Wat Kreun Kathin (วัดเกริ่นกฐิน) is a countryside Buddhist temple complex in the
Amphur Ban Mih (บ้านหมี่) of Lopburi Province. The Thai name translates as
‘temple that heralds kathin’, whereas kathin is a tradition in which laymen
offer robes to the monks. There is no record of in what year the temple was
built but it has been associated with the local village for a long time. At the
time when Luang Pho Phian Akkadhammo was the temple's abbot, he named the then
only revered Buddha statue at the temple Luang Pho Pahn (หลวงพ่อปาน), for and in
honour of an elderly Khmer kruh bah ajaan, i.e. a cleric teacher, from whom he
had learned Buddhist magic spells. On 5 December 2005, on the occasion of the
Birthday Anniversary of King Bhumipon Adunyadet, Luang Pho Phian was conferred
the honorary name and title of Phra Kruh Wimon Samanawat, which means ‘Flawless
Priest’. Today, the temple is the residence of famous Lopburi monks and consists
of three sections. Firstly, there is the main temple area, which is home to the
ubosot, the wihaan, a golden stupa called Chedi Phrathat which enshrines relics
given by the Supreme Patriarch, and some other temple buildings, as well as a
nicely manicured garden and a pond with some sala-style shelters (open
pavilions) and some solar powered chai pattana aerators, an invention ascribed
to King Rama IX. The garden surrounding the stupa is decorated with both large
and smaller statuettes that depict scenes, characters and animals from Buddhism,
nature, folklore and mythology, such as warrior monkeys from the Ramakien, which
are also found in the thematic lampposts throughout the temple complex. One
hall, named Wihaan Phra Kruh Wimon Samanawat, has a separate room with the
remains and a wax statue of this revered monk, as well as a small museum with
mostly Buddha images, statuettes and some amulets of this revered monk, as well
as talismans blessed by him, including miht moh spirit knifes and takrut. In
front of the outer wall of this hall, which has with multiple roofs with
so-called ngao or ‘hook’ antefixes, stand various life-sized statues of
Thai-Hindu deities on cloud pedestals, many with typical reusi or hermit-style
headgear with a tiger fur pattern. Flanking this wihaan on the north side is a
gallery with three rooms that are open at the front, each housing a one or more
charms and characters of worship, from east to west: the ‘angelic prince of
creation’ Kumaan Thep Neramit (กุมารเทพเนรมิตร); the ‘108 great teachers and
paternal grandfather-hermits’ Boromma Kru Poo Reusi 108 (บรมครูปู่ฤาษี ๑๐๘); and
Mae Soi Manee (แม่สร้อยมณี), literally the ‘mothers of the ruby necklace’, who
typically wear and are offered traditional Thai dresses in various colours.
Adjacent to the south of the main temple area is the second section of the
complex which consists of a large well maintained park that at its centre has
the Phra Phut Kathanyu (พระพุทธกตัญญู) statue, a Buddha statue standing in the
pahng tawaai naet pose, representing Sunday in the Phra prajam wan system. The
park also has some rock gardens and is in several places adorned with edifices
of animals and objects related to Thailand and Buddhism. It also has a large
pond with fish and chai pattana aerators, and a Chinese shrine built over the
pond and dedicated to Kuan Yin, the Chinese goddess of mercy who in Thailand is
known as Phra Mae Kwan Im. The Park also has some office buildings and smaller
pavilions, as well as a mondop with a statue of the Hindu god Brahma. The third
section of the temple complex is located to the east of the main temple area and
consists of a stone Khmer-style prasat hin tower and some other Khmer style
edifices and Hindu statues made in or carved from reddish and brown sandstone.
This section also includes a lake which has a naga-staircase, while in the
northeastern corner of the domain is another prasat onto which a large golden
naga is entwined, reminiscent of a scene from the Bhuridatta Chadok in which the
Prince of the Nagas is depicted coiled around a termite mound. In front of this
are the statues of Chao Poo Sri Sutho, a nagaraat depicted as a naga in
semi-human form and his consort Chao Yah Sri Patum Mah Naki.
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