Transcript ภาพนิ่ง 1

Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho)
Perhaps the grandest temple in all of Thailand, Wat Pho is the
oldest and the largest temple in Bangkok.It has the largest reclining
Buddha and the biggest collection of Buddha images in all of Thailand. It
also was the earliest center for public education. Prior to modern history.
Wat Pho dates back to the 16th century.
In the Thonburi period the present-day site of Wat Pho was the site of an
old temple called Wat Photaram. In 1793, King Rama I completely rebuilt Wat
Photaram, and changed the name to Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmongklararam.
King Rama I ordered the construction of a new ordination of a new ordination hall.
He also had a large stupa built to contain an important Buddha image from Wat
Phra Si Sanphet in Ayutthaya. In all, the reconstruction of the temple took over
seven years.
The temple was restored in 1832 when King Rama III built the chapel of the
Reclining Buddha. Fixing up the temple and making it larger took another
seventeen years.
The Eastern Courtyard
The main entrance on Soi Chetuphon is guarded by a series of sixteen
monumental gates around the main compound. Each gate is guarded by stone
giants, many of them comic westerners in wide-brimmed hats. There are also
figures of Chinese warriors, mandarins, Chinese pagodas, gateways, and lamp
posts. Ships which exported rice to China would put figures like these in their hold
for the return trip to keep their boats balanced in difficult in difficult seas. The
goods brought back to Thailand, silk and pottery, were much lighter than the rice
and teak being exported. Because Thailand already had many statues, they used
these goods as temple decorations.
The main entrance to Wat Pho brings you into the eastern half of the main complex
where a courtyard of structures from the bot. The bot is surrounded by two
cloisters and four vihans, called the compass point vihans. The galleries are lined
with 394 Buddha images, many of them covered with stucco to hide their bad state
of repair. Although the Buddha images look similar, they are not all the same. All
the images are shown in the same attitude, subduing Mara, but they belong to
different time periods. The images were collected by King Rama I from various
places in the north of Thailand and placed here.
The East Compass Point Vihan
Inside this vihan is Phra Puttha Lokanart. It is a standing Buddha image
holding down another sandalwood image from rising out of its seat. The images is
cast in bronze and is 10 meters high. It was brought from Wat Phra Si Sanphet in
Ayutthaya together with the Phra Si Sanphet image. The gable-ends of the vihan
carry a design of Rama on Hanuman. Rama is a hero in Ramakien, and Hanuman
is the king of the monkey army.
7.3 The Ubosot
The ubosot of Wat Pho is a very good example of a typical bot. The
ubosot is the most important building in the temple. It is the only building in which
important religious ceremonies, such as the ordination ceremony, are held. It is the
place where Buddhist monks gather to participate in religious ceremonies. The
area of sacred ground is marked by the sema stones placed around it. Vihans are
also important, for example the vihan of the reclining Buddha is more famous than
the bot. However, there are no marker stones around a vihan and certain
ceremonies cannot be performed there.
The bot has beautiful teak doors decorated with mother-of-pearl, showing scenes
from the Ramakien. There are also stone bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the
Ramakien around the balustrade, in total 152 panels. These reliefs have been
eroded through the practice of stone rubbing. The principal image in the bot is
called Phra Putthadevapatimakorn. It is a seated image in the attitude of
meditation, cast in bronze. It belongs to the Ayutthaya period. The three tiered
pedestal on which the image is placed is made of gilt-carved wood. Inside the
pedestal are the ashes of King Rama I, the founder of the temple.
On the second tier of the pedestal, you can see the figures of the two chief disciples
of the Lord Buddha and his insignia fan. On the bottom tier there are figures of the
eight arahants or Buddhist saints, an alms bowl, and a box containing a monastic
robe. The set of tables is among the first altar-tables ever made, and provides the
model for numerous altar-tables found today.
The mural paintings on the front and rear walls depict various themes,
such as stories of the 41 disciples who were recommended by the Buddha for their
particular excellence, the jataka stories, and folklore.
Rishi Figures
Outside the entrance to the double cloister there stands a miniature
mountain covered with statues of what appear to be naked men in tall hats
gesturing rudely. They actually represent rishi. Or hermits, in attitudes of selfmassage. The figures were placed in the temple during the reigns of King Rama I
and King Rama III to illustrate the texts related to health found affixed to the walls
and pillars of some of the pavilions in the temple, The figures are made of tin.
Originally, there were around 80 figures, however there are only 20 left today.
The traditional medicine pavilion is between the eastern and western courtyards.
On the walls and pillars of this pavilion there are illustrated stoned stone slabs
showing both the precepts of herbal medicine, as well as anatomical depictions of
the human body. The anatomical drawings show parts of the body with their
associates diseases, as well as the various pressure points. The slabs were placed in
the temple by King Rama III who intended Wat Pho to be a centre of learning for
the general public. Besides health and medical proscriptions, other topics are also
found, such as literature, proverbs, and Buddhist teachings.
The knowledge of traditional Thai medicine came mostly
from local wisdom. It was transferred orally and was learned by
experience, memory, and observation. In former days, people
learned to practice medicine by tending to their family over many
years. Most Traditional Thai medicine consists of a disease theory
and health care system using herbs and massage.
The origin of traditional Thai medicine is not clear. It is said that
traditional Thai medicine was a mixture of Indian and Chinese medicine
as well as astrological and superstitious beliefs found in the Ayutthaya
Period (1350-1767). It was developed further in the Thonburi Period
during 1768-1782, because people had to use traditional Thai medicine to
treat soldiers in the war. Medical texts were compiled and copied in the
early Rattankosin Period in order to preserve the knowledge. After that,
the texts were first published in 1915.
Wat Pho, officially known as wat phra Chetupon, and built in the reign of
King Rama I (1782-1809), was renovated by King Rama III (1824-1851).
Allof the herbal medical formulas, held as the Thai herbal pharmacopoeia,
as well as physiotherapy instructions, were inscribed on the pavilions
around the temple and opened for the public. People could go and study
there. So Wat Pho was the traditional Thai Herbal Medicine School. Also
referred to as “Thailand’s First Medical University.” People who would
like to gain more knowledge could go to study in Wat Pho.
By reading the inscriptions on slabs and studying the sculptures
and drawings illustrating traditional medicine, one can get a
remarkably broad range of knowledge. The most famous subject
is the prevention and healing of minor ailments, especially the use
of Thai traditional massage, which has been a science of therapy
in Thailand for generations.
In Prachinburi Province, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, known as
the Museum of Traditional Thai Medicine, has been an example of the
modern use of traditional medicine since 1986.
Today, many modern people enjoy using natural therapy to take
care of their health, and Thai traditional medicines, which use herbal
ingredients, are attracting their interest. The government sector plans to
encourage the increased use and application of natural medicine in
hospitals throughout the country.
The Western Courtyard
There are a total of 95 chedis scattered around the grounds of Wat
Pho, all the same style, which have the indented corner style. The chedis
are placed in three groups the Great Stupas, and the line stupas. There are
71 line stupas lining the outer walls of the galleries. There are four groups
of grouped stupas, which were built close to the bent vihans, each group
consists of five stupas in these groups. The most important are the Great
Stupas. They all have the same height of 41 meters.
The Great Stupa covered with the green tiles was built by the order of
King RaMa I to enshrine the standing Buddha image Phra Si Sanphet
brought from Wat phra Si Sanphet in Ayutthaya. This image was
originally covered in gold and weighed around 343 kilos. When
Ayutthaya fell in 1767, the image was badly damaged. King Rama I had
the image transferred to Wat Pho and had the stupa built to cover it. The
Northern Stupa,covered in white tiles, was built by King Rama III and
dedicated to his father, King Rama II,
The Southern Stupas, in yellow tiles, were also built by King
Rama III, and dedicated to himself. The Great Stupa covered in
blue tiles was built by King Rama IV to mark his reign. The style
of this stupa is slightly different from the others. It is copied from
Chedi Sisuriyothai in Ayutthaya. King Rama IV also ordered the
enclosing wall to be built.
The Chapel of the Reclining Buddha
This vihan was built in the reign of King Rama III. It is
about the same size as the ubosot in the eastern courtyard. The
roof has three tiers and gable-ends are decorated with floral
motifs. The decorations over the doors and windows are in the
form of flowers in a vase, while the decorations over the doors
and windows of the bot are in form of a Thai crown design.
The Buddha image inside is the largest reclining Buddha image in
Bangkok, and the second largest in the country. The largest reclining
Buddha image in Thailand is at Wat Khun Inthapramun in the Angthong
province. That image is 50 meters long while the Buddha image in Wat
Pho is 46 meter long. The image is made of brick covered with stucco
which was then lacquered and gilded. The image shows the Buddha
entering Nirvana.
The soles of the feet are covered in the 108 lakshanas, or auspicious signs
which distinguish the true Buddha. The designs represent different levels
in Buddhist cosmology. The designs show some levels of heaven with
Brahma and some celestial beings. They also show designs of royal
regalia, the mountain ranges and oceans described in Buddhist
cosmology, and various mythical animals.
The designs are made of a mother-of-pearl inlay. Besides the
designs, you can see some other features of the Buddha on the
soles of their feet. They are falt and they have grid-like patterns
on them.
Along one side of the statue are 108 bowls will bring you
good luck and long life if you put 25 satang in each.
Thai massage
A traditional Thai massage is not as relaxing as its name suggests.
To gain the most benefit, the massage will be painful as it involves
stretching and pressing. The technique does not emphasize kneading
muscles; it is a form of yoga which has its origins in India, and is based
on the application of pressure to various points dotted along the 10 main
lines of the body. By massaging these pressure points, the practitioner can
treat diseases and relieve pain.
As one European delegate to the Thai court in Ayutthaya wrote 400 years
ago, the practitioner of the massage gets up on the body of the person
receiving the massage and tramples him underfoot! Traditional Thai
massage is considered a spiritual practice closely related to the teachings
of the Buddha, and for centuries has been taught and practiced in the
temples of Thailand.
Wat Pho remains one of the most important schools of traditional
massage, and detailed murals depicting the body’s energy lines
can be seen on the temple walls. In fact, a full course in Thai
massage takes from one to three years to complete, although there
are short courses available for seven to ten days.
Done by
Sakunrat Yongyoo No.13 M.5/8
Wannisa Reuanngam No.32 M.5/8