 It is not to be confused with the very similar "Earth-Touching Mudra," which depicts the simple action the Buddha took to fend off the illusions projected by Mara, who was desperate to prevent the Buddha from realizing that his, Mara's, projections, and with them the entire world, are an illusion.The statue is dated to about 4th-6th century and is regarded as one of the finest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka.A replica, carved out of white teak, was gifted to India's Prime Minister Modi on his state visit to Sri Lanka.