Golden pleasure

 

This was the first overseas trip in four years since the COVID19 had been preventing us from visiting foreign destinations. On the last day in Thailand, we visited the temple of golden buddha via BTS, which has nothing to do with the band BTS but is subway system in Bangkok. The Sukhothai Traimit Golden buddha was made of pure gold. The sculpture measures 12 feet 5 inches in diameter and has a height of 15 feet 9 inches from the base to the crown. It weights approximately 5.5 tons. Monks at the temple said that the statue has a price value exceed 28 million pounds and 700 years old till this year. This statue was originally placed in the different temple, but in 1931, was moved to the current place. Like many visitors alike did, Leo also prayed for health and good luck.

During our stay, we also visited Wat Pho temple complex, which was oldest temple in Bangkok (16 C). It is the most famous place in W. The reclining Buddha statue is the largest in Thailand and boasts a length of 46m and a height of 15m. The reclining Buddha, painted golden on the gypsum base, depicts the Buddha in Nirvana. The reason Wat Pho is called the Nirvana Temple is also because of this Buddha. The reclining Buddha is so large that it is difficult to see the whole figure at once, and the soles of the feet are located below, so you can see the detailed outline. The soles of the feet were painted with mother-of-pearl, which depicts 108 earthly desires.

Thailand has a closer relationship between state power and the sangha than any other Buddhist country in Southeast Asia. The sangha law shows that most clearly. Since 1902, the sangha law has undergone three revisions, and it can be said that it has been revised in response to the intention of realizing the political purpose of state power. The first sangha law was created in 1902 as part of the modernization policy of King Rama V, and the sangha became a highly centralized organization under the control of a modernized bureaucratic system. The sangha law of 1941 after the constitutional revolution of 1932 allowed the structure of the sangha to be democratized and the state could secure more autonomy. The sangha law of 1962 responded to the establishment of an authoritarian political system and national development in Sarit, and the sangha was centralized under strong government control.

Although Thailand currently maintains a democratic political system, it still maintains the authoritarian 1962 sangha law. This can be seen as a result of the disappearance of interest in whether Buddhism reflects the form of secular political power, as politics has become secularized, and Buddhism has gradually depoliticized since the 1990s. Since the enactment of the Sangha Act in 1962, the Sangha Act has been revised twice in 1992 and 2004, and since 1990, the Sangha Act has changed while being faithful to religious functions rather than political functions.

In contrast to Mahayana Buddhism, which is mainstream Buddhism in Korea, Thai Theravadism focuses on the monk's own liberation. According to the doctrine of Theravadism, supernatural powers or dependence on God are completely excluded, and enlightenment must be achieved by understanding the Buddhist worldview and the practice based on it. It can be seen as excluding mystical elements and individual-centered in that it emphasizes individual enlightenment.

Probably, because of these differences, the atmosphere of the temples in Thailand is unique and somehow lacks mystic feeling surrounding typical Korean Sachal.