History of Wat Saket(1)
R. LINGAT
THE JOURNAL OF THE SIAM SOCIETY
Vol.23,part 3
April 1930
pp. 125-134
.
p.125
The history of this monastery(2) begins in the
year of the foundation of Bangkok as the Capital
of the kingdom of Siam. It was known at that time as
Wat Sa:k?3) and was, like the majority of the
monasteries then in existence on the left bank of the
Menam, of only moderate importance both as regards
the number of its inmates and the character of its
buildings. However, it possessed a bell of a very
fine tone, and this was later judged worthy of being
transported to the precinets of Wat Phra: K‰o, where
it remains to this day.
It is said that in April, 1782, the Somdet Chao
Phya Mahakra: satsuk, commander-in-chief of the
Siamese armies, who had returned in great haste from
Cambodia with his army on the news of the outbreak at
Thonburi, stayed at Wat Sa:k?and underwent the
lustration rites(4). He afterwards proceeded with
great ceremony to the pavillion ereeted for him in
front of Wat Ph?5) and then crossed the river to
crush the rebellion.
_____________________________________________________
(1) The following monograph on Wat Sa:ket is the
first of a series to be published in this
Journal, over M.R. Lingat's signature. These
monographs, together with several others, not to
be included in this series, will eventually form
a book dealing with the more important relgious
establishments in Bangkok.
(The Editor.)
(2) My chief source is an article written by H.R.H.
Prince Damrong and published in
, vol.XIII (B.E.2468),
pp.185-201.
(3) "Monastery of the tree Sa:k?, or Indian
ash-tree, (combretum quadrangulare Kurzi).
(4) This is probably a purifying bath, taken by the
king on his return from a military expedition;
the fact indicates that the commander-in-chief,
thought not yet invested officially with the
supreme authority, already regarded himself as
King.
(5) Called at that time Wat Photharam (Bodhaaraama).
p.126
After assuming the supreme power, the new king
decided to transfer the capital to the left bank of
the Menam. The new capital was laid out on the same
lines as Ayuthia. Especially it was to be entirely
surrounded by water. To achieve this object a canal
was cut along the east side of the town, passing
behind Wat Sa:k?in a northerly direction to join the
Bang Lamphu canal, which was already in existence.
Another canal running eastwards branched off from the
first a little to the north of Wat Sa:k? so that the
youth of the new capital might indulge, during the
flood season, in aquatic sports and the traditional
singing contests which had been common in the days of
Ayuthia. This was the Mahaanaaga canal, a name taken
from the old capital(1). Ten thousand Cambodians were
impressed to carry out the work.
When the cutting of the canal was finished, the
king employed the labour thus available in restoring
completely the B“t of Wat Sa:k? This monastery,
which was henceforward under the royal patronage, was
now first called by the name it bears to-day i.e. Wat
Sa:ket, the Monastery of the lustration (8ra) of the
hair (ke.ca), in commemoration of the ceremony which
had taken place on the eve of the new king's
accession, and to mark the scene of the first step
towards the realisation of his new destiny.
The consecration of the new monastery, which
lasted seven days, took place in November,1801,
shortly after that of Wat Ph? It was an occasion of
great public rejoining at which the king himself was
present in a pavillion constructed on the bank of the
Mahaanaaga canal. All the inhabitants of the
monastery were entertained at the expense of the
royal treasury. The ordinary people also shared in
the largesse lavished on this occasion: "kalpa
v.rk.sa" trees, from whose. branches hung berries
containing silver coins, were planted: there were
displays of fireworks on land and water and gaily
decorated crafts, full of singers and musicains,
_____________________________________________________
(1) Mahaanaaga is the name of a monk of the wat of
the Golden Mount (at Ayuthia), who assisted in
the defence of the old capital in 1459 by digging
the canal which bears his name.
p.127
passed two abreast along the canals which surrounded
the monastery. These canals had been specially
widened for the occasion. The eyewitness from whose
account the details of the celebration are known to
us has noted that the crackling of the burning
sheaves and the joyous tumult of the crowds swept the
clouds away, and the moon, appearing under her white
parasol, was charmed by such a spectacle and halted
in her path to observe it.
The abbot of the monastery, At, bore at that time
the little of Phra: Brahmamuni(1); he was a barien
(doctor of theology), born on the 9th of January,
1759. During the second reign he was promoted Phra:
Vimaladhamma and then Somdet Phra: Vanaratana, a
title next in rank to that of Sa^ngharaaja. As a
result of scandals which aroused grave concern as to
the state of the Buddhist church, at the request of
the king he wrote, in collaboration with the
Sa^ngharaaja Mi, the Ovaadaanusaasanii, an
exhortation to the monks to adhere to their vows.
When the death of the Sa^ngharaaja occurred, the
abbot of Wat Sa:ket bye his rank entitled to succeed
to that office and he was in fact appointed, in
March, 1820, to be abbot of Wat Mahaadhaatu, the
residence of the patriarehs. But he had himself been
contaminated by the corruption which the slackness of
discipline had fostered throughout the religious
communities. His consecration had been at first
dalayed by a terrible epidemic of cholera: it was
decidedly jeopardized by an accusation to which his
doubtful behaviour with one of his younger disciples
had given ground. Although the charges against him
were not substantiated, the enquiry brought to light
evidence sufficient to show that, if he did not
deserve to be defrocked, at least he was not worthy
to occupy any position of eminence. He was suddenly
deprived of his rank and transferred to a humble
monastery where he ended his days in obscurity. His
successor at Wat Sa:ket was another barien, named
Don, born on the 6th March, 1762. The new abbot had
come from Wat Ham-
_____________________________________________________
(1) In fact he may not have been appointed abbot
until some time afterwards.
p.128
.sa (on the right bank of the Menam) during the first
reign and bore the title of Phra: Devamolii. His
career was 'up to a point, exactly similar to that of
his predecessor. Like the latter he was appointed in
succession Phra: Brahmamuni, Phra: Vimaladhamma and
Somdet Phra: Vanaratana, but he lived eventually to
set a worthy crown on his career by attaining to the
supreme dignity in March, 1823. He left Wat Sa:ket to
go to Wat Mahaadhaatu (the residence of the Supreme
Patriarch since 1793) and lived there until his death
in 1842, in his 81st year.
The honours conferred during the second reign on
the abbots of Wat Sa:ket show that the monastery was
by that time considered to be one of the most
important in the kingdom. A further mark of the
esteem in which it was held is shown in 1818 on the
return of the religious embassy sent three years
previously to Ceylon to reopen with the Cinghalese
Church the relation which had been interrupted since
the fall of Ayuthia. On that occasion Wat Sa:ket was
one of the three Bangkok monasteries which received a
cutting from the Bodhi tree brought from
Anuraadhapura.(1) by the mission. The young shoot
was planted in a small stone-work enclosure in front
of the B“t, where it may still be seen to-day.
The third king of the Bangkok dynasty, Phra: Nang
Klao (1824-1851) , who was a great builder of
monasteries could not fail to take an interest in Wat
Sa:ket. Almost until the end of his reign the
monastery underwent considerable rebuilding and
re-decoration and it then put on an appearance
closely resembling that which it present to-day.
The ku.tis or dwellings of the monks and the
annexes thereto, which were of wood, were entirely
rebuilt in brick. The library alone, which dated from
the first reign, was considered worthy of
preservation in its existing form. This is a small
building set on a
_____________________________________________________
(1) The Anuradhaapura tree, according to Buddhist
tradition, is itself a grafting of the true Bodhi
brought from Gaya by Mahendra, the son of Emperor
A'soka.
p.129
raised platform of brick-work and constructed of
panels of wood which are carved and painted. In the
centre is a large cupboard made of lacquered wood
whose four sides rise to meet the roof. Within this
again are cupboards which hold the sacred texts. The
ku.tis, which cover a fairly wide area, provide ample
accommodation for over 300 monks.
To the north of the ku.tis the king caused a Meru
to be built for the cremation of princess and high
officials. This is a large square structure of brick,
open on all four sides, with a space in the centre
for the funeral. In addition it has, or had at that
time, all the buildings that might be necessary for
funeral ceremonies: a pavilion for the King, a hall
for prayer, a chamber for the family of the deceased
and another for the musicians. There was also a grove
planted with poles, with wooden stands for displays
of fireworks. It was the best accommodated site for
cremations in Bangkok and was the one shown to Count
de Beauvoir when he visited the Siamese capital in
1867. During the reign of King Chulalongkorn, this
Meru and its spacious annexes were separated from the
ku.tis by the extension of Sa: Pathum road: it
appears to have fallen entirely from public favour
and is beginning to suffer seriously from this
neglect.(1)
The B“t itself was extensively restored and
redecorated. The gallery or "cloister" dates from
this period, as do the four pairs of chedis set
outside. The gallery contains 163 statues of Buddha
in a sitting posture, which are set in line along the
wall, while four further statues in a standing
posture are set one at each corner. The eight pairs
of baddhaasiima or baundary stones marking the sacred
enclosure were placed in small and graceful
structures covered with mosaic work.
The B“t itself was simply restored to its
original condition. It is surrounded by a colonnade
of square pillars which support the roof.
_____________________________________________________
(1) One of the last noteworthy cremations which took
place at the Meru of Wat Sa:ket was that of
Dr.Masao, the Japanese legal adviser.
p.130
The pediments bear ornaments in stucco or gilded wood
representing Vishnu mounted on Garuda. In the
interior of the Bot is the great statue of Buddha
seated in the attitude known as Samaadhi
(contemplation) with a statue of a kneeling disciple
on either side. All is made of brick and plaster,
with a covering of gold leaf, and was no duobt
completely restored in the third reign. The beautiful
paintings which decorate the walls are of the same
periods. Those behind the statue of Buddha depict the
three worlds: the heavens, the earth and hell; those
facing the statue represent the defeat of the armies
of Mara and the vision of the goddess Earth. All
these paintings are worthy of comparison with the
frescoes which decorate the walls of the B“t of Wat
Phra K‰o. The upper half of the side walls is
decorated with a triple line of gods at prayer, their
faces turned towards the statue of Buddha. The twelve
panels placed between the windows represent episodes
of the last ten existence of Buddha. Finally the
window shutters and the doors bear paintings of
divinties and European. Hindu and Chinese warriors
dressed in the fashion of the XVIIth century.
Outside the cloister and to the west of the B“t,
King Phra: Nang Klao had built a Vihaara in the same
style as, but more lofoy than the B“t. The interior
of this Vihaara is divided into two chambers, as is
the case with the Vihaaras round the B“t of Wat Ph?
In the south chamber a statue of gilded bronze, over
nine metres in height, representing Buddha "calming
the ocean" is set with its back to the dividing
partition.
This statues was named Phra: A.t.thaarasa and
came from Wat Vihaara Thong at Pitsanuloke, whence it
was probably brought in 1820, at the same time as the
Jinasiiha Buddha now in the B“t of Wat Pavaraniveca.
Behind this statue is a niche with the figures of the
two great disciples of the Buddha, Sariputta and
Moggalana, on each side. The other chamber had been
intended to receive the Phra: Caastaa, a statue, also
from Pitsanuloke, which was at that time in Wat Phra:
du at Nondhapuri. This scheme was never
p.131
carried out and the pedestal built for this famous
statue remained for a long time unoccupied. In the
fifth reign there was placed on it a bronze statue of
Buddha from Wat Dusit (Tusita), which had been
demolished when the Dusit Palace was built. The
statue has on either side a statue of a disciple in a
kneeling posture. In the north and south corners of
the courtyard of the Vihaara, small buildings were
constructed to contain statues of Buddha in rows.
Now, in the angle formed by the ku.tis and the
main building of the B“t and the Vihaara, Phra: Nang
Klao decided to erect a great Prang, which should
correspond to the famous steeple of the Golden Mount
at Ayuthia at the foot of which flowed the Mahaanaaga
canal and whose mighty ruins still tower above the
site of the old capital. This work was entrusted to
Phya Crii Viva.dhana who had carried out the polities
of the third and fourth reigns(1). The base of the
structure was a dodecagon, each side being 100 metres
long, the outer surface was of brick, while in the
centre were heaped earth and blocks of stone. During
the contruction of the second storey the
central mass subsided 18 metres and the
brick-surface cracked and broke away. The huge
structure was propped up with thousands of wooden
beams, but while the repairs were actually in
progress a further subsidence of 6 months occurred
and on this account the work was abandoned.
In January, 1832, there were festivities in
honour of the restoration of Wat Sa:ket and eight
other monasteries in the capital which had been
reconstructed or were in course of reconstruction at
that time. The festivities lasted three days, for the
greater part of the time at Wat Phra: Raajaorasa(2),
which was held in special veneration by the king. A
portion of his ashes was afterwards deposited there.
_____________________________________________________
(1) He was promoted Somdet Chao Phya Boroma
Mah phiixaiy…t.
(2) On the right bank of the Menam. The
reconstruction of this monastery had already been
commenced, in the second reign, by the future
Phra: Nang Klao.
p.132
It fell to his successor, King Mongkut, to
complete those works which had been left
unfinished(1). The new king was determined to make
use of the great heap of material which remained of
the Prang begun in the Preceding reign. He insturcted
the same Phya Crii Viva.dhana to build it up into an
artificial mount, provided with interior passageways
and salas and niches holding staues of ascetics or
figures of Buddha or small chedis. At the top was
built a stupa which was reached by two stairways
winding round the slopes of the mound, with a bridge
boldly set midway. The structure now justified its
name of Golden Mount (Phu Khao Thong), which had been
bestowed upon it during the reign of Phra: Nang Klao
in memory of the edifice at Ayuthia. Its official
name is Paramaparvata, the Supreme Mountain. It was
not until the beginning of the reign of King
Chulalongkorn that the work was completed. In course
of time the surface of plaster, which gave the Golden
Mount the appearance of a great rock, fell away and
the Mount was overrun and almost completely covered
by vegatation with the exception of the original
stairways trodden by the feet of so many of the
faithful. The slopes were recently cleared of the
bushes and trees which covered them and now the
structure is to be restored to the condition in which
it was at the beginning of the fifth reign.
The stupa at the top of the Golden Mount is built
on a square platform supported by walls, which gives
it the appearance of a fort or a monastery in Thibet.
The platform is covered by a flat roof resting on the
base of the stupa. The faithful have thus an enclosed
gallery round which they may walk in meditation. Two
doors north and south give access to this gallery.
The stupa itself is of the type usual during the
fourth reign; there are four entrances, which are
normally closed eith grilles, situated
_____________________________________________________
(1) It was not until this time that the gallery which
circles the B“t was completed.
p.133
at the four cardinal points and connected one with
another by a narrow passageway. In the centre of the
stupa is a small gilded chedi with four niches
holding diminutive statues of Buddha. This chedi
contains a portion of the relies of the Buddha
discovered in 1897 under the ruins of the famous
stupa of Pipraawaa(1), near the frontier of Nepal and
not far from the supposed site of Kapilavatthu, the
capital of the Sakyas. The discovery of these relies,
the authenticity or at least the great
antiquity of which is admitted by European
authorities, aroused great interest in Buddhist
countries and there was a general desire to accord to
the relies suitable respect. The British Government
decided to offer them to the King of Siam, with the
request that they be distributed among the nations
which had an interest therein. Phya Sukhuma (now Chao
Phya Yamaraaja) was chosen by King Chulalongkorn to
go and receive the precious relies and bring them to
Bangkok. Delegations from Ceylon, Burma, Japan and
Siberia came to share in the distribution. The
remainder of the relies were brought in procession to
Wat Sa:ket on the 23rd of May, 1899, and deposited
in the small chedi of which mention has been made
above. Once every year, in the middle of the twelfth
month of the lunar calendar (November), the public is
admitted to the interior of the stupa. For several
days a continual stream of the faithful climb the
steps of the Golden Mount to pay their devotion to
the relies, while all round the Mount and in the
adjoining streets are set up booths, theatres and
restaurants which are patronised by a numerous and
exuberant crowd. This is the time of the popular Wat
Sa:ket fair, which is rivalled in Bangkok only by the
fair of Wat Ph?and Wat Sampl—m.
_____________________________________________________
(1) The discussions to which the Pipraawaa
discoveries gave rise between European
authorities on Indian culture were outlined by A.
Barth in the number of the Journal des Savants
for October, 1906, (Oeuvres d'Auguste Barth, V,
259-273).
p.134
During the first reign the monks of Wat Sa:ket
were renowned for their knowledge of the mystic rites
and were numbered among the Ara~n~navaasii or "forest
monks". It is this reputation and the presence of the
precious relies which explain the great popularity
which Wat Sa:ket enjoys.
.
p.125
The history of this monastery(2) begins in the
year of the foundation of Bangkok as the Capital
of the kingdom of Siam. It was known at that time as
Wat Sa:k?3) and was, like the majority of the
monasteries then in existence on the left bank of the
Menam, of only moderate importance both as regards
the number of its inmates and the character of its
buildings. However, it possessed a bell of a very
fine tone, and this was later judged worthy of being
transported to the precinets of Wat Phra: K‰o, where
it remains to this day.
It is said that in April, 1782, the Somdet Chao
Phya Mahakra: satsuk, commander-in-chief of the
Siamese armies, who had returned in great haste from
Cambodia with his army on the news of the outbreak at
Thonburi, stayed at Wat Sa:k?and underwent the
lustration rites(4). He afterwards proceeded with
great ceremony to the pavillion ereeted for him in
front of Wat Ph?5) and then crossed the river to
crush the rebellion.
_____________________________________________________
(1) The following monograph on Wat Sa:ket is the
first of a series to be published in this
Journal, over M.R. Lingat's signature. These
monographs, together with several others, not to
be included in this series, will eventually form
a book dealing with the more important relgious
establishments in Bangkok.
(The Editor.)
(2) My chief source is an article written by H.R.H.
Prince Damrong and published in
, vol.XIII (B.E.2468),
pp.185-201.
(3) "Monastery of the tree Sa:k?, or Indian
ash-tree, (combretum quadrangulare Kurzi).
(4) This is probably a purifying bath, taken by the
king on his return from a military expedition;
the fact indicates that the commander-in-chief,
thought not yet invested officially with the
supreme authority, already regarded himself as
King.
(5) Called at that time Wat Photharam (Bodhaaraama).
p.126
After assuming the supreme power, the new king
decided to transfer the capital to the left bank of
the Menam. The new capital was laid out on the same
lines as Ayuthia. Especially it was to be entirely
surrounded by water. To achieve this object a canal
was cut along the east side of the town, passing
behind Wat Sa:k?in a northerly direction to join the
Bang Lamphu canal, which was already in existence.
Another canal running eastwards branched off from the
first a little to the north of Wat Sa:k? so that the
youth of the new capital might indulge, during the
flood season, in aquatic sports and the traditional
singing contests which had been common in the days of
Ayuthia. This was the Mahaanaaga canal, a name taken
from the old capital(1). Ten thousand Cambodians were
impressed to carry out the work.
When the cutting of the canal was finished, the
king employed the labour thus available in restoring
completely the B“t of Wat Sa:k? This monastery,
which was henceforward under the royal patronage, was
now first called by the name it bears to-day i.e. Wat
Sa:ket, the Monastery of the lustration (8ra) of the
hair (ke.ca), in commemoration of the ceremony which
had taken place on the eve of the new king's
accession, and to mark the scene of the first step
towards the realisation of his new destiny.
The consecration of the new monastery, which
lasted seven days, took place in November,1801,
shortly after that of Wat Ph? It was an occasion of
great public rejoining at which the king himself was
present in a pavillion constructed on the bank of the
Mahaanaaga canal. All the inhabitants of the
monastery were entertained at the expense of the
royal treasury. The ordinary people also shared in
the largesse lavished on this occasion: "kalpa
v.rk.sa" trees, from whose. branches hung berries
containing silver coins, were planted: there were
displays of fireworks on land and water and gaily
decorated crafts, full of singers and musicains,
_____________________________________________________
(1) Mahaanaaga is the name of a monk of the wat of
the Golden Mount (at Ayuthia), who assisted in
the defence of the old capital in 1459 by digging
the canal which bears his name.
p.127
passed two abreast along the canals which surrounded
the monastery. These canals had been specially
widened for the occasion. The eyewitness from whose
account the details of the celebration are known to
us has noted that the crackling of the burning
sheaves and the joyous tumult of the crowds swept the
clouds away, and the moon, appearing under her white
parasol, was charmed by such a spectacle and halted
in her path to observe it.
The abbot of the monastery, At, bore at that time
the little of Phra: Brahmamuni(1); he was a barien
(doctor of theology), born on the 9th of January,
1759. During the second reign he was promoted Phra:
Vimaladhamma and then Somdet Phra: Vanaratana, a
title next in rank to that of Sa^ngharaaja. As a
result of scandals which aroused grave concern as to
the state of the Buddhist church, at the request of
the king he wrote, in collaboration with the
Sa^ngharaaja Mi, the Ovaadaanusaasanii, an
exhortation to the monks to adhere to their vows.
When the death of the Sa^ngharaaja occurred, the
abbot of Wat Sa:ket bye his rank entitled to succeed
to that office and he was in fact appointed, in
March, 1820, to be abbot of Wat Mahaadhaatu, the
residence of the patriarehs. But he had himself been
contaminated by the corruption which the slackness of
discipline had fostered throughout the religious
communities. His consecration had been at first
dalayed by a terrible epidemic of cholera: it was
decidedly jeopardized by an accusation to which his
doubtful behaviour with one of his younger disciples
had given ground. Although the charges against him
were not substantiated, the enquiry brought to light
evidence sufficient to show that, if he did not
deserve to be defrocked, at least he was not worthy
to occupy any position of eminence. He was suddenly
deprived of his rank and transferred to a humble
monastery where he ended his days in obscurity. His
successor at Wat Sa:ket was another barien, named
Don, born on the 6th March, 1762. The new abbot had
come from Wat Ham-
_____________________________________________________
(1) In fact he may not have been appointed abbot
until some time afterwards.
p.128
.sa (on the right bank of the Menam) during the first
reign and bore the title of Phra: Devamolii. His
career was 'up to a point, exactly similar to that of
his predecessor. Like the latter he was appointed in
succession Phra: Brahmamuni, Phra: Vimaladhamma and
Somdet Phra: Vanaratana, but he lived eventually to
set a worthy crown on his career by attaining to the
supreme dignity in March, 1823. He left Wat Sa:ket to
go to Wat Mahaadhaatu (the residence of the Supreme
Patriarch since 1793) and lived there until his death
in 1842, in his 81st year.
The honours conferred during the second reign on
the abbots of Wat Sa:ket show that the monastery was
by that time considered to be one of the most
important in the kingdom. A further mark of the
esteem in which it was held is shown in 1818 on the
return of the religious embassy sent three years
previously to Ceylon to reopen with the Cinghalese
Church the relation which had been interrupted since
the fall of Ayuthia. On that occasion Wat Sa:ket was
one of the three Bangkok monasteries which received a
cutting from the Bodhi tree brought from
Anuraadhapura.(1) by the mission. The young shoot
was planted in a small stone-work enclosure in front
of the B“t, where it may still be seen to-day.
The third king of the Bangkok dynasty, Phra: Nang
Klao (1824-1851) , who was a great builder of
monasteries could not fail to take an interest in Wat
Sa:ket. Almost until the end of his reign the
monastery underwent considerable rebuilding and
re-decoration and it then put on an appearance
closely resembling that which it present to-day.
The ku.tis or dwellings of the monks and the
annexes thereto, which were of wood, were entirely
rebuilt in brick. The library alone, which dated from
the first reign, was considered worthy of
preservation in its existing form. This is a small
building set on a
_____________________________________________________
(1) The Anuradhaapura tree, according to Buddhist
tradition, is itself a grafting of the true Bodhi
brought from Gaya by Mahendra, the son of Emperor
A'soka.
p.129
raised platform of brick-work and constructed of
panels of wood which are carved and painted. In the
centre is a large cupboard made of lacquered wood
whose four sides rise to meet the roof. Within this
again are cupboards which hold the sacred texts. The
ku.tis, which cover a fairly wide area, provide ample
accommodation for over 300 monks.
To the north of the ku.tis the king caused a Meru
to be built for the cremation of princess and high
officials. This is a large square structure of brick,
open on all four sides, with a space in the centre
for the funeral. In addition it has, or had at that
time, all the buildings that might be necessary for
funeral ceremonies: a pavilion for the King, a hall
for prayer, a chamber for the family of the deceased
and another for the musicians. There was also a grove
planted with poles, with wooden stands for displays
of fireworks. It was the best accommodated site for
cremations in Bangkok and was the one shown to Count
de Beauvoir when he visited the Siamese capital in
1867. During the reign of King Chulalongkorn, this
Meru and its spacious annexes were separated from the
ku.tis by the extension of Sa: Pathum road: it
appears to have fallen entirely from public favour
and is beginning to suffer seriously from this
neglect.(1)
The B“t itself was extensively restored and
redecorated. The gallery or "cloister" dates from
this period, as do the four pairs of chedis set
outside. The gallery contains 163 statues of Buddha
in a sitting posture, which are set in line along the
wall, while four further statues in a standing
posture are set one at each corner. The eight pairs
of baddhaasiima or baundary stones marking the sacred
enclosure were placed in small and graceful
structures covered with mosaic work.
The B“t itself was simply restored to its
original condition. It is surrounded by a colonnade
of square pillars which support the roof.
_____________________________________________________
(1) One of the last noteworthy cremations which took
place at the Meru of Wat Sa:ket was that of
Dr.Masao, the Japanese legal adviser.
p.130
The pediments bear ornaments in stucco or gilded wood
representing Vishnu mounted on Garuda. In the
interior of the Bot is the great statue of Buddha
seated in the attitude known as Samaadhi
(contemplation) with a statue of a kneeling disciple
on either side. All is made of brick and plaster,
with a covering of gold leaf, and was no duobt
completely restored in the third reign. The beautiful
paintings which decorate the walls are of the same
periods. Those behind the statue of Buddha depict the
three worlds: the heavens, the earth and hell; those
facing the statue represent the defeat of the armies
of Mara and the vision of the goddess Earth. All
these paintings are worthy of comparison with the
frescoes which decorate the walls of the B“t of Wat
Phra K‰o. The upper half of the side walls is
decorated with a triple line of gods at prayer, their
faces turned towards the statue of Buddha. The twelve
panels placed between the windows represent episodes
of the last ten existence of Buddha. Finally the
window shutters and the doors bear paintings of
divinties and European. Hindu and Chinese warriors
dressed in the fashion of the XVIIth century.
Outside the cloister and to the west of the B“t,
King Phra: Nang Klao had built a Vihaara in the same
style as, but more lofoy than the B“t. The interior
of this Vihaara is divided into two chambers, as is
the case with the Vihaaras round the B“t of Wat Ph?
In the south chamber a statue of gilded bronze, over
nine metres in height, representing Buddha "calming
the ocean" is set with its back to the dividing
partition.
This statues was named Phra: A.t.thaarasa and
came from Wat Vihaara Thong at Pitsanuloke, whence it
was probably brought in 1820, at the same time as the
Jinasiiha Buddha now in the B“t of Wat Pavaraniveca.
Behind this statue is a niche with the figures of the
two great disciples of the Buddha, Sariputta and
Moggalana, on each side. The other chamber had been
intended to receive the Phra: Caastaa, a statue, also
from Pitsanuloke, which was at that time in Wat Phra:
du at Nondhapuri. This scheme was never
p.131
carried out and the pedestal built for this famous
statue remained for a long time unoccupied. In the
fifth reign there was placed on it a bronze statue of
Buddha from Wat Dusit (Tusita), which had been
demolished when the Dusit Palace was built. The
statue has on either side a statue of a disciple in a
kneeling posture. In the north and south corners of
the courtyard of the Vihaara, small buildings were
constructed to contain statues of Buddha in rows.
Now, in the angle formed by the ku.tis and the
main building of the B“t and the Vihaara, Phra: Nang
Klao decided to erect a great Prang, which should
correspond to the famous steeple of the Golden Mount
at Ayuthia at the foot of which flowed the Mahaanaaga
canal and whose mighty ruins still tower above the
site of the old capital. This work was entrusted to
Phya Crii Viva.dhana who had carried out the polities
of the third and fourth reigns(1). The base of the
structure was a dodecagon, each side being 100 metres
long, the outer surface was of brick, while in the
centre were heaped earth and blocks of stone. During
the contruction of the second storey the
central mass subsided 18 metres and the
brick-surface cracked and broke away. The huge
structure was propped up with thousands of wooden
beams, but while the repairs were actually in
progress a further subsidence of 6 months occurred
and on this account the work was abandoned.
In January, 1832, there were festivities in
honour of the restoration of Wat Sa:ket and eight
other monasteries in the capital which had been
reconstructed or were in course of reconstruction at
that time. The festivities lasted three days, for the
greater part of the time at Wat Phra: Raajaorasa(2),
which was held in special veneration by the king. A
portion of his ashes was afterwards deposited there.
_____________________________________________________
(1) He was promoted Somdet Chao Phya Boroma
Mah phiixaiy…t.
(2) On the right bank of the Menam. The
reconstruction of this monastery had already been
commenced, in the second reign, by the future
Phra: Nang Klao.
p.132
It fell to his successor, King Mongkut, to
complete those works which had been left
unfinished(1). The new king was determined to make
use of the great heap of material which remained of
the Prang begun in the Preceding reign. He insturcted
the same Phya Crii Viva.dhana to build it up into an
artificial mount, provided with interior passageways
and salas and niches holding staues of ascetics or
figures of Buddha or small chedis. At the top was
built a stupa which was reached by two stairways
winding round the slopes of the mound, with a bridge
boldly set midway. The structure now justified its
name of Golden Mount (Phu Khao Thong), which had been
bestowed upon it during the reign of Phra: Nang Klao
in memory of the edifice at Ayuthia. Its official
name is Paramaparvata, the Supreme Mountain. It was
not until the beginning of the reign of King
Chulalongkorn that the work was completed. In course
of time the surface of plaster, which gave the Golden
Mount the appearance of a great rock, fell away and
the Mount was overrun and almost completely covered
by vegatation with the exception of the original
stairways trodden by the feet of so many of the
faithful. The slopes were recently cleared of the
bushes and trees which covered them and now the
structure is to be restored to the condition in which
it was at the beginning of the fifth reign.
The stupa at the top of the Golden Mount is built
on a square platform supported by walls, which gives
it the appearance of a fort or a monastery in Thibet.
The platform is covered by a flat roof resting on the
base of the stupa. The faithful have thus an enclosed
gallery round which they may walk in meditation. Two
doors north and south give access to this gallery.
The stupa itself is of the type usual during the
fourth reign; there are four entrances, which are
normally closed eith grilles, situated
_____________________________________________________
(1) It was not until this time that the gallery which
circles the B“t was completed.
p.133
at the four cardinal points and connected one with
another by a narrow passageway. In the centre of the
stupa is a small gilded chedi with four niches
holding diminutive statues of Buddha. This chedi
contains a portion of the relies of the Buddha
discovered in 1897 under the ruins of the famous
stupa of Pipraawaa(1), near the frontier of Nepal and
not far from the supposed site of Kapilavatthu, the
capital of the Sakyas. The discovery of these relies,
the authenticity or at least the great
antiquity of which is admitted by European
authorities, aroused great interest in Buddhist
countries and there was a general desire to accord to
the relies suitable respect. The British Government
decided to offer them to the King of Siam, with the
request that they be distributed among the nations
which had an interest therein. Phya Sukhuma (now Chao
Phya Yamaraaja) was chosen by King Chulalongkorn to
go and receive the precious relies and bring them to
Bangkok. Delegations from Ceylon, Burma, Japan and
Siberia came to share in the distribution. The
remainder of the relies were brought in procession to
Wat Sa:ket on the 23rd of May, 1899, and deposited
in the small chedi of which mention has been made
above. Once every year, in the middle of the twelfth
month of the lunar calendar (November), the public is
admitted to the interior of the stupa. For several
days a continual stream of the faithful climb the
steps of the Golden Mount to pay their devotion to
the relies, while all round the Mount and in the
adjoining streets are set up booths, theatres and
restaurants which are patronised by a numerous and
exuberant crowd. This is the time of the popular Wat
Sa:ket fair, which is rivalled in Bangkok only by the
fair of Wat Ph?and Wat Sampl—m.
_____________________________________________________
(1) The discussions to which the Pipraawaa
discoveries gave rise between European
authorities on Indian culture were outlined by A.
Barth in the number of the Journal des Savants
for October, 1906, (Oeuvres d'Auguste Barth, V,
259-273).
p.134
During the first reign the monks of Wat Sa:ket
were renowned for their knowledge of the mystic rites
and were numbered among the Ara~n~navaasii or "forest
monks". It is this reputation and the presence of the
precious relies which explain the great popularity
which Wat Sa:ket enjoys.
.
p.125
The history of this monastery(2) begins in the
year of the foundation of Bangkok as the Capital
of the kingdom of Siam. It was known at that time as
Wat Sa:k?3) and was, like the majority of the
monasteries then in existence on the left bank of the
Menam, of only moderate importance both as regards
the number of its inmates and the character of its
buildings. However, it possessed a bell of a very
fine tone, and this was later judged worthy of being
transported to the precinets of Wat Phra: K‰o, where
it remains to this day.
It is said that in April, 1782, the Somdet Chao
Phya Mahakra: satsuk, commander-in-chief of the
Siamese armies, who had returned in great haste from
Cambodia with his army on the news of the outbreak at
Thonburi, stayed at Wat Sa:k?and underwent the
lustration rites(4). He afterwards proceeded with
great ceremony to the pavillion ereeted for him in
front of Wat Ph?5) and then crossed the river to
crush the rebellion.
_____________________________________________________
(1) The following monograph on Wat Sa:ket is the
first of a series to be published in this
Journal, over M.R. Lingat's signature. These
monographs, together with several others, not to
be included in this series, will eventually form
a book dealing with the more important relgious
establishments in Bangkok.
(The Editor.)
(2) My chief source is an article written by H.R.H.
Prince Damrong and published in
, vol.XIII (B.E.2468),
pp.185-201.
(3) "Monastery of the tree Sa:k?, or Indian
ash-tree, (combretum quadrangulare Kurzi).
(4) This is probably a purifying bath, taken by the
king on his return from a military expedition;
the fact indicates that the commander-in-chief,
thought not yet invested officially with the
supreme authority, already regarded himself as
King.
(5) Called at that time Wat Photharam (Bodhaaraama).
p.126
After assuming the supreme power, the new king
decided to transfer the capital to the left bank of
the Menam. The new capital was laid out on the same
lines as Ayuthia. Especially it was to be entirely
surrounded by water. To achieve this object a canal
was cut along the east side of the town, passing
behind Wat Sa:k?in a northerly direction to join the
Bang Lamphu canal, which was already in existence.
Another canal running eastwards branched off from the
first a little to the north of Wat Sa:k? so that the
youth of the new capital might indulge, during the
flood season, in aquatic sports and the traditional
singing contests which had been common in the days of
Ayuthia. This was the Mahaanaaga canal, a name taken
from the old capital(1). Ten thousand Cambodians were
impressed to carry out the work.
When the cutting of the canal was finished, the
king employed the labour thus available in restoring
completely the B“t of Wat Sa:k? This monastery,
which was henceforward under the royal patronage, was
now first called by the name it bears to-day i.e. Wat
Sa:ket, the Monastery of the lustration (8ra) of the
hair (ke.ca), in commemoration of the ceremony which
had taken place on the eve of the new king's
accession, and to mark the scene of the first step
towards the realisation of his new destiny.
The consecration of the new monastery, which
lasted seven days, took place in November,1801,
shortly after that of Wat Ph? It was an occasion of
great public rejoining at which the king himself was
present in a pavillion constructed on the bank of the
Mahaanaaga canal. All the inhabitants of the
monastery were entertained at the expense of the
royal treasury. The ordinary people also shared in
the largesse lavished on this occasion: "kalpa
v.rk.sa" trees, from whose. branches hung berries
containing silver coins, were planted: there were
displays of fireworks on land and water and gaily
decorated crafts, full of singers and musicains,
_____________________________________________________
(1) Mahaanaaga is the name of a monk of the wat of
the Golden Mount (at Ayuthia), who assisted in
the defence of the old capital in 1459 by digging
the canal which bears his name.
p.127
passed two abreast along the canals which surrounded
the monastery. These canals had been specially
widened for the occasion. The eyewitness from whose
account the details of the celebration are known to
us has noted that the crackling of the burning
sheaves and the joyous tumult of the crowds swept the
clouds away, and the moon, appearing under her white
parasol, was charmed by such a spectacle and halted
in her path to observe it.
The abbot of the monastery, At, bore at that time
the little of Phra: Brahmamuni(1); he was a barien
(doctor of theology), born on the 9th of January,
1759. During the second reign he was promoted Phra:
Vimaladhamma and then Somdet Phra: Vanaratana, a
title next in rank to that of Sa^ngharaaja. As a
result of scandals which aroused grave concern as to
the state of the Buddhist church, at the request of
the king he wrote, in collaboration with the
Sa^ngharaaja Mi, the Ovaadaanusaasanii, an
exhortation to the monks to adhere to their vows.
When the death of the Sa^ngharaaja occurred, the
abbot of Wat Sa:ket bye his rank entitled to succeed
to that office and he was in fact appointed, in
March, 1820, to be abbot of Wat Mahaadhaatu, the
residence of the patriarehs. But he had himself been
contaminated by the corruption which the slackness of
discipline had fostered throughout the religious
communities. His consecration had been at first
dalayed by a terrible epidemic of cholera: it was
decidedly jeopardized by an accusation to which his
doubtful behaviour with one of his younger disciples
had given ground. Although the charges against him
were not substantiated, the enquiry brought to light
evidence sufficient to show that, if he did not
deserve to be defrocked, at least he was not worthy
to occupy any position of eminence. He was suddenly
deprived of his rank and transferred to a humble
monastery where he ended his days in obscurity. His
successor at Wat Sa:ket was another barien, named
Don, born on the 6th March, 1762. The new abbot had
come from Wat Ham-
_____________________________________________________
(1) In fact he may not have been appointed abbot
until some time afterwards.
p.128
.sa (on the right bank of the Menam) during the first
reign and bore the title of Phra: Devamolii. His
career was 'up to a point, exactly similar to that of
his predecessor. Like the latter he was appointed in
succession Phra: Brahmamuni, Phra: Vimaladhamma and
Somdet Phra: Vanaratana, but he lived eventually to
set a worthy crown on his career by attaining to the
supreme dignity in March, 1823. He left Wat Sa:ket to
go to Wat Mahaadhaatu (the residence of the Supreme
Patriarch since 1793) and lived there until his death
in 1842, in his 81st year.
The honours conferred during the second reign on
the abbots of Wat Sa:ket show that the monastery was
by that time considered to be one of the most
important in the kingdom. A further mark of the
esteem in which it was held is shown in 1818 on the
return of the religious embassy sent three years
previously to Ceylon to reopen with the Cinghalese
Church the relation which had been interrupted since
the fall of Ayuthia. On that occasion Wat Sa:ket was
one of the three Bangkok monasteries which received a
cutting from the Bodhi tree brought from
Anuraadhapura.(1) by the mission. The young shoot
was planted in a small stone-work enclosure in front
of the B“t, where it may still be seen to-day.
The third king of the Bangkok dynasty, Phra: Nang
Klao (1824-1851) , who was a great builder of
monasteries could not fail to take an interest in Wat
Sa:ket. Almost until the end of his reign the
monastery underwent considerable rebuilding and
re-decoration and it then put on an appearance
closely resembling that which it present to-day.
The ku.tis or dwellings of the monks and the
annexes thereto, which were of wood, were entirely
rebuilt in brick. The library alone, which dated from
the first reign, was considered worthy of
preservation in its existing form. This is a small
building set on a
_____________________________________________________
(1) The Anuradhaapura tree, according to Buddhist
tradition, is itself a grafting of the true Bodhi
brought from Gaya by Mahendra, the son of Emperor
A'soka.
p.129
raised platform of brick-work and constructed of
panels of wood which are carved and painted. In the
centre is a large cupboard made of lacquered wood
whose four sides rise to meet the roof. Within this
again are cupboards which hold the sacred texts. The
ku.tis, which cover a fairly wide area, provide ample
accommodation for over 300 monks.
To the north of the ku.tis the king caused a Meru
to be built for the cremation of princess and high
officials. This is a large square structure of brick,
open on all four sides, with a space in the centre
for the funeral. In addition it has, or had at that
time, all the buildings that might be necessary for
funeral ceremonies: a pavilion for the King, a hall
for prayer, a chamber for the family of the deceased
and another for the musicians. There was also a grove
planted with poles, with wooden stands for displays
of fireworks. It was the best accommodated site for
cremations in Bangkok and was the one shown to Count
de Beauvoir when he visited the Siamese capital in
1867. During the reign of King Chulalongkorn, this
Meru and its spacious annexes were separated from the
ku.tis by the extension of Sa: Pathum road: it
appears to have fallen entirely from public favour
and is beginning to suffer seriously from this
neglect.(1)
The B“t itself was extensively restored and
redecorated. The gallery or "cloister" dates from
this period, as do the four pairs of chedis set
outside. The gallery contains 163 statues of Buddha
in a sitting posture, which are set in line along the
wall, while four further statues in a standing
posture are set one at each corner. The eight pairs
of baddhaasiima or baundary stones marking the sacred
enclosure were placed in small and graceful
structures covered with mosaic work.
The B“t itself was simply restored to its
original condition. It is surrounded by a colonnade
of square pillars which support the roof.
_____________________________________________________
(1) One of the last noteworthy cremations which took
place at the Meru of Wat Sa:ket was that of
Dr.Masao, the Japanese legal adviser.
p.130
The pediments bear ornaments in stucco or gilded wood
representing Vishnu mounted on Garuda. In the
interior of the Bot is the great statue of Buddha
seated in the attitude known as Samaadhi
(contemplation) with a statue of a kneeling disciple
on either side. All is made of brick and plaster,
with a covering of gold leaf, and was no duobt
completely restored in the third reign. The beautiful
paintings which decorate the walls are of the same
periods. Those behind the statue of Buddha depict the
three worlds: the heavens, the earth and hell; those
facing the statue represent the defeat of the armies
of Mara and the vision of the goddess Earth. All
these paintings are worthy of comparison with the
frescoes which decorate the walls of the B“t of Wat
Phra K‰o. The upper half of the side walls is
decorated with a triple line of gods at prayer, their
faces turned towards the statue of Buddha. The twelve
panels placed between the windows represent episodes
of the last ten existence of Buddha. Finally the
window shutters and the doors bear paintings of
divinties and European. Hindu and Chinese warriors
dressed in the fashion of the XVIIth century.
Outside the cloister and to the west of the B“t,
King Phra: Nang Klao had built a Vihaara in the same
style as, but more lofoy than the B“t. The interior
of this Vihaara is divided into two chambers, as is
the case with the Vihaaras round the B“t of Wat Ph?
In the south chamber a statue of gilded bronze, over
nine metres in height, representing Buddha "calming
the ocean" is set with its back to the dividing
partition.
This statues was named Phra: A.t.thaarasa and
came from Wat Vihaara Thong at Pitsanuloke, whence it
was probably brought in 1820, at the same time as the
Jinasiiha Buddha now in the B“t of Wat Pavaraniveca.
Behind this statue is a niche with the figures of the
two great disciples of the Buddha, Sariputta and
Moggalana, on each side. The other chamber had been
intended to receive the Phra: Caastaa, a statue, also
from Pitsanuloke, which was at that time in Wat Phra:
du at Nondhapuri. This scheme was never
p.131
carried out and the pedestal built for this famous
statue remained for a long time unoccupied. In the
fifth reign there was placed on it a bronze statue of
Buddha from Wat Dusit (Tusita), which had been
demolished when the Dusit Palace was built. The
statue has on either side a statue of a disciple in a
kneeling posture. In the north and south corners of
the courtyard of the Vihaara, small buildings were
constructed to contain statues of Buddha in rows.
Now, in the angle formed by the ku.tis and the
main building of the B“t and the Vihaara, Phra: Nang
Klao decided to erect a great Prang, which should
correspond to the famous steeple of the Golden Mount
at Ayuthia at the foot of which flowed the Mahaanaaga
canal and whose mighty ruins still tower above the
site of the old capital. This work was entrusted to
Phya Crii Viva.dhana who had carried out the polities
of the third and fourth reigns(1). The base of the
structure was a dodecagon, each side being 100 metres
long, the outer surface was of brick, while in the
centre were heaped earth and blocks of stone. During
the contruction of the second storey the
central mass subsided 18 metres and the
brick-surface cracked and broke away. The huge
structure was propped up with thousands of wooden
beams, but while the repairs were actually in
progress a further subsidence of 6 months occurred
and on this account the work was abandoned.
In January, 1832, there were festivities in
honour of the restoration of Wat Sa:ket and eight
other monasteries in the capital which had been
reconstructed or were in course of reconstruction at
that time. The festivities lasted three days, for the
greater part of the time at Wat Phra: Raajaorasa(2),
which was held in special veneration by the king. A
portion of his ashes was afterwards deposited there.
_____________________________________________________
(1) He was promoted Somdet Chao Phya Boroma
Mah phiixaiy…t.
(2) On the right bank of the Menam. The
reconstruction of this monastery had already been
commenced, in the second reign, by the future
Phra: Nang Klao.
p.132
It fell to his successor, King Mongkut, to
complete those works which had been left
unfinished(1). The new king was determined to make
use of the great heap of material which remained of
the Prang begun in the Preceding reign. He insturcted
the same Phya Crii Viva.dhana to build it up into an
artificial mount, provided with interior passageways
and salas and niches holding staues of ascetics or
figures of Buddha or small chedis. At the top was
built a stupa which was reached by two stairways
winding round the slopes of the mound, with a bridge
boldly set midway. The structure now justified its
name of Golden Mount (Phu Khao Thong), which had been
bestowed upon it during the reign of Phra: Nang Klao
in memory of the edifice at Ayuthia. Its official
name is Paramaparvata, the Supreme Mountain. It was
not until the beginning of the reign of King
Chulalongkorn that the work was completed. In course
of time the surface of plaster, which gave the Golden
Mount the appearance of a great rock, fell away and
the Mount was overrun and almost completely covered
by vegatation with the exception of the original
stairways trodden by the feet of so many of the
faithful. The slopes were recently cleared of the
bushes and trees which covered them and now the
structure is to be restored to the condition in which
it was at the beginning of the fifth reign.
The stupa at the top of the Golden Mount is built
on a square platform supported by walls, which gives
it the appearance of a fort or a monastery in Thibet.
The platform is covered by a flat roof resting on the
base of the stupa. The faithful have thus an enclosed
gallery round which they may walk in meditation. Two
doors north and south give access to this gallery.
The stupa itself is of the type usual during the
fourth reign; there are four entrances, which are
normally closed eith grilles, situated
_____________________________________________________
(1) It was not until this time that the gallery which
circles the B“t was completed.
p.133
at the four cardinal points and connected one with
another by a narrow passageway. In the centre of the
stupa is a small gilded chedi with four niches
holding diminutive statues of Buddha. This chedi
contains a portion of the relies of the Buddha
discovered in 1897 under the ruins of the famous
stupa of Pipraawaa(1), near the frontier of Nepal and
not far from the supposed site of Kapilavatthu, the
capital of the Sakyas. The discovery of these relies,
the authenticity or at least the great
antiquity of which is admitted by European
authorities, aroused great interest in Buddhist
countries and there was a general desire to accord to
the relies suitable respect. The British Government
decided to offer them to the King of Siam, with the
request that they be distributed among the nations
which had an interest therein. Phya Sukhuma (now Chao
Phya Yamaraaja) was chosen by King Chulalongkorn to
go and receive the precious relies and bring them to
Bangkok. Delegations from Ceylon, Burma, Japan and
Siberia came to share in the distribution. The
remainder of the relies were brought in procession to
Wat Sa:ket on the 23rd of May, 1899, and deposited
in the small chedi of which mention has been made
above. Once every year, in the middle of the twelfth
month of the lunar calendar (November), the public is
admitted to the interior of the stupa. For several
days a continual stream of the faithful climb the
steps of the Golden Mount to pay their devotion to
the relies, while all round the Mount and in the
adjoining streets are set up booths, theatres and
restaurants which are patronised by a numerous and
exuberant crowd. This is the time of the popular Wat
Sa:ket fair, which is rivalled in Bangkok only by the
fair of Wat Ph?and Wat Sampl—m.
_____________________________________________________
(1) The discussions to which the Pipraawaa
discoveries gave rise between European
authorities on Indian culture were outlined by A.
Barth in the number of the Journal des Savants
for October, 1906, (Oeuvres d'Auguste Barth, V,
259-273).
p.134
During the first reign the monks of Wat Sa:ket
were renowned for their knowledge of the mystic rites
and were numbered among the Ara~n~navaasii or "forest
monks". It is this reputation and the presence of the
precious relies which explain the great popularity
which Wat Sa:ket enjoys.