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Wat Trai Saranakhom (วัดไตรสรณาคม)
Thai. ‘Temple of the
Three Refuges (Traisarana)’.
Name of a
Mahayana Buddhist monastery in
Bang Pakong District,
Chachengsao Province, whose history
illustrates both environmental adaptation and sustained community
engagement. Established in 1938 and originally known as
Wat Song
Khlong
(วัดสองคลอง), i.e. ‘Temple of the Two Canals’, the temple continues
to be referred to by its former name in local usage, reflecting its
long-standing presence in the area. The monastery was first founded
on low-lying terrain affected by frequent flooding,
mangrove growth, and saltwater
intrusion, conditions that posed significant challenges to monastic
life and limited its role within the wider community. Consequently,
the temple was later relocated to a more suitable and accessible
site near major transport routes and an irrigation canal. This move
enabled the temple to function as a more central religious
institution, facilitating broader participation in ceremonies and
communal activities. Although the temple’s land holdings initially
expanded through donations, subsequent state land reallocation
reduced them to their present extent. Over several decades, Wat Trai
Saranakhom developed a substantial architectural complex. Its
principal structures include an
ubosot
(ordination
hall), a main assembly hall, a
wihaan (prayer hall),
a multipurpose building serving both ritual and educational
purposes,
kuti
(monks’ quarters), funeral halls, a
ho trai (library), and a
preschool facility. Most of these buildings are constructed of
reinforced concrete and date from phases of expansion in the latter
half of the twentieth century. The temple houses a number of
significant
Buddha images, notably a
principal image in the
Maravijaya posture influenced by
the
Phra Phutta Chinnarat
tradition, as well as additional images in
Maravijaya and
Samahti
postures. The most notable sculpture at the temple is an outdoor
statue depicting a giant
monk
on pilgrimage, known as
Luang Poo
Pahng
Thudong
Yai
(fig.).
Portrayed in the
ascetic wandering
(thudong)
tradition, the figure symbolizes renunciation, perseverance, and
spiritual discipline. In its
iconography and devotional
associations, the statue is reminiscent of
Phra Siwalih
(fig.),
a revered
arahat
celebrated in
Theravada
Buddhism as a paragon of good
fortune, abundance, and merit acquired through ascetic practice.
Administratively, the monastery has been guided by successive abbots
since the mid-twentieth century, ensuring continuity of governance
and religious practice. The formal consecration of its monastic
boundary in the late twentieth century affirmed its institutional
status.
See also TRAVEL
PICTURE
and
WATCH VIDEO.
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