Hatsadiling

Hatsadiling (Thai: หัสดีลิงค์; Burmese: ဟတ္ထီလိင်္ဂ; Pali: hatthīliṅga; Sanskrit: hastilinga) is a mythical bird commonly featured in Northern Thai art. The hatsadiling is considered to be the size of a house, with the head and body of a lion, trunk and tusks of an elephant, the comb of a cock, and the wings of a bird.[1] According to an oral myth in northeastern Thailand, the bird once inhabited the legendary forest of Himavanta.[2] The bird is often featured as a motif on funerary hearses of prominent Buddhist monks in Northern Thailand during phongyibyan cremation ceremonies.[2] The hatsadiling (hathi linga) has also been used by the Marma people as a primary motif for funerary hearses.[3]

A Northern Thai funerary hearse featuring the hatsadiling.

The bird was considered instrumental in the founding of Hariphunchai, a Mon kingdom in modern-day Thailand.[1] It is featured in Cāmadevivaṃsa, a Pali chronicle that recounts the founding of the Hariphunchai kingdom by Queen Camadevi.[4] The Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā mentions the hastilinga.[5] Buddhaghoṣa mentions it as an animal which possesses the strength of five elephants.[5]

Other terms

In the Thai language, the bird is also known by a number of terms, including nok hatstadiling (นกหัสดีลิงค์), nok hatsading (นกหัสดิน), nok hatsadi (นกหัสดี) and nok hat.

References

1. Stratton, Carol (2004). Buddhist Sculpture of Northern Thailand. Serindia Publications, Inc. ISBN 9781932476095.
2. Baker, Christopher John (2004). The Society of Siam: Selected Articles on the Siam Society's Centenary. Siam Society. ISBN 9789749210666.
3. Hutchinson, Robert Henry Sneyd (1906). An Account of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Bengal Secretariat Book Depot. p. 122. hathi linga.
4. Bodhiraṅsī; Swearer, Donald K.; Premchit, Sommai (1998-05-28). The Legend of Queen Cama: Bodhiramsi's Camadevivamsa, a Translation and Commentary. SUNY Press. ISBN 9780791437766.
5. "Fourth Chapter - Compare Between the Dhammapada and Tirukkal" (PDF).

See also

• Phongyibyan
• Pyinsarupa