Wat Bowonniwet Vihara

Wat Bowonniwet Vihara ( alternate spelling: Wat Bovonnivet, Wat Bovornives, briefly Wat Bowon; Thai: วัด บวร นิเวศ วิหาร, pronounced: [ WAT bòwɔ ː nníwêt wíhǎ ː n]) is a Buddhist temple ( wat ) in the district of Phra Nakhon capital Bangkok of Thailand. It is located in the northeast of the so-called Rattanakosin Island, the "old town " of Bangkok.

Wat Bovonnivet is the center of Thammayut - Nikai, an order of Buddhist Theravada monks in Thailand. He is a Royal Temple First Class under the patronage of the Chakri Dynasty. Its main Buddha statue Phra Phuttha Chinasi ( Thai: พระพุทธ ชิน สีห์ ) called, it was produced in 1357 at the Sukhothai style.

A royal temple

Prince Bhikkhu Mongkut entered 1836 as a monk in this temple a. Later he was appointed abbot. He had held for many years before he was crowned King of Siam in 1851 this office.

His great-grandson of King Bhumibol Adulyadej was ordained at Wat also Bowon for a few days before he was crowned king. Bhumibol 's mentor, Phra Yanasangworn, was appointed abbot later. The son of King Bhumibol, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was ordained here for a short time, as well as some of the sons of the prince.

History

There were originally on the site of the present Wat Bowonniwet two different temples in the west was Wat Mai and Wat Rangsee Suddhawas in the east, separated by a Khlong (canal). Since the reign of King Nang Klao (Rama III. ) Of Wat Mai was no abbot, the king decided that his half-brother Prince Mongkut, who had previously been earned for Buddhism, take over this position.

Wat Mai had been some years earlier by an uncle of the king. But the architect died before he could finish his work. King Nang Klao saw that the temple was almost deserted - it lived only five monks in it. He completed the construction and added for the new abbot, a two storey residence in European style added. On January 11, 1837 a grand ceremony was initiated by King Mongkut Prince could take his position as the new abbot of Wat Bowonniwet.

Only later, in the reign of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII ), the two temples were summarized to its present size.

Abbots

Important buildings

Phutthawat

• The ubosot: The ubosot has a unique T-shape, the two side wings can be used as viharn while the large front wing represents the actual ubosot ( ordination hall). The building is in very Chinese -influenced style of the era of King Rama III. built. Special feature: there is no Chofah, the triangular pediments are richly decorated with stucco, the pillars have a square floor plan. King Mongkut was the large entrance gates of ubosot decorate with gilded carvings of Chinese gatekeepers. His son, King Chulalongkorn ( Rama V ) had renovated the front porch to lower it a bit. Unusual: a gilt Bai Sema in the middle is not exactly in front of the ubosot, but is embedded in the front wall. To the left of ubosot there are more old Bai Sema in red sandstone, which were placed at the time of King Nang Klao (Rama III. ) From a temple in Phetchaburi here. The statues of Buddha Phra Phuttha Chinasi ( Thai: พระพุทธ ชิน สีห์ ) and Luang Pho To ( in the background, Thai: หลวง พ่อ โต ) are inside the ubosot. The large statue is originally from the Wat Sa Taphan in Phetchaburi. The bronze statue in Sukhothai style of Phra Phuttha Chinasi was brought in 1829 from the northern Viharn of Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat in Phitsanulok here. It is framed by a carved wooden canopy and stands on a chiseled, level base. Before the statue of Phra Phuttha Chinasi are two worshipers, probably his two disciples Sariputta and Moggalana. In between, in the middle of statues of three former Prince - abbots are seen.
• The walls of the ubosot are painted by the well-known Thai painter Khrua In Khong, a contemporary of King Mongkut. They represent all parabolas on the Dhamma, the Buddhist teachings dar. buildings and people of his pictures look very European from. As in Khong had never traveled outside of Siam, historians believe that the artist won his inspirations while looking at European and American oil paintings of that time. ( Examples can be seen on the website of the temple, see Related links )

• In viharn Geng are three Buddha statues that were cast for each of an abbot of the monastery: in the base of Phra Phuttha Vajiranyana statue a part of the ashes of King Mongkut is included in Phra Phuttha Panna Agga of the Prince - Abbot Pavaret, a son of King Rama II of Uparat, and Phra Phuttha Manussanaga the Prince - Abbot Vajiranyanavarorat, son of King Mongkut and half-brother of King Chulalongkorn.
• In Viharn Phra Sasada is the famous Buddha statue Phra Sasada, which provided the name for this building. It stands in the front room and is oriented to the east. It was created at the same time for the same monastery as the statue of Phra Phuttha Chinasi. Before Phra Sasada sits a very beautiful statue of the Dvaravati period. In the back room there is an equally beautiful recumbent statue named Phra Saiya.

Sangkhawat

• The Phra Tamnak Phet ( Diamond royal residence ) was commissioned in 1914 by King Vajiravudh for his uncle and teacher to the third abbot, Somdet Krommaphraya Vajirañāṇavarorasa. The fine artistic details make this building the most remarkable in the whole temple. In former times at this location probably the first printing, which was operated by Siamese. Prince Mongkut was in his time as abbot of Wat Bowonniwet here Print Buddhist texts. So far, only a few printing presses were among the Christian missionaries (see Dan Beach Bradley). Phra Tamnak Phet has been used in the past for various ceremonies, even for the Kremationsfeierlichkeiten some deceased abbots. Today, here comes three times a month, the Supreme Sangha Council, the supreme council of the Thai Buddhists, together with the so-called " Maha Thera Samagom. "
• The Phra Tamnak Phanya (Royal Phanya residence ) is the oldest building in the Wat Bowonniwet. It used to stand at the Royal Palace, where King Rama II had built. His successor, King Nang Klao had the house erode stone for stone and build here in the temple. It should be his half-brother Prince Mongkut serve as a residence, which should assume the office of abbot here.
• Phra Tamnak Chan (Royal Moon residence ) was built by King Chulalongkorn in remembrance of his daughter, the princess Chantra Saratvarn Kromakhun Pijit - Jesachan. Since the time of King Rama VI. it is used as an audience hall for the Buddhist prelates.
• The Pra Tamnak Lang is also an impressive residence building, which was built by King Chulalongkorn for his brother, the Prince - Abbot Somdet Krommaphraya Vajirananavarorasa before he became abbot. After he was made ​​abbot, the house could be used as a school for monks and novices. Today, it serves as a training institute for bhikkhus who are going abroad as well as headquarters and a meeting room of the monks of Thammayut - faith community.