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Phra Uposatha (main chapel)
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The Principal Buddha Image is "Phra Buddha Deva Patimakorn"
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The 2nd Buddhist architecture is called Phra Uposatha (the main chapel or Bot or
the Assembly Hall - a hall used for performing the monastic ritual). For Buddhists, the main chapel is the heart of
the monastery, as without a main chapel, it would be a monk center and not a monastery.
The main chapel was constructed
the main chapel the main chapel in the reign of King Rama I in Ayutthaya style. It was then reconstructed and
enlarged during the reign of King Rama III. All sheltered windows and doors are made of hard wood with crown-like
spire and colour-glazed tiles. Inlays of mother-of-pearl on the outer side of the entrance door panel depict episodes
from the Ramakian (the Thai version of the Ramayana-the world famous Indian epic); while on the inner side are
painted specimens of ecclesiastical fans of rank which are presented to the monk sovereigns.
The Principal Buddha Image is "Phra Buddha Deva Patimakorn" in a gesture of seated Buddha on
a three-tiered pedestal called Phra Pang Smardhi (Lord Buddha in the posture of concentration), and some ashes
of King Rama I are kept inside the pedestal. The mural painting in the hall depict Mahosatha Pandita (The Great
Bachelor of Mithila City), the heavens, and Phra Etadagga-a disciple. On the middle tier there are two images of
the Original Disciples, while the eight effigies of the Holy Priests stand on the lowest pedestal. Inside panels of
the windows are decorated with lacquer work of the seals of this monastery dignitaries (in the reign of King Rama III).
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The Chedis Aligned, 71 in number, erected around the Ordination Hall
Mother-of-pearl inlaid door panels at the rear of the Ordination Hall depicting a scene from the Ramakian
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The Main Buddha Image
In the Ordination Hall the presiding Buddha image is made of bronze and gilded. The image is in the attitude of meditation.
It's height up to the finial is three and a half metres. It is considered to be the work of the
Ayutthaya period, and may had been the main image of Wat Sala Si Na (now called Wat Khuha Sawan) in Thon Buri.
King Rama I took it from there. After reparing it he installed in Wat Pho. A relic of the Buddha is believed to be placed inside the image.
On both sides of the main image there used to be images of the two disciples; Moggalana on its left and Sariputta on its right.
King Rama III ordered eight more images of Arahants to be cast and placed them there. Thus there are now ten images of the dusciples of the
Buddha of the same size. King Rama IV had the crematorial remains of the King Rama I put in a stone casket and placed inside this main Buddha image
so that the public might pay homage to both of them at the same time.
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