http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/michaelasanda-1910272-bangkok-wat-pho4/

Wat Pho is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, located near the Grand Palace. Known also as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, the temple is also known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. Wat Pho is named after a monastery in India where Buddha is believed to have lived. Prior to the temple's founding, the site was a centre of education for traditional Thai medicine, and statues were created showing yoga positions. An enormous Buddha image from Ayuthaya's Wat Phra Si Sanphet was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767; King Rama I (1782-1809 A.D.) incorporated its fragments to build a temple to enlarge and renovate the complex.

The Wat Pho complex consists of two walled compounds bisected by Soi Chetuphon running east–west. The northern walled compound is where the reclining Buddha and massage school are found. The southern walled compound, Tukgawee, is a working Buddhist monastery with monks in residence and a school. The temple has sixteen gates around the complex guarded by Chinese giants carved out of rocks.

Satellite pavilionThe Pavilion is the library of the Thai traditional massage inscriptions. There are also inscriptions of the first Thai proverbs, Thai literature, and portrait of the Royal Kathin Procession.

Satellite pavilion

These statues were originally imported as ballast on ship trading with China.

The northern walled compound

is where the reclining Buddha

and massage school are found.

The southern walled

compound, Tukgawee, is a

working Buddhist monastery with

monks in residence and a

school.

Outside the temple, the grounds contain 91 chedis (stupas or mounds), four viharas (halls) and a bot (central shrine). 70 chedis of smaller size contains the ashes of the royal family, and 21 large ones contain the ashes of Buddha. At 20 acres large, it is the largest Wat in Bangkok, and is technically the oldest too, as it was built around 200 years before Bangkok became Thailand’s capital. However, today the Wat bears virtually no resemblance to that originally constructed, as it was almost entirely rebuilt by Rama I when the capital was moved to Bangkok.

The architecture is awe-inspiring and the glittering decoration like no other. Thousands of pieces of coloured glass and pottery adorned with intricate structures gilded in glaring gold

The four chedis

decorated with

ceramic tiles and

fragments of multi-coloured porcelain

are dedicated to the four

Chakri kings

Wat Pho is one of the largest and oldest wats in Bangkok (with an area of 50 rai, 80,000 square metres), and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as one of the largest single Buddha images of 160 ft length: the Reclining Buddha.

The large grounds of Wat Pho contain more

than 1500 Buddha images in total, most from the ruins of the

former capitals Ayuthaya and

Sukhothai.

The outer cloister has images of

400 Buddhas out of the 1200

originally bought by king Rama V.

In terms of architecture,

these are varied in different styles and postures, but these are evenly

mounted on matching gilded

pedestals.

Wat Pho holds the dual honors of having both Thailand’s largest reclining Buddha image and the most number of Buddha images in Thailand

There are 108 bronze bowls in the corridor indicating the 108 auspicious characters of Buddha. 108 is a significant number, referring to the 108 positive actions and symbols that helped lead Buddha to perfection. People drop coins in these bowls as it is believed to bring good fortune, and to help the monks maintain the wat. Though the reclining Buddha is not a pilgrimage centre, it remains an object of popular piety

The image of reclining

Buddha is 15 m high and 43

m long with his right arm

supporting the head with tight

curls on two box-pillows of

blue, richly encrusted with glass mosaics.

The 3 m high and 4.5 m long foot of Buddha displays

are inlaid with mother-of-pearl. They are divided into 108 arranged panels, displaying

the auspicious symbols by which Buddha can be identified like

flowers, dancers, white elephants, tigers and altar accessories.

The bottoms of the Buddha’s feet are intricately decorated with 108 scenes in Chinese and Indian styles, indicating 108 auspicious symbols of Buddha

Text: InternetPictures: Internet & Elena DuţicãCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Thai Traditional Music