Phra Puttha Panya Akka

King Chulalongkorn gave orders to build in 2428 BE.

The Buddha image is standing on the lotus lion-footed pedestal which there is the inscription of King Chulalongkorn’s royal initiative about building the Buddha image. The image is performing Pang Pratan Apai on both hands or it is called the attitude of stopping the rainstorm. Four fingertips are all even in length. The image wears the robe covering both shoulders but separated on the chest, the same style as the monks of Ramana Nikaya. The robe is wavy folded naturally worn over Sabong which also can be detected from the streak underneath. The wavy folded style of robes represents the realistic concept. The face looks young and calm like a real person. The ears are shrunken but other features of the Buddha are still the same such as the small tightly hair coils with the flame halo. It is decorated with perforated 5-tiered golden Chatra over the head.

King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) gave orders to build the Buddha image of Somdet Pra Maha Samana Chao (the Supreme Patriarch) Krom Phraya Pavares Variyalongkorn (HRH Prince Rurk) as he was the second abbot after King Mongkut (Rama IV) once ordained and he was also the preceptor when King Chulalonkorn was ordained. The image was enshrined inside Vihara Keng (a small assembly hall with Chinese-style roof) of Wat Bowoniwet Vihara on the eastern wall and was given a name as Phra Phuttha Panya Akka according to the monastic name of the the Supreme Patriarch which was Panya Akko.

Phra Phuttha Panya Akka was casted and enshrined at the same time with Phra Phuttha Vajirayana, the Buddha image of King Mongkut. It is the commemoration of the time when the king was once ordained and was the first abbot of the temple. Besides, it is the Buddha image in royal attire.

It is noticeable that the royal tradition of casting the Buddha images of the kings and royal family during Rattanakosin period usually built the standing Buddha images in royal attire performing Pang Pratan Apai on both hands or it is called the attitude of stopping the rainstorm. The images are set on lotus lion-footed pedestals and there are Chatra (tiered-umbrella) above the heads according to the royal ranks. There are samples in Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram and Grand Palace, including Phra Phuttha Vajirayana. However, Phra Puttha Panya Akka is the Buddha image of the royal family member who literally maintained the monkhood; therefore the image was not casted in royal attire, only yellow robes. It is also set on the lotus lion-footed pedestal and decorated with perforated 5-tiered golden Chatra over the head according to the Supreme Patriarch rank.

ศานติ ภักดีคำ. พุทธาวาสวัดบวรนิเวศวิหาร. กรุงเทพฯ: วัดบวรนิเวศวิหาร, 2556.

ศิลปกรรมวัดบวรนิเวศวิหาร. กรุงเทพฯ: วัดบวรนิเวศวิหาร, 2556.