:
no more and no less; other people have thirty-two teeth. Their bodies have more than three hundred bones while the skull has nine. The Bodhisattva has forty teeth, but the skull is a single bone. The Bodhisattva has more teeth while his skull has one bone; others have fewer teeth while their skulls have more bones. This is how his body differs from that of other people.

Twenty-third, the mark of “the teeth being even”:
his teeth are all equal, none are thicker or thinner, with none out of place.

And the mark of “the teeth being close together”:
those who do not understand [this aspect of his teeth] would say he has a single tooth; the space between the teeth will not let a single hair slip through.

Twenty-fourth, the mark of “white teeth”:
they surpass the brightness of the Himālayas, the king of mountains.

Twenty-fifth, the mark of “a lion-like jaw”:
he has a broad and flat jaw like the lion, the king of beasts.

Twenty-sixth, the mark of “tasting the most excellent flavors.”

There are some who say that when the Buddha puts food in

his mouth, all food gives the most excellent taste. Why is that?

Because all food contains the cause for the most excellent flavor.

Those without this mark do not taste the most excellent flavor because they cannot activate this cause. And there are some who say that when the Bodhisattva takes food and places it in his mouth, ambrosia naturally flows from two places in his throat and is blended harmoniously with all the other flavors, and because the flavor is pure, this is called tasting the most excellent flavor.

Twenty-seventh, the mark of “a large tongue”:
when the Bodhisattva sticks out his large tongue, it covers his entire face, even to his hairline, but when he puts it back in his mouth, his mouth is not full.

Twenty-eighth, the mark of “a Brahmā-like voice”:
[the Bodhisattva’s voice] is like the sound coming from the mouth of the Brahmā Heaven King. This has five qualities: one, deep like thunder; two, distinctly clear, audible from afar, and delighting the listeners; three, penetrating the mind, inspiring respect; four, truth elucidated is easily understood; and five, listeners do not become weary of hearing it. The Bodhisattva’s voice has these same five qualities.
Also, the mark of “the voice of the kalaviṅka bird”:
pleasant 
like the song of the kalaviṅka bird; and the mark of “a drum-like voice”: deeply resonating and far reaching like the sound of a great drum.

Twenty-ninth, the mark of “real blue eyes”:
[they are] like a fine blue lotus flower.

Thirtieth, the mark of “eyelashes like an ox”:
his eyelashes are long, fine, and not straggly, just like the eyelashes of the king of oxen.

Thirty-first, the mark of “a protuberance on the crown of the head”:
the Bodhisattva has a bony protuberance the size of a fist on top of his head.

Thirty-second, the mark of “a white tuft of hair”:
a tuft of white hair grows between his eyebrows, neither too high nor too low; the hair is pure white, curls to the right, and is five feet long when stretched out.

Excerpts taken from The Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise, Fascicle Four, pp. 97–113.

What is the fastest thing in the universe? Of course, everyone knows it is light, which moves at three hundred thousand kilometers per second. However, in Buddhism, the fastest thing is not light but a person’s mind. The speed of mind is several hundred times faster than light and is not limited by time and space. In a flash you can think of Li Bo, Read more
If you keep your practice steady,morning and night, summer and winter,there is nothing you can not doand nothing that can harm you.— Upasakasila SutraThe Importance of Being SteadyLaziness and fear of work will get you into trouble no matter where they appear. Laziness is a basic animal tendency that must be confronted the moment it starts. Once you begin to allow yourself to be lazy, Read more
In the early days of Buddhism, how did monastics observe the Way and live their lives? As the daily lives of these monastics were not one of material things, emotional ties, or sensory pleasures, they led a lives of few material things and cool emotional ties. The world within their heart was pure and their spiritual life was forever lasting. In more concrete terms, their Read more
We should not look at life just as the limited span of one person’s life; we should look at the larger life of the universe. While a person’s life may only span a limited number of years, its value is everlasting. Read more
Our emotions are a very important part of our everyday life, and they star in a leading role on the stage of relationships. The ability to feel and our freedom to act upon these feelings give us both joy and sorrow, and it is imperative that we maintain our emotional well-being to minimize the potential for suffering within relationships. Emotions are the glue that bind Read more
When someone benefits us even a little,we should repay them with all our hearts.Even if someone is angry with us,we should always treat them well.— Upasakasila Sutra Gratitude Is Fundamental to BuddhismA natural outgrowth of heartfelt gratitude is the desire to repay others for the kind things they have done for us. Having the feeling of being indebted to others is a sign that we are Read more
The Sumati Sutra discusses fulfilling both worldly and supramundane needs. Sumati’s first three questions are regarding obtaining an elegant appearance, obtaining wealth, and keeping a harmonious family life—all of these are concerned with success in this life. Being satisfied in this way ensures that a bodhisattva will not be hindered, and can freely walk the bodhisattva path.Rewards and blessings are not stolen, forcibly taken, or Read more
Observing the precepts is the concrete manifestation of compassion and the bodhisattva path. Read more
In Buddhism, the root cause of human suffering and other problems are identified as the mind. It thus proposes to tap into this invaluable resource by transforming any unwholesomeness into wholesomeness. Buddhism instructs sentient beings on how to recognize the mind, calm the mind, and handle the mind. The Buddha taught for forty-nine years during his lifetime. Whether his teachings were about the four noble Read more
We all have our share of headaches and heartaches. Physically, we all have to face aging, sickness and death. Mentally, we have to deal with problems arising from greed, hatred and ignorance. The Chinese have a saying that aptly describes our predicament: “Heaven and hell sometimes end; the threads of sorrow continue forever.” Our afflictions are as deep as the dark blue sea and are Read more
Humans are thinking animals! Since the beginning of time, there have always been people who fantasize, who have delusions, who dream—and many who have ideals. When we lie in our beds at night, we should be free from worry. Yet thoughts about our lives often arise then; thoughts about family, country, or even the world. Everything is within our minds.The average person often tends to Read more
In the past, during the feudal period of Chinese history, men were respected while women were thought of as being rather contemptible. The birth of a son was compared to fashioning an ornament as precious as jade, which not only made everyone happy, but also raised the status of his mother. Read more