Golden Buddha (statue)
Phra Phuttha Maha Suwanna Patimakon (พระพุทธมหาสุวรรณปฏิมากร) | |
Buddha |
The Golden Buddha, officially titled Phra Phuttha Maha Suwanna Patimakon (
History
The origins of this statue are uncertain. It is made in the
Later, the statue was probably moved from Sukhothai to Ayutthaya, about 1403.[3]
Some scholars believe the statue is mentioned in the somewhat controversial
At some point, the statue was completely plastered over to prevent it from being stolen. The statue was covered with a thick layer of stucco, which was painted and inlaid with bits of coloured glass.[1] It is believed that this plastering-over took place before the destruction of Ayutthaya kingdom by Burmese invaders in 1767. The statue remained among the ruins of Ayutthaya without attracting much attention.
In 1801, King
At the time of King
When Wat Chotanaram, located near Chinatown on the site of modern-day Asiatique, fell into disrepair and was closed, the statue was moved to its present location at the nearby Wat Traimit in 1935.[4] At the time, Wat Traimit was a pagoda of minor significance (like hundreds of other Buddhist temples that exist in Bangkok). Since the temple didn't have a building big enough to house the statue, it was kept for 20 years under a simple tin roof. The true identity of this statue had been forgotten for almost 200 years.[6]
Discovery of the golden statue
In 1954, a new Viharn building was built at the temple to house the statue. It was moved to its new location on 25 May 1955; there are a variety of accounts of what exactly happened next, but it is clear that during the final attempt to lift the statue from its pedestal, the ropes broke and the statue fell hard on the ground. At that moment, some of the plaster coating chipped off, allowing the gold surface underneath to be seen. Work was immediately stopped so that an evaluation could be made.[3]
All the plaster was carefully removed and during the process, photos were taken and are now displayed in the Temple for visitors. Pieces of the actual plaster are also on public display. When all the plaster was removed, it was found that the gold statue actually consisted of nine parts that fit smoothly together. A key was also found encased in plaster at its base, which can be used to disassemble the statue, allowing for easier transportation.[4]
The golden statue was discovered very close to the commemoration of the twenty-fifth Buddhist Era (2500 years since Gautama Buddha's passing) so the Thai news media was full of reports and many Buddhists regarded the occurrence as miraculous.[3]
On 14 February 2010, a large new building was inaugurated at the Wat Traimit Temple to house the Gold Buddha. The building also contains the Bangkok Chinatown Heritage Centre and an exhibition on the origin of the Gold Buddha.[7]
Characteristics
The statue is 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall and weighs 5.5 tonnes (5.4 long tons; 6.1 short tons). (According to another account, the statue measures 3.91 meters from base to top, and 3.10 meters across the lap from knee to knee.) It can be disassembled into nine pieces.[7] The statue was housed in a wat in Ayutthaya until the mid 19th century, and its provenance from Ayutthaya excludes the possibility of it having been made after about 1750.
At US$1,400 per troy ounce, the gold in the statue (18 karat) is estimated to be worth 250 million dollars.[8] The body of the statue is 40% pure, the volume from the chin to the forehead is 80% pure, and the hair and the topknot, weighing 45 kg, are 99% pure gold.[7]
The Buddha is represented in the traditional pose of
References
- ^ a b McKenzie, Peter (7 May 2007). "The Golden Buddha and the Man Himself". Languageinstinct.blogspot.ca. Archived from the original on 21 June 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
- ^ "Frontline Magazine (India)". 13–26 May 1989. p. 71. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d History of Golden Buddha Archived 10 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Thai Buddhist website
- ^ a b c "The Golden Buddha Image". Teayeon.wordpress.com. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
- ^ "Phra Sukhothai Trimitr (Golden buddha)". Johnchocce.weebly.com. 25 May 1955. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
- ^ Miller, Jeffrey (2 June 2005). "The Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit". The Korea Times. The Buddhist Channel. Archived from the original on 10 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
- ^ a b c "Temple of the Golden Buddha (Wat Traimit), Bangkok Best Tour". Thaiwaysmagazine.com. 14 February 2010. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
- ^ "Golden Buddha Statue". Hillmanwonders.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
External links
- fotopedia.com Another photo of the Golden Buddha
- Some more photos (before the move to the new building), and a history synopsis: "Wat Traimit, Bangkok, Thailand". Asian Historical Architecture (www.orientalarchitecture.com). Retrieved 8 November 2009.