The cosmos of Wat Arun

“THE WONDERS of Wat Arun” continue to be revealed in a book series of that name, with the just-released second volume explaining in intricate detail the Buddhist beliefs that influenced the design of the magnificent Khmer spire.
Prominent and majestic on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River, the stupa – phra prang – of Wat Arun Ratchawararam has long been regarded as the most beautiful in the land. The hefty volume “The Philosophical Constructs of Wat Arun”, Part 2 in the series initiated by the Southeast Insurance and Finance Group (following “The Evolution of Phra Prangs in Siam” in 2012), can only enhance the viewer’s appreciation.
A royal monastery favoured by past kings, Wat Arun was built during the Ayutthaya period and rededicated to King Rama II early in the Rattanakosin Era, when relics of the Buddha were placed inside the stupa.
Associate Professor Chatri Prakitnonthakan, author of “The Philosophical Constructs of Wat Arun”, says the book is unique in the way it presents the temple’s evolution, its major art and architectural elements, and the symbolism behind its proportions, forms and decoration.
“The main foundation, especially the base of the magnificent phra prang, were laid during the reign of King Rama II, but the major construction and the design of the phra prang and other elements weren’t completed until Rama III’s time,” says the lecturer in architecture at Silpakorn University.
“That’s when the temple truly became complete in terms of architectural symbolism.”
Chatri says modern observers who marvel at the technological expertise involved – as well as the “indomitable spirit” with which the architects overcame the challenges of “erecting such a gigantic structure on a riverbank threatened by subsidence and erosion” – will find much more of interest in his book.
“The focus is on the architectural symbols that relate to the cosmological beliefs held by the Siamese in the Early Rattanakosin Period,” he says.
Part 1 of the book delves into the temple’s historical background and significance, as recorded by chroniclers in bygone times. Part 2 explores the Buddhist beliefs and ideology of the day that guided the architects in their design. Part 3 examines in detail each edifice and element in the temple’s public grounds.
The author used two main historical sources – the Traiphummilokawinitchai text revised by King Rama I and several versions of the Traiphum Illustrated Manuscripts created in the early 19th century, around the same time Wat Arun was first renovated.
“These sources had never before been properly consulted to derive their association with the architectural design of the temple,” says Chatri. “They are highly relevant to the religious ideology of that period since they appeared at about the same time. So our analysis and interpretation of the concepts and symbolism of the temple were based on these two sources.”
The manuscripts depict the cosmos in the form of the wheel of a cart. At the hub is the holiest of peaks in ancient Hindu and Buddhist lore, Mount Meru, seen encircled by seven mountain ranges that decline in height from the centre outwards.
At the apex of Mount Meru, it was believed, stood Tavatimsa, the abode of Indra, king of the heavens. Tavatimsa, one of those heavens, was the location of the Culamani Cetiya chedi that contained hair and a tooth of the Buddha, rendering it of paramount importance to the faithful.
Here in Bangkok we have the cosmos in microcosm, with the phra prang at Wat Arun specifically designed and positioned to represent the universe of old. It is Mount Meru, the heavens of Tavatimsa and Catumaharajika, and the mountains of Sattaparibhanda, with four “island-continents”, the wall of the cosmos itself, and even the dominions of hell.
The phra prang has three tiers adorned with sculptures of deities poised as if supporting the pedestal above. The ruean that – the main body of the spire – features four sum song bantalaeng, pediments embedded with bas-reliefs of the Buddha and other deities, facing in the four cardinal directions.
Here you can see Indra riding his elephant, Erawan, a carving surmounted by a small chedi of its own. It’s a representation of the heaven known as Tavatimsa. The phra prang and its four “satellite” chedi, “very likely represent Indra’s Vaijayanta Vimana with its five spires”, Chatri says.
Among the four tiers of the tower’s pedestal, the lowest assumes the lion shape of a than singha and supports all five prang, as illustrated in the venerable manuscripts.
Visitors today stroll through the Phra Ubosot area, few realising that it symbolises secular Jambudvipa, which comprises Majjhimadesa and the Himavat forest. The mondop containing the Buddha’s footprint, together with its four chedi, represents the legendary land of Lankadvipa, long revered in Thailand as a place deeply devoted to Buddhist practise.
“Wat Arun is great architecture,” Chatri says. “It required an enormous budget for construction, especially for people in those days. On one hand, the design offers a remarkably concrete perspective on the social structure at that time. On the other hand, the temple provides a valuable example for architecture students today, revealing the roots of design originality
“This is a place where Thais can gain a better understanding of the past if they comprehend the philosophical thinking represented symbolically in the design elements.”
 BILINGUAL
BLESSINGS
 -The text in “The Philosophical Constructs of Wat Arun” is in both Thai and English.
- It costs Bt2,500 at Asia Books, with part of the proceeds from sales going to the ongoing restoration of Wat Arun.