Wat Pra Singh is now the number one monastery
in Chiang Mai and indeed in the fifth
Administrative circle for religious affairs.
It is called “the great temple” and it is regular meting place for all
the monks for all the monks for administrative purposes.
Prior to 1345 the land on which Wat Pra Singh
stands was a market place called “Lee Chiang”. In 1345 King pa Yo
(1336-1355) of Lanna Thai declared it to be the site of a monastery and
erected the Chedi now behind the Viharn to contain the ashes of his
father. King Khum Pu (1313- 1336).
Under King San Muang Ma (1385-1401) the wat
took on greater prestige. A special crypt was built to receive the
treasured Ceylon Buddha. the Pra Sihing. This is the most interesting
image because of the vicissitudes of its travels. It is a seated image
in the attitude calling the earth to witness. It was miraculously made
in Ceylon. The firth king of Sukhotai got it from Ceylon. It was seized
by the King of Ayudthaya. The Governor of Kampangpet obtained it by
trickery. The Prince of Chiang Rai took it by force and gave it to his
nephew, the King of Lanna Thai, as a peace offering after trying to
seize his throne. In 1389 it was installed in Wat Pra Singh. About 1548
it was taken to Luang Pra Bang by Prince Jetta. It was retured to
Chiang Mai. It was seized by the king of Siam and returned to Chiang
Mai again in 1767 and. there it is to this day.
Or is it? There are two other Pra Sihing
images of Buddha also claiming to the original. One is at Wat Mahatat
in Nakorn Sritamarat and the other at the National Museum in Bangkok.
The image at Sritamarat ashored by the survivor of a ship wreck, the
vessel having come from Ceylon.
Those who support the Bangkok Pra Sihing say
that it was brought from Luang Prabang. It was captured by Chao Phaya
Chakri (Rama I) along with the Emerald Buddha.
Every year at New Year’s Day (Jan 1st), the
Buddha is brought from the museum in Bangkok to the Prameru Ground. Here
libations of scented water are poured over it.
There are two other images of great sanctity
at Wat Pra Singh. The first is Pra Chao Tong Tip. It is of bronze
inlaid with gems and is approximately two feet tall. It was cat in
1477, presumably to celebrate the great 8th Buddhist Council which
concluded its work that year. It is in the Victory over Mara posture.
The other Buddha is a large bronze about 7
feet 7 inches tall. It has an unusually good expression and is in the
Victory over Mara posture also. It is thought to have been cast in 1492
by order of the widow of King Tilokarat. For ears it was at Wat
Rampoeg and was finally brought to Wat Pra Singh. All images are
supposed to have 360 curls.
by : sakuya | post :
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วันอาทิตย์ที่ 7 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ 2553 11:45:41
