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Great Buddha of Thailand

For the Big Buddha in Koh Samui, Thailand, see Wat Phra Yai.
Great Buddha of Thailand
พระพุทธมหานวมินทรศากยมุนีศรีวิเศษชัยชาญ (Phra Phuttha Mahanawamintra Sakayamunee Sri Visejchaicharn)
The statue in 2024
Map
14°35′35.60″N 100°22′40.02″E / 14.5932222°N 100.3777833°E / 14.5932222; 100.3777833 (Great Buddha of Thailand (Ang Thong, Thailand))
LocationWat Muang, Wiset Chai Chan, Ang Thong, Thailand
TypeBuddha statue in Maravijaya attitude
MaterialConcrete
Height92 metres (302 ft)
Completion date2008
Dedicated toBuddha (Guatama)

The Big Buddha of Thailand, also known as The Great Buddha, The Big Buddha of Thailand, Phra Buddha Maha Nawamin, and Mahaminh Sakayamunee Visejchaicharn (Thai: พระพุทธมหานวมินทรศากยมุนีศรีวิเศษชัยชาญ; RTGS: Phra Phuttha Maha Nawaminthara Sakkayamuni Si Wiset Chai Chan) is a statue of the Buddha, located in Ang Thong Province of Thailand. It is the tallest statue in Thailand, the second tallest statue in Southeast Asia, and the ninth-tallest in the world.[1]

Located at the Wat Muang temple in the Ang Thong Province,[2] this statue stands 92 m (300 ft) high, and is 63 m (210 ft) wide. Construction commenced in 1990, and was completed in 2008. It is painted gold and made of concrete.[3] The Buddha is in the seated posture called Maravijaya Attitude.

The statue was built following the order of Phra Kru Vibul Arjarakhun, the first abbot of Wat Muang temple, in order to commemorate the King Bhumibol of Thailand. The statue was built using the donated money from faithful Buddhists considering as the act of making merit. The budget spent on the statue was roughly 104,200,000 baht. Not far from the statue is believed to be the Wat Muang temple. The exact origins of the temple are unknown, as the original temple was destroyed in the 18th century during the war with the Burmese - they invaded and looted the former Thai capital of Ayutthaya.[4] The reconstruction of Wat Muang took a long time and was not completed until 1982,[5] and 8 years later work began on the 'Big Buddha', which was completed 18 years later. Nearby are more sculptures which depict the gods, the kings of Thailand and the events of the Siamo-Burma War.[6] Also around the Buddha is a park where lotus flowers grow.

Names

The statue's formal name, Phra Phuttha Mahanawamintra Sakayamunee Sri Visejchaicharn (Thai: พระพุทธมหานวมินทรศากยมุนีศรีวิเศษชัยชาญ), was given by Phra Khru Vibul Arjarakun, and means "the Lord Buddha of Wiset Chai Chan, Built in Honor of King Bhumibol." The name is a blend of Sanskrit words: Phra Phuttha (lit. 'Lord Buddha', Sanskrit varabuddha); Mahanawamintra (Bhumibol's royal title, Sanskrit mahānavamindra), Sakayamunee (Sanskrit śākyamunī), and Visejchaicharn (Sanskrit śrīviśeṣajayajāña)

The statue is also known as Luangpho Yai (หลวงพ่อใหญ่) or Luangpho To (หลวงพ่อโต); neither terms refer to any specific Buddha statue. The names literally mean Big Buddha, and are used for any colossal Buddha statue.

See also

References

  1. ^ The Tallest Statues In The World, worldatlas.com. November 2018.
  2. ^ "The Biggest Buddha in Thailand ?". Archived from the original on 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  3. ^ How Big is The Biggest Buddha Statue? | Dimensions Guide
  4. ^ "Ayutthaya: Thailand's Abandoned Former Capital". theculturetrip.com. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  5. ^ "A statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Miang district, Thailand". proshotcretesydney.com. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  6. ^ "Thailand's Biggest Buddha". atlasobscura.com. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
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