The intersection of history and religion ~ Wat Arun

#2月好地方2025 Wat Arun - "Humans are unawakened Buddhas, and Buddhas are awakened humans; the traces of the five spirits under the Buddha's kingdom" Looking at the historical changes of Thailand 🇹🇭, it can be divided into the "Sukhothai Kingdom", "Ayutthaya Kingdom", "Thonburi Kingdom" and "Siam Kingdom". The Arun Temple introduced in this article took place between the "Sukhothai Dynasty" of the "Ayutthaya Kingdom" and the "Thonburi Kingdom". Due to its extraordinary status, it has also become an important image of the 10-dollar and 1-dollar Thai baht. 🪢Introduction: Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, it is also known as the "Temple of Dawn" and the "Temple of Dawn". The main deity enshrined is Taksin, the Hindu god of dawn. It is the largest Mahayana Buddhist relic-style pagoda in Thailand and is known as the "Eiffel Tower of Thailand". It is also the oldest building on the Chao Phraya River! 📕History: The "Ayutthaya Dynasty" built in Thailand was originally named "Wat Phra Kaew of the Olive Tree". Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has not been colonized by Western countries, but it has had many conflicts with neighboring Myanmar. During the Ayutthaya Dynasty, Myanmar occupied the capital Ayutthaya. In 1768, Taksin led his army to defeat the Burmese army and came to the Thonburi area. Because it was at dawn, the "Olive Tree Temple" was renamed "Wat Phra Kaew of the Dawn" to commemorate it~ In order to commemorate Zheng Xin’s spirit of resisting foreign enemies, later generations also named it "Wat Arun" to commemorate this great national hero! ! 🛕Architectural Features: The main tower of Wat Arun is also called "Phra Pran", which means "lofty pagoda". It is 82 meters high and has a total circumference of 234 meters, symbolizing Mount Sumeru, the center of the Buddhist kingdom! ! There are four auxiliary towers around the main tower for pilgrims to enter and worship. This concept is the "Three Realms Geography" of Buddhism. 👮Character introduction: The Hindu deity King Taksin was originally named Taksin. His father was originally from Guangzhou and was a general of Chinese and Thai descent. After resisting the Burmese army, he briefly established the "Thonburi Dynasty" for 15 years. Although it was short, it was the most glorious period in Thai history. However, because Taksin was not of pure Thai descent, he was eventually killed in a coup that ended his glorious life! ! 🪷Dharma concept: ～Three Realms Geography～ The "Sermon on the Three Realms" mentioned in the "Theravada Buddhist Teachings" dating back to 1345 is centered on Mount Sumeru. The three realms are composed of the "desire realm" (11 layers), the "form realm" (16 layers) and the "formless realm" (4 layers). If one can pass ✅ all 31 layers of the three realms, one can transcend and become a Buddha! ! ~Five Spirits~ It is a symbol of auspiciousness in Thai Buddhism and is also the most commonly used decorative style in Thailand. When you come to Wat Arun, don’t just focus on taking beautiful photos. You can pay attention to the carvings on the building, which are "white elephant", "garuda", "Naga dragon", "golden phoenix" and "lion". 1. White elephant: Thai Buddhists firmly believe that the white elephant is the incarnation of Buddha and a symbol of the protection of the royal power. Its status is extraordinary! (ii) Garuda: It is the incarnation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and one of the guardian Buddhas of the Eight Divisions of Heaven and Dragon. It is also the mount of the Tantric Amoghavajra Buddha. (3) Naga Dragon: The patron saint of springs, wells and rivers, and a member of the Heavenly Dragons. It is often carved at entrances or stairs. 4. Golden Phoenix: It symbolizes world peace. Thai people believe that chickens have the ability to awaken the dawn and bring light, so they are a symbol of punishing evil and promoting good. (5) Lion: Buddhist scriptures describe the Buddha as a lion, and his preaching and teaching are also called "Lion's Roar". The lion is the mount of many Bodhisattvas and has the power to drive away evil spirits! 🛕Visiting taboos: 🈲No shorts🩳 🈲Skirt👗must be above the knee 🈲No sleeveless vests with spaghetti straps are allowed 🈲No slippers allowed🥿 🚴Transportation: 1. Take MRT to Itsaraphap Station and walk for 12 minutes 2. Grab 🕰️Opening hours: 08:00-18:00 📍Address: 158 Thanon Wang Doem, Khwaeng Wat Arun, Khet Bangkok Yai, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 🎟️Average consumption: 100 baht 💞Recommended reasons: 1. Witness the short but glorious history of the dynasty 2. Popular photo-taking spots 3. A good place for taking wedding photos and couple photos 4. It’s a great place to propose! ! 5. Understand the perfect fusion of religion and history 6. I have written so much, wouldn’t you feel guilty if you didn’t come? ? #100 Ways to Travel #Wat Arun #Hinduism #Buddhism #Religious Culture #ThailandEiffelTower #Wat Arun #XiaoMiao #OliveTreeBuddhistTemple