Laos historically has been referred to as the Kingdom of Lane Xang, the kingdom of one million elephants and the sacred Asian elephant has been an important figure in Buddhist folklore and Lao/Thai mythology. In Asian cultures elephants are symbols of wisdom and have been used since ancient times for ceremonial and religious purposes. The white elephant is considered extremely sacred.
Buddhists believe that on the eve of Buddha's birth, his mother dreamed of a white elephant with a lotus. Touching one of these elephants which aren't purely white, but pale and illustrious can help Buddhists reach enlightenment. White elephants are believed to bring good luck and prosperity to their owner.
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