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 CourtyardThe 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 VihanInside 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 UbosotThe 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 FiguresOutside 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 self-massage. 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 CourtyardThere 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 massageA 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.

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Sakunrat Yongyoo No.13 M.5/8

Wannisa Reuanngam No.32 M.5/8