A Collection of Temples and Statues: the Classical, the Folksy and the Quirky
Theravada Buddhism
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| Dharmachakra |
Theravada (lit. "School of the Elders") is
the oldest existing branch of Buddhism. Theravadins have preserved their version of the
Buddha’s teaching in the ‘Pali Canon’ for over two millennia.
The classical Indian language of Pali is Theravada's sacred language and the canon was probably written down in the 1st century BCE
in Sri Lanka from where it spread throughout South East Asia.
Monasticism is an important component of Theravada, most boys spend some time in a monastery – usually during the school
holidays – learning about the monastic life, though no commitment is made
before adulthood.
This post covers Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Sri Lanka and Myanmar were featured in Theravada (1) and (2).
Laos
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| Laos |
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| Laos within the former Indo-China |
Buddhism seeped into the area from the 7th century onwards, firmly establishing itself in the 11th and 12th centuries as the Lao and Thai people migrated south from southern China. With Laos often split into three kingdoms or partly ruled by invaders, Theravada Buddhism became an important unifying features of Lao culture. Indigenous non-Lao ethnic minorities (some large, some only a few hundred strong) make up 30% of the population and generally follow folk religions.
The North
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang was the capital of its own kingdom from medieval times, and the royal capital of the Kingdom of Laos after independence from France in in 1953. After a long civil war the kingdom became the Peoples’ Democratic Republic of Laos in 1975.
At 6 o’clock every morning the monks of Luang Prabang process through the streets soliciting alms for their daily food.
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| Begging Monks, Luang Prabang |
It is, of course, a tourist attraction, and the modern world has provided more efficient ways of supporting religious
institutions, but the procession remains symbolically important, both to the
monks and the kneeling citizens who place donations of sticky rice into the
monk’s begging bowls.
Wat Xieng Thong
Wat Xieng Thong’s Sim was built in 1560 and is the original; unlike the city’s other older temples it has never been razed by
Chinese marauders nor over-enthusiastically restored. Considered a masterpiece
of Lao architecture, the eves sweep almost to the ground, like a mother hen
protecting her chickens. Though of great importance, the sim is modest in size;
understatement is the Lao way.
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| The Sim, Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang |
Inside is the usual collection of Buddha images....
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| Inside the Sim, Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang |
… but not the most important statue. The Sitting Buddha, locked in a pavilion behind the Sim, prefers to remain in darkness and
is taken out only to be washed. There is, however, a keyhole through which
the Buddha can be viewed, and even photographed.
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| The Sitting Buddha through the keyhole, Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang |
The Pra Bang Buddha
But even the sitting Buddha is not the most important statue in Luang Prabang. The Pra Bang Buddha, the Palladium of Laos (the image
on which the nation’s safety depends) is housed in his own pavilion outside the
former royal palace. We were allowed to approach the Buddha, shoeless, hatless
and camera-less, so I have no a picture but can a report that it is a standing
Buddha almost a metre high with his arms stretched forward. palms outward.
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| The hall of the Pra Bang Buddha, Luang Prabang |
See Luang Prabang (1) The Old Town (Feb 2014)
Muang Khoun
Once the royal capital of Xieng Khaung, Muang Khoun is now little more than a village 30 km south of Phonsavan, the modern provincial
capital (see map above).
As the stronghold of the communist Pathet Lao (now the government) and straddling the Ho Chi Minh trail Xieng Khoun was heavily bombed;
eastern Laos receiving the equivalent of one planeload of American bombs every
eight minutes for eight years (1964-73). Unexploded ordinance still blights the lives of
local farmers.
Wat Phi Wat
After bombs destroyed Wat Phi Wat the main Buddha image was painstakingly reassembled, though his face now has an appropriately pained expression.
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| The Wat Phi Wat Buddha statue, Muang Khoun |
see Phonsavan, the Plain of Jars and Unexploded Ordinance (Feb 2014)
Vientiane
Vientiane, a small, low rise, low stress city has been the capital, off and on, of all or part of Laos since 1573. The Kingdom of
Vientiane became a vassal of Siam in 1779 and after a rebellion in 1827 the
city was looted and razed. It was rebuilt by the French in 1899.
That Luang
The gold painted stupa of That Luang marks the centre of the city and the focal point of Lao culture. It was built in 1930, based on French explorers’ sketches
of the great stupa that stood here before 1827.
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| That Luang, Vientiane |
Wat Pha Keo
Vientiane has many temples, as befits a major city, but Wat Pha Keo, the king’s personal temple rebuilt by the French, is
now a museum whose major exhibit is elsewhere.
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| Wat Pha Keo, Vientiane |
It once housed the Pha Keo, the ‘Emerald Buddha,’ but that it was carried off to Thailand in 1799 and now resides in Wat Phra Kaew in
Bangkok. It is the Palladium of Thailand, touched only by the king when he
changes its robes, so there is little chance of it returning any time soon. (for
more, see below and the 2015 post The Story of the Emerald Buddha.).
Wat On Teu
I should include one working temple from the capital, so I have chosen Wat On Tue, the Temple of the Heavy Buddha. Rebuilt several times
since its original construction in 1560 by King Setthathirath, it is a complex
of small buildings…
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| Wat On Teu Temple complex, Vientiane |
….with a larger sim containing the eponymous image. In 1560 the nobles were summoned here to swear allegiance to King Setthathirath in
front Vientiane’s largest Buddha. Two centuries later they were summoned to
swear allegiance to Siam and 150 years after that they gathered here to swear
allegiance to the French.
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| Young monk and the heavy Buddha, Wat On Teu, Vientiane |
See Vientiane (1) Wats, Stupas and a Heavy Buddha (Feb 2014)
The South
Wat Phabat Phonsan
An hour from Vientiane, Wat Phabat Phonsan in the village of Dan Sa Mouc was constructed on an ancient religious site.
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| Wat Phabat Phonsan |
Although the Buddha never visited Laos, devout
Buddhists have managed to find his footprints all over the country and the Sim stands
over such a footprint.
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| The Sim, Wat Phabat Phonsan |
Physically, the Buddha was a normal man, but his footprint was, apparently, the size of bathtub. Local guide Phim said that in
his grandparent’s youth there really was a ‘footprint’ of sorts, maybe a
fossilised dinosaur footprint. The Lonely Planet suggests it was a
depression formed by millennia of Mekong flood water.
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| Buddha's footprint, Wat Phabat Phonsan |
Whatever the ‘footprint’ really was, the temple is redeemed by the paintings of the life of the Buddha covering the walls.
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| Painted interior, Wat Phabat Phonsan |
Near Paksan
North of Paksan, our eye was caught by a small country temple with an outsize Naga Buddha. This popular image commemorates a time when
the Buddha was meditating beneath a tree. A storm blew up and Mucalinda, the
seven-headed King of the Serpents came up from the roots of the tree to shield
him from the rain.
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| Small temple, large statue beside Route 13 |
See Heading South from Vientiane (Nov 2015)
Champasak
With some 100,000 inhabitants, Pakse (see map) is Laos’ third biggest city. Once capital of the Kingdom of Champasak it is now the capital
of Champasak Province. Bordered by Cambodia and Thailand, the area saw many
battles in medieval times and four of Champasak’s ten districts lie on the
western (otherwise Thai) side of the Mekong.
One of those districts, tucked into Laos’ south-western corner includes the old town of Champasak which gave the kingdom its name,
though it is now little more than a village with a line of guest houses beside
the Mekong. This a rural area, every village and hamlet has its temple…
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| Village Temple, Champasak |
The main local attraction is the UNESCO world Heritage site of Wat Phou, a 5th century Khmer Hindu temple that converted to Buddhism with the rest of the Khmer Empire in the 11th century. A single shrine remains in use but the site is largely a ruin, and though well worth a visit (or a look here!) it is not included in this post.
Cambodia
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| Cambodia |
I have rather dwelt on Laos; Cambodia will be briefer. Buddhism, Cambodia’s official religion, is followed by 97% of the population
(Pew Research Center) but temples, other than the ruins at Angkor, hardly
feature on the tourist agenda.
Phnom Penh
The Cambodian capital is the other regular tourist stop – largely for the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Prison.
Wat Preah Keo
The Royal Palace complex provides some light relief and includes Wat Preah Keo, the Silver Pagoda. I failed to bag a decent picture, so
borrowed one from Wikipedia for the Emerald Buddha post. I should attribute
it more precisely but cannot as it no longer graces the page linked to.
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| Wat Preah Keo, The Silver Pagoda, Phnom Penh, borrowed from Wikipedia |
Inside, the no-photographing policy was vigorously enforced - so another borrowed picture.
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| The golden Buddha, Silver Pavilion, Phnom Penh, (picture from Wikipedia) |
Built in 1962, the name alludes to the 5,329 silver tiles covering the floor. Now there is a polishing job! The main treasure is a golden
Buddha crafted in the royal workshops in 1906/7. Its 90Kg of gold are encrusted
with 9,584 diamonds (according to Wikipedia, the Rough Guide says
2,086). There is also a crystal version of the Emerald Buddha. Cambodia has a tenuous
claim to the real one, but accepts that Bangkok has it for the foreseeable future.
See Phnom Penh (1) Palaces and Museums (Feb 2014)
Phnom Penh apart, we visited the magnificent temples of the Angkor period – Angkor
Wat is just the centrepiece of an extensive complex of temples – and the pre-Angkorian
temples at Sambor
Prei Kuk. Interesting as they were, they are all ruins and have little or
no use by today’s Buddhists, so they are not really part of this post.
Thailand
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| Thailand |
Buddhism is thought to have arrived in Thailand around 250 BCE. The Indian Emperor Ashoka the Great (ruled 268-232) sent out monks to
spread Buddhism and they may well have reached Thailand.
From the start of the (still-reigning) Chakri dynasty in 1782 the king has been the Supreme Patriarch of Thai Buddhism and the
religion and monarchy are deeply entangled in what it is to be Thai.
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| Ban Na Ton Chan, Sukhothai, Ayuthaya and Bangkok are underlined. Phitsanulok is under the 'u' of Sukhothai and Wat Pha Sorn Kaew is under the 'h'. |
Siam/Thailand was never part of France’s Indo-Chinese possessions, or part of any other European empire, but the Thai people, their culture and
language are closely related to the Lao and there is a similarity in their
temples.
Ban Na Ton Chan – A Village Temple
Ban Na Ton Chan is a craft village in northern Thailand. We visited on the day of celebration of the end of the rainy season
and everybody was out partying in the grounds of the village temple.
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| The Village temple, Ban Na Ton Chan |
The people were extraordinarily welcoming and plied us with food…
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| Mushrooms and Pork in a Christmas pot, Ban Na Ton Chan |
…and I found some new drinking buddies round the back of the temple.
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| My new drinking buddies, Ban Na Ton Chan |
Phitsanulok
Once an Ankgorian provincial centre, Phitsanulok became an important city in the first Thai kingdom which established itself at Sukhothai in 1238.
Wat Phra Sri Rattana
The temple dates from 1357 the time when Phitsanulok was briefly the capital of the Kingdom of Sukhothai.
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| Wat Phra Sri Rattana, Phitsanulok |
Its most prized possession is the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat Buddha image. According to our guide, Ake, it is solid gold (this was a
gold mining area) and is 'the most beautiful Buddha in Thailand and in the
whole world.' Wikipedia describes it as gold-covered, which seems more
likely.
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| Phra Phuttha Chinnarat Buddha, Phitsanulok |
Sculpted sometime between the 10th and 15th centuries, it is, after the Emerald Buddha, the country’s most revered image. Women
wearing skimpy tops and short skirts may not enter its presence – though men
wearing shorts are no problem. We were also instructed not to photograph the
image from a standing position, but as long as we were kneeling or sitting
reverently - i.e. with our feet pointing away from the image - we could snap
away to our heart's content.
Phetchabun Province
To the east of Phitsanulok is the more rural and hilly Phetchabun Province.
Wat Pha Sorn Kaew - The Temple on a Glass Cliff
Very new – indeed still under construction when we visited in November 2015 – this huge temple and monastery complex set on an 800m
peak on the hills of Phetchabun seems a strange mixture of bad taste and
brilliance.
Thai decoration is often fussy, but here it becomes fantastical,…
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| Wat Pha Sorn Kaew |
…the monastery is a cross between the palace of mad King Ludwig at Neuschwanstein and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle…
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| Monastery, Wat Pha Sorn Kaew |
…but the Life of Buddha – five statues in one over a gleaming white temple is impressive, and not just for its size.
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| The life of the Buddha in one statue, Wat Pha Sorn Kaew |
Ayutthaya
Sukhothai was in decline by the 14th century and Ayutthaya,
founded in 1351, became the next Thai capital.
A city of rivers and canals with many inhabitants living on boats, Ayutthaya’s population topped a million by 1700. Its wealth
attracted traders from China, Persia and the European powers, each having their
own ghetto and dock exporting rice, spices, timber and hides. This golden age
ended abruptly in 1767 when, after centuries of incursion and
counter-incursions, the Burmese finally sacked Ayutthaya, leaving it a ruin.
Bang Pa-In
The city has never recovered its pre-eminence, but it is left with many temples, most of the best in ruins and inappropriate for this
post. Nearby Bang Pa-In is a royal retreat that was temporarily abandoned with
the fall of Ayutthaya.
In 1782 a new Thai Kingdom emerged with its capital at Bangkok. Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok founded the Chakri dynasty and styled
himself Rama I (the current monarch is Rama X).
Bang Pa-In regained its status as royal retreat in the mid-19th century when steam-powered boats put it within easy reach of Bangkok.
It was favoured by King Mongkut (Rama IV) and his son King Chulalongkorn (Rama
V) who was responsible for most of the building. Kong Mongkut hired the
recently widowed Anna Leonowens to be governess for his many children, an event
mythologised and romanticised in the King and I. King Chulalongkorn was
her protégé and thus an admirer of most things western.
He particularly liked western religious architecture…
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| Buddhist Temple (yes, really) Pa-In |
….but his enthusiasm did not extend to western religion itself. The ‘church’ in the photo above is actually a Buddhist temple.
Inside there is even a triptych altar-piece, though there is no altar and the triptych’s
iconography is purely Buddhist.
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| Inside the Buddhist Temple, Pa-In |
Bangkok
For the biggest and the best of Thai temples, the capital is the obvious place to go.
Wat Pho
Wat Pho, in the heart of the old royal centre, was constructed in the 1790s on the site of an earlier temple. Within the walls are a monastery,
one of the oldest schools of Thai massage, and a huge temple.
There is a central shrine...
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| Central Shrine, Wat Pho, Bangkok |
...and four other main halls….
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| Wat Pho, Bangkok |
…numerous courtyards…
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| Courtyard full of Buddhas, Wat Pho, Bangkok |
….more Buddha images than you can count….
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| Assorted Buddhas, Wat Pho, Bangkok |
….and 92 stupas. The small ones containing the ashes of members of the royal family…
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| Small Stupas, Wat Pho, Bangkok |
… while the large ones hold ashes of the Buddha himself (allegedly).
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| Large Stupa, Wat Pho, Bangkok |
Wat Pho’s main attraction is its Reclining Buddha. At 46m long and 15m high it is not the largest we have seen, (that is the Chaukhtatgyi Buddha in Yangon) but it is undoubtedly the most beautiful…
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| Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho, Bangkok |
….with the most serene face.
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| Head of the Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho, Bangkok |
And on the feet, as always, the 108 attributes of the Buddha.
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| The 108 attributes on the sole of Buddha's foot, Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho, Bangkok |
Wat Phra Kaew
Next to Wat Pho is the Grand Palace, no longer the residence of the royal family, but used for ceremonial purposes. King Rama I
started building Wat Phra Kaew next to the palace in 1782 and in 1784 installed
the Emerald Buddha which he had carried off after sacking Vientiane in 1779.
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| Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok |
Only 50 cm tall and carved from jade (‘emerald’ refers to its colour) The Emerald Buddha is the palladium of Thailand and probably the
most important Buddha image in south east Asia. It is touched only by the King
when he changes its robes three times a year. With a long and complicated
history, the earlier parts shrouded in myth, the statue has its own post: The Story of the Emerald Buddha. Wat Preah Keo in Phnom Penh has a space should
it ever return to Cambodia and it is the most important, though absent, exhibit
in the temple/museum of Wat Pha Keo in Vientiane. There is, though, little
chance of it leaving Bangkok in the foreseeable future.
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| The Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew. Bangkok |
Buddhist Temples, Monasteries and Buddha Images
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Mahayana Buddhism
Part 3: Tibetan Buddhism
Part 4: Theravada (1) Sri Lanka
Part 5: Theravada (2) Myanmar
Part 6: Theravada (3) Laos, Cambodia & Thailand
