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Phra Phaisachayaguru

Keywords : Arogayasala, King Jayavarman VII , Phaisachayaguru, Roi-et National Museum

Site common nameRoi-et National Museum
Type of artworkSculpture
Sub districtNai Mueang
DistrictMueang Roi Et
ProvinceRoi Et
RegionNortheast
CountryThailand
Geographic Coordinates
Decimal degree		Lat : 16.053993
Long : 103.657342
Geographic Coordinates
UTM		Zone : 48 Q
Hemisphere : N
E : 356384.28
N : 356384.28
Place of artworkInside Roi-et National Museum

History of production

There is no direct evidence related to the origin. However, the discovery inside Ku Kanthanam, a chapel of Arogayasala that was built under the order of King Jayavarman VII, and the style of the sculpture that is similar to Khmer Arts in Bayon style suggest that this sculpture might be built around the 18th century B.E. in the reign of King Jayavarman VII.

This style of sculpture can be found in many chapels of Arogayasala. The style and the size are all similar. It is then believed that all of the sculptures were built at the same time and afterward sent to be placed at chapels of Arogayasala in different locations.
Production process

Carved sandstone

Conservation

It was found in Ku Kanthanam, Yang Kham sub-district, Phon Sai District, Roi-et. This is a chapel of Arogayasala.

Art

The sculpture is sitting on a base in a meditation position, decorated with lotus petal pattern. It is wearing a crown with a visor and layers of tiaras and round shape earrings on the ears. The upper part of the body is bare and both hands are holding a pot of water in a stomach position.

Key academic information

It is still under discussion whether this type of sculpture belongs to which deity. Sculptures found in some chapels of Arogayasala are holding a water pot in front of the stomach and with that position, some historians believe that they are Phra Phaisachayaguru, the Buddha of Medicine in Mahayana Buddhism. 2 of this styles of sculpture were also found in other chapels of Arogayasala. However, another sculpture of a person holding a bolt was also found. It is then believed that the sculpture that is holding the bolt is Phra Phaisachayaguru and the other 2 sculptures holding water pots are his followers, Phra Suryaprabha and Phra Candraprabha.

PeriodHistorical Period
Art periodLopburi, Khmer Art in Thailand, Bayon
Age18th century B.E.
ReligionBuddhism
SectMahayana

Type of LicenseAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
RightsPrincess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation2016-09-30
Record creatorRungroj Thamrungraeng
Bibliography

รุ่งโรจน์ ภิรมย์อนุกูล. “ประติมานวิทยาของรูปเคารพในสุคตาลัย ศาสนสถานประจำอโรคยศาล” เมืองโบราณ, ปีที่ 40, ฉบับที่ 3 (กรกฎาคม-กันยายน 2557), หน้า 108-121.

รุ่งโรจน์ ภิรมย์อนุกูล. “อโรคยศาล ความรู้ทั่วไปและข้อสังเกตเบื้องต้น” เมืองโบราณ, ปีที่ 30, ฉบับที่ 3 (กรกฎาคม-กันยายน 2547), หน้า 15-53.