Nemo ante mortem beatus - Nobody is blessed before his death. We never know what the future is preparing for us! - Latin Proverb

Wat Pho - The Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Wat Pho or Wat Phra Chetuphon, the oldest and largest wat in Bangkok, is located behind the splendid Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It's the largest temple in Bangkok and famed for its huge and majestic reclining Buddha.

Wat Phra Chetuphon was built in the 16th century during the Ayutthaya period. The temple was almost completely rebuilt in 1781 by King Rama I and again a major restoration in 1839 which took seventeen years to complete by King Rama III. It features the largest reclining Buddha in Bangkok and the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand.

Built in the reign of King Rama III, this tremendous Buddha image measures 46 metres long and 15 metres high. The statue represents the Lord Buddha trying to overwhelm one of the powerful demons and to convince him that his power is not supreme. The figure is modeled out of plaster around a brick core and finished in gold leaf.

Mother-of-pearl inlay ornaments the eyes and feet displaying 108 different auspicious characteristics of a Buddha. The building was built later to cover the Buddha image.

The main gate

The massive hall which contains the Reclining Buddha image

The Reclining Buddha's feet are 3 metres long and exquisitely decorated in mother-of-pearl illustrations of auspicious 'laksanas' (characteristics) of the Buddha. The Reclining Buddha symbolises the passing of The Buddha into Nirvana (the state of absolute blessedness).

The Reclining Buddha is especially poignant for Lidy as Tuesday is Lidy's birth day and is also the day represented by the Reclining Buddha.

Lidy with her special Buddha image

Before leaving, Lidy and Russell leave alms for the Monks of Wat Phra Chetuphon by depositing individual coins in more than one hundred "begging bowls."

So many bowls, so little money

Meanwhile, outside the main temple a Buddhist school of young novices assembles to visit Wat Phra Chetuphon and to pray at the large temple alongside.

Like kids anywhere, these young boys are formed into a line by their teachers

Filing into the temple, the young boys and their teachers practice their devotions to Buddha in a series of moving chants that are so beautiful to hear.

Monks and novices make their devotions

Wat Phra Chetuphon became regarded as 'the first university in Thailand' when King Rama III ordered texts to be inscribed on stone slabs around the temple which people can read and learn from.

Medical texts inscribed on stone slabs form textbooks on anatomy

Outside, Wat Phra Chetuphon has a Siva Lingam, the phallic emblem representing the Hindu God Siva, one of the three greatest Hindu Gods.

The Siva Lingam at Wat Phra Chetuphon