Traditional Sak Yant tattoos are ancient geometric designs mixed with Buddhist prayers. They are believed to give the wearer magic powers associated with healing, luck, strength, and protection against evil.
Sak Yant is a very old tradition and part of Theravada Buddhism, the characters used in Sak Yant designs are not Thai characters, but Khom an ancient Khmer script.
The Gao Yord is the Master Yant and is a most sacred Buddhist tattoo with very wide ranging powers of protection that will protect the wearer against evil spirits and all forms of “Black Magic”.The Gao Yord is quite possibly the most important of all the Sak Yant designs. Many people will choose the Gao Yord as their first Sak Yant because of its universal powers and later add other Sak Yant designs of their choice.
The basic design of the Gao Yord represents the nine peaks of the mythical mountain of the Gods, Mount Sumeru.
The set of 3 ovals are a representation of the Lord Buddha.
The Gao Yord Yant has 9 Buddhas represented, with each Buddha bestowing special powers or spells.
The script used is Khom, an ancient Khmer script, and gives the abbreviation for the names of these nine Buddhas as follows; A, Sang, Wi, Su, Loe, Pu, Sa, Pu, Pa
In the centre of the Gao Yord design is a patchwork of small squares, the magic box, each square containing an abbreviation (in Khom) for the names of all the protection spells that this Yant will bestow.
The Sak Yant design Bua Gao Gaap is the Nine Petalled Lotus.
In Thailand, Thai Buddhists will pay homage to the Lord Buddha with offerings of Lotus flowers.
In Buddhism, the Lotus represents purity in body, in speech and in mind. There is even a legend which states that Lotus flowers grow wherever the Lord Buddha stepped.
