Part 2: Theoretical Frameworks and Relevant Documents
5. Wat Pamok Worawihan
Social Value
Nowadays, the temple is the community’s center for worship, community’s meetings, education, cremations and enshrining ashes of the deceased and it is also one of the nine temples in Ang Thong that are well-known for Thai Buddhist pilgrimage. Moreover, the people of this village and nearby provinces respects “Luang Pho Khao Buddha Image” as a representative of King Naresuan the great.
homage to the image. Due to the erosion on the riverbank near wihan, King Thaisa (1708-1732), the King in the late Ayutthaya period, commanded Phraya Ratchasongkhram to lead the removal of Buddha image from the riverbank in 1728. There is an poem of puffing off the reclining Buddha image recording that situation as well. This poem was written by the King Thaisa’s brother. Krom Phra Rajawangbovorn, who was to ascend the throne later as King Borom Kos in the late Ayutthaya period. This poem demonstrated how to remove the reclining Buddha image from the riverbank in the ancient time. The technical removal in traditional techniques which was recorded in this poem helps to convey a sense of antiquity and feeling of age. In the reign of King Rama V of Bangkok, Prince Damrong Rajanubhab commanded to engrave this poem on stone inscriptions and put them on the back of the image. Furthermore, King Thai Sa also commanded to enshrine the reclining Buddha image in the new wihan in Wat Talad, 168 meters away from the river. Later the King commanded to merge Wat Talad and Wat Chipakhao into one temple and renamed as “Wat Pa Mok” due to the abundance of Wrightia Religiosa (Mok) trees all around.
Figure 25 Stone inscription at Wat Pamok (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
Aesthetic Value
Ordination Hall and Reclining Buddha Image’s Assembly Hall
The architectural design of ordination hall and assembly hall of Wat Pamok Worawihan is magnificent. The ordination hall and assembly hall present the architectural design in the late Ayutthaya period. The ordination hall of Wat Pamok Worawihan faces east. The
ordination hall is quite small and is constructed in masonry with plastering work. The ordination hall is on lotus base. It shows bow-shaped base in the late Ayutthaya period. There is only one entrance in front of the principle Buddha image. Porch covered with roof is constructed in front of the ordination hall. The columns of the ordination hall are square posts adjacent to the walls.
Their capitals were in the form of a lotus with long petals, which are typical of lotus-shaped capitals of the late Ayutthaya period. The red sandstone boundary markers in the Ayutthaya style are placed around the ordination hall at eight points of the compass. The roof of the ordination hall is double roofs and has three tiers. The pediments are small and made of wood carved in the kranok motifs. Eave brackets are carved wooden showing abstracted naga figures. Inside the ordination hall, the principle Buddha image sits upon a pedestal in a subduing Mara posture, surrounded by several other standing Buddha images and sitting Buddha image.
Figure 26 Ordination hall at Wat Pamok (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
The Reclining Buddha Image’s Assembly Hall faces north. Its architecture is similar to the ordination hall. The building is on rectangular base and is constructed in masonry with plastering work. The assembly hall is on lotus base and showing bow-shaped base in the late Ayutthaya period. Porch covered with roof is constructed in front of the assembly hall. The
columns of the assembly hall are square posts adjacent to the walls. Their capitals were in the form of a lotus with long petals. The roof of the assembly hall is double roofs and has three tiers.
The pediments were small and made of wood carved in the kranok motifs. The roof structure was made of wood and covered with reddish brown tiles, with eaves on the two sides featuring the same motifs as those on the pediments. Eave brackets are carved wooden showing abstracted naga figures. Inside the assembly hall, The reclining Buddha image is 22.58 meters from the topknot to the feet, made of brink and mortar and covered with gold is housed inside. The reclining Buddha image of Wat Pamok Worawihan follows the concept popular during the Sukhothai era. The special characteristics of Sukhothai Buddha image style is a flame appeared on the top of the head of the Buddha image and the head is covered with fine curled hair. The face is oval, with high curving eyebrows, a hooked nose, a downward gaze, and overall displays a gentle smiling expression.
Figure 27 The roof of the Reclining Buddha image’s (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
Figure 28 The reclining Buddha image (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
Boundary markers
The boundary markers of Wat Pamok Worawihan are placed around the ordination hall at eight points of the compass. These eight boundary markers belong to the Early Ayutthaya period. They are made of schist. A special characteristic of the boundary markers of the Early Ayutthaya period is that is in the centre of the face there is a small, plain lozenge and a vertical axis line with half-lozenge at either end, all carved in low relief. There is also a thin lotus border at the base, but apart from this there is no ornament.
Figure 29 Boundary stone at Wat Pamok (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
Vihan Khian
Vihan Khian is the another interesting building inside the temple compound.
Nowadays, it serves as the place for worship because there are three Buddha images kept inside.
The architectural design of Vihan Khian is similar to the ordination hall and the Reclining Buddha Image’s Assembly Hall. It faces east and it is located in front the Reclining Buddha image’s assembly hall. It is constructed in masonry with plastering work and it shows bow- shaped base in the late Ayutthaya period. There are three entrances in front of the principle Buddha image. The entrance in the middle is raised up and it stands higher than another two entrance doors. Porch covered with roof is constructed in front of Vihan Khian. The columns inside Vihan Khian are square. Their capitals are in the form of a lotus with long petals, which are typical of lotus-shaped capitals of the late Ayutthaya period. The roof of Vihan Khian is double roofs and has three tiers. The pediments are small and made of wood carved in the floral motifs.
Inside the Vihan Khian, mural paintings decorate the walls and columns. But, many scenes on the walls have faded. Only on the west wall behind the principle Buddha image shows the painting of the standing Lord Buddha image and his disciples. The paintings on the columns show classic Lai Thai stencil patterns. This Vihan Khian is believed that it used to be a residential hall of a king before turning into the religious building for worship. The principle Buddha image inside Vihan Khian is in the posture of Polilayaka, in the attitude of leading a jungle life.
Figure 30 Mural painting at Wihan Khian (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
A bell-shape stupa
This bell-shape stupa stands on east side of The Reclining Buddha Image’s Assembly Hall and it is on north side of the Mondop of a Buddha’s footprint. The bell-shape body of the stupa sits on an octogan base with a niche on each side. Its high is 17.10 meters and it paints in white.
Two corn-shape stupas or Prangs
These two corn-shape stupas or Prangs are on the south side of the Reclining Buddha Image’s Assembly Hall. They are similar in style and size. Their sizes are 3.20 x 3.20 meters and they paint in white. They both sit on square bases and their bases are entirely plain, supporting three groups of mouldings in receding orders. Their bodies of the prangs are square chambers with a small niche on one side. Above the chambers are the prangs’ bullet-shaped top with six tires. The tops of these two prangs are decorated with nophasul or nine-pointed finial. These two corn-shape stupas show Rattanakosin style.
A square-based stupa with twelve indented corners
This stupa is located on the south of the Mondop of Buddha’s footprint. Its size is 5.50 x 5.50 meters and it paints in white. It is a square-base stupa with twelve indented corners with sitting on a square base with a gallery and railing for circumambulation. Its square base has two entrances on one side.
Three monk’s houses in the area of Buddhavat section
These three monk’s houses are located between Reclining Buddha Image’s Assembly Hall and Vihan Khian. They are small rectangular buildings of simple Thai style. Their roof structure are wooden, roofed with glazed terracotta titles without decorations. Walls are plastered, windows and doors panels are plain and painted in red. The first two houses’ sizes are quite similar which are 3.13 x 5.33 meters but, the last one is 2.98 x 3.83 meters.
The Mondop of Buddha’s footprint
This Mondop is on the east side of the the Reclining Buddha Image’s Assembly Hall.
It is a square building with a gable roof. It has two entrances at the east and west. The Mondop enshrine the four-footprints of the Buddhas.
Sala Kan Parian (Gathering Hall)
Sala Kan Parian is an open pavilion in Central Thai style. Its size is 30 x 36 meters.
Its roof structure is wooden and it is decorated with traditional decorative elements such as Cho Fa, Bai Raka, and Hang Hong. Pediments are decorated with gilded woodcarvings and colored glass mosaics. The floor is made of wooden planks and surrounded by balustrades.
Social Value
According to Wat Pamok Worawihan is an ancient temple which is assumed to have been constructed in Sukhothai period according to special characteristics of the reclining Buddha image in the assembly hall. Furthermore, there is historic evidence that this temple was closely related to the capital city of Ayutthaya as it was on the route that Thai armies took to fight with the Burmese. In particular, in 1592, King Naresuan encamped his army at Wat Thasutthawat before crossing the Chao Phraya River to encamp for the night at Wat Pamok Worawihan. King Naresuan the Great stopped at this temple and paid homage to the Buddha image. Therefore, this temple is notable in Thai history and the temple itself represents a memorial to King Naresuan and Prince Ekatosarot for the Pamok’s communities, the people in Ang Thong Province and nearby provinces. There is a monument of King Naresuan and Prince Ekatosarot in the temple compound. Nowadays, the temple is the community’s center of the people in Pamok District for worship, community meetings, education, cremations and enshrining ashes of the deceased. It is also one of the nine temples in Ang Thong that are well-known for Thai Buddhist pilgrimage. The reclining Buddha image is also the most revered object in Ang Thong.
(a) (b)
Figure 31 People are paying homage to the reclining Buddha image and the statue of King Naresuan
(Panot Asawachai, 2014.)