Painting of the Mahayana Buddha and Bodhisattva

Created in the reign of King Rama IV.

Powder painting

The composition of this painting is written on a dark blue background with a curved and spiked frame. There are five Buddha sitting in rows inside the frame. Each Buddha wears dark color almost red, oblique and no streak robe. There is a small strip Samghati, from the left shoulder to the belly. The face and body are gold-plated. Above the head, there is a gold-plated flame halo with no urna which is an important symbol of royal intention Buddha images of King Rama IV. All Buddha are dhyana mudra (also called the samadhi mudra) on lotus base that support by singha base inside the glass curved arch. At the end of arch looks like hawk face beside. The middle crest is a Kranok pattern similar to the straight head naga. Top of the arch decorate by Bodhi tree, surround with frame Kranok pattern. This is the style of royal intention Buddha images arch of King Rama IV too. Under the base of each Buddha has a golden Khom alphabet on the red background.

Above five Buddhas, there is a shining urna over the lotus. The center of urna has Khom alphabet. Under the lotus has Khom alphabet on red background.

ฺBelow Buddhas are five persons who dress like an angel. Everyone wears jewelry that is gilded : crown with ears decorate, necklace, breast chain, bracelet. Wear striped paint cloth with two layers seam, golden anklet and shoes. Stand on the platform with cloth inside the arch which is similar to Buddhas arch without bodhi. Under each platform has golden Khom alphabet on red background, along with chicken, naga, turtle, cow and lion.

All these paintings are related to the Mahayana belief. Because the alphabets that appear under each Buddha are : “Vairochana” “Akshobhya” “Ratnasambhava” “Amitabha” และ “Amogasiddhi” in order from left to right. This name corresponds to the Khom alphabets under the urna and above the paintings of the Buddha which read “Dhyani Buddhas” The Khom alphabets that are under the paintings of five person who dresses like angels are : “Samantabhadra” “Vajrapani” “Ratnapani” “Pattamapani” and “Vishvapani”.

So, it corresponds to the paintings of each Dhyani Buddhas that have Bodhisattva below. And believe that animals below of each Bodhisattva are the symbol of the five Buddhas who enlighten in the earth.

The background of the main Buddha image in Wat Pathum Wanaram’s vihara is A large painting depicts the Buddha and the Bodhisattva according to Mahayana Buddhist beliefs. Each image of the Buddha and Bodhisattva has a Pali name in Khom alphabet below. There are animal images below Bodhisattva. It is a symbol of the Buddha on the earth in Patara kappa. The top of the painting is an Urna in the lotus, with the Khom alphabet under the image that Thayanibuddha. Create this painting in the vihara of Wat Pathum Wanaram, which is a Dhammayuttika Nikaya temple and built by King Rama IV orders, shows the art of royal intention is not strictly in Theravada only. It also includes the Mahayana faith .

พัสวีสิริ เปรมกุลนันท์. “ศิลปกรรมในพระราชประสงค์พระบาทสมเด็จพระจอมเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว” วิทยานิพนธ์ปรัชญาดุษฎีบัณฑิต สาขาประวัติศาสตร์ศิลปะไทย บัณฑิตวิทยาลัย มหาวิทยาลัยศิลปากร, 2558.