Page 21 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Bangkok

Wat Pho ❮❮ 19

RECLINING
BUDDHAS
A Reclining Buddha
appears to be relaxing
or even sleeping, but
this inter pretation could
not be farther from the
truth. While other images
of Buddha standing,
sitting, or walking show
aspects of his quest to
attain Enlightenment,
a Reclin ing Buddha
symbolizes his arrival
at Nirvana, a state of
true all-knowing
awareness that is the
complete anti thesis of
relaxation or sleep.
Great Chedis
9
There are about
100 chedis in the grounds
of Wat Pho (left), but the
2 four most impor tant, in
the western courtyard,
are the Great Chedis,
which enshrine royal
ashes and remains of
sacred Buddha images.
The chedis are decorated
with porce lain mosaic.
The Bot
Schoolkids
6 8 Monks and
and
This ordination hall
Their Guti
is Wat Pho’s largest Classrooms 0
building. Inside, the base In Wat Pho, as in many Away from the most
of the large bronze image Thai temples, there is a popular attractions in the
of Buddha contains the school for children. At complex, visitors might
ashes of Rama I. playtime, the com pound see monks who work
echoes with their excited at the temple (below).
Farang Guards
7 screams. Some may They live in gutis (simple
Adding a
rooms) in a compound to
even try a few words of
whimsical touch English on visitors. the south of the temple.
to this temple
of learning are
huge stone
caricatures of
Westerners,
farang in Thai,
wearing top
hats (left).
These guards
stand beside
the gateways
to the inner
courtyard of
the temple.
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