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Thailand
2006 Buddhism and History Page 1 |
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 This is a shrine that was built in the 1950s, during the building of the Hyatt Erawan Hotel. Many Thai buildings have shrines outside them. This one has become very popular, and is located in the middle of the Siam Square area of Bangkok, the most modern shopping district. |
 This is Wat Saket. "Wat" is the Thai word for a Buddhist temple. The temple is on top of a human-made hill. The things hanging there on the right are bells. Perhaps that's obvious. |
 There are a lot of stray dogs in Thailand, most of whom are laid back like this guy. The Buddha in the picture is sitting in the contemplative pose, with this hands sitting in his lap. There are a few other set poses that have other meanings. |
 Right by the river in Bangkok is a section of the city with lots of public buildings and temples. If Bangkok has a main center, I guess this is it. In this picture is Wat Mahathat. This is a pretty typical layout, with a courtyard and buildings inside. The large building on the right is where the main Buddha image is held. |
 Here is the Buddha. The umbrella above his head signifies royalty and honor, the way that a royal person would be able to protect himself from the weather, and, in the Buddha's case, from the troubles of our worldly existence. |
 The decorations up the sides of the walls are representations of Naga, a snake character in Buddhist mythology. |
 This is the main complex in Bangkok, and probably the most-visited tourist site. There is a large wall around the outside, and inside are main Buddhist buildings as well as the royal palace. |
 The details are amazing. I wonder how long it takes to do something like this. The color combinations are common around Thailand—gold, green, white, red, blue. |
 Detail from the previous shot. |
 This is the Chakri Mahaprasat (Grand Palace), which was designed by British architects and built in 1882. |
 This is the reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. The reclining position indicates that the Buddha is just about to reach enlightenment. It is 46 meters long and 15 meters high. It is made with a brick core covered in plaster and then finished with gold leaf. |
 The tourists lining up for pictures at the Wat Pho reclining Buddha. |
 The mother-of-pearl inlays on the feet show 108 characteristics of the Buddha. |
 This is the Sukhothai Historical Park. Sukhothai was the first Thai capital, which was founded in the 1200s A.D. Before this time, most of what is today Thailand was controlled by the Khmer empire, which was centered in Cambodia. |
 These are the remains of a temple, with the Buddha image still intact. The roof is gone, but the columns are still here. Behind the Buddha is a chedi, which are common at Buddhist temples and are symbols of the permanence of Buddhism. |
 This one was unique, at least among temples that I saw. It was rare to have such a big wall built of stone. Usually there were stone pillars but not a whole wall. The Buddha statue is probably twenty feet high. |
 A close-up view of the Buddha image in the previous picture |
 I had to climb up to the top of a hill to see this one. As usual, there is a trusty dog nearby, just minding his own business. You can see a little bit of all the things that people leave. There are a few candles, lots of incense, and other things unknown to me. |
 At the Sukhothai Historical Park I rented a bike, which turned out to be a good decision. I was able to ride out in the countryside a little bit. |
 This is a Khmer-style monument. The shape and style are similar to the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Click here for information on Angkor Wat, from Wikipedia. |
 The mini van in the background was for a small group of tourists. I was at the Sukhothai Historical Park for about three and a half hours, and I probably saw twenty tourists. This shows that you don't have to go far off the beaten track to be mostly by yourself. The man is clearing excess foliage from the water. |
 Another Buddha statue, in a temple with columns intact. The wooden roof is now long gone. Click here for information on Buddhism, from Wikipedia. |
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