thirty-two major physical characteristics　三十二相 The belief in ancient India that a great person such as a Buddha or an ideal king cakravartin has some special physical features. Usually thirty-two major physical characteristics (and eighty minor ones) are enumerated, but the number varies in different texts. Some of them are referred to in the Amida Sutra and the Contemplation Sutra. In the Amida Sutra, a ‘long, broad tongue’ is mentioned. The Contemplation Sutra mentions several characteristics, e.g., a ‘mound on the head’, ‘thousand spoked wheel’, ‘white tuft of hair’.