a lotus flower. His hair has the colour of a dark shadow. His hair is strongly scented. His hair has the scent of a white lotus. He has curled hair. His hair does not turn grey. He has fine hair. His hair is untangled. His hair has long curls. He has a topknot as if crowned with a royal flower garland. Causal relations of the 32 signs of perfection of the Tathagata The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra expounds the causal relations of the 32 signs of perfection of the Tathagata. These causal relations are cultivated by followers of Mahāyāna Buddhism on their path to buddhahood. The table below summarizes the causal relations from which each of the 32 signs come about: Alternate depictions Some have noted that in at least two discourses in the Pali Canon, the Buddha may be interpreted as being bald as if his head were shaven. See also Gautama Buddha Pali Canon & Early Buddhist Texts Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta Samaññaphala Sutta Mahaparinibbana Sutta Great Renunciation & Four sights Relics associated with Buddha Leela Attitude Māravijaya Attitude Meditation Attitude Naga Prok Attitude Buddhist art Halo (religious iconography) History of Buddhism References Bibliography Buddhist symbols Gautama Buddha Buddhist iconography