Buddha Image

Keywords : Buddha image, Bangkok National Museum , khmer art in Thailand, Phra Tri Gaya

Site common name	Bangkok National Museum
Site alternative name	National Museum Phranakorn
Type of artwork	Sculpture
Sub district	Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang
District	Khet Phra Nakhon
Province	Bangkok
Region	Central
Country	Thailand
Geographic Coordinates Decimal degree	Lat : 13.7576 Long : 100.492222
Geographic Coordinates UTM	Zone : 47 P Hemisphere : N E : 661329.97 N : 1521418.09
Place of artwork	Inside Bangkok National Museum

History of production	There is no evidence related to the origin. However, the mixed Arts between Lopburi and Pala- Phu Gam or Hariphunchai suggest that the sculpture might be built around the 18^th century B.E.
Production process	Bronze
Conservation	Found in Don Khwang, Amphoe Mueang, Uthai Thani
Art	This set of sculptures is composed of 3 Buddha images sitting next to one another. The middle image is the largest and all of them share the same characteristics. They all are sitting cross-legged in the attitude of subduing Mara. They are wearing crowns called feather headdress and arched earrings. These 2 decorations might relate to Pala style in Indian Arts which may be directly influenced or the influence might be coming indirectly from Phu Gam or Hariphunchai style of Burmese Arts through the north of Thailand. All 3 images are also wearing neck accessories and the robes. The hems of the robes are around the stomach. They are sitting on a base decorated with 3 rows of lotus petals pattern. The base where the 3 images are on is in a rectangular shape with each corner slightly reduced. At the center of backdrop of each image is an arch frame decorated with toothlike ridges on the sloping edges of a gable. Both sides of the arch frame are the heads of the Naga spitting out the garlands. Above the arch frame are branches of a tree that is believed to be a Bodhi tree.
School	Central
Key academic information	This Lopburi art bronze Buddha image found from Uthai Thani province is an important example of 3 Buddha images in a row. The exact motto behind the style is not clearly known but it may be related to Mahayana Buddhism which believes that the Buddha has 3 bodies: Dhammagaya, Samphokagaya, and Niramaygaya. It may also relate to the Buddha of the past, the Buddha of the present, and the Buddha of the future. The art forms are also considered important especially the form of an image wearing the crown called feather headdress which is related to the art of Pala - Phu Gam or Hariphunchai in the north. This reflects that the Lopburi Arts Buddha image found at Uthai Thani province is a combination of arts inspired from other sources as well, not only from Khmer art.
Period	Historical Period
Art period	Lopburi, Khmer Art in Thailand
Age	18th century B.E.
Religion and belief	There is a debate about the underlying meaning of creating the 3 Buddha images sitting next to one another. The first meaning is to describe each image as a representative of the Buddha of the past, the Buddha of the present time, and the Buddha of the future. This belief reflects the eternity of Buddhism. It shows that there is always a Buddha whether in the past, present, or in the future. The second definition is to describe each Buddha image as a representative of Phra Tri Gaya, Dhammagaya, Samphokagaya, and Niramaygaya. According to Mahayana Buddhism, it believes that there are many Buddhas and altogether there are 3 levels of Buddha. Adi-Buddha is the highest and that can be compared to Dhammagaya. The second level is Dhyani-Buddha. There are many of them at this level and they cannot be seen with the naked eyes and they can be compared to Samphokagaya. The last one is Manusi-Buddha who is the Buddha in the form of a human and this can be compared to Niramaygaya.

Type of License	Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
Rights	Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation	2016-09-30
Record creator	Rungroj Thamrungraeng
Bibliography	สุภัทรดิศ ดิศกุล, หม่อมเจ้า. ประติมากรรมขอม. กรุงเทพฯ : กรุงสยามการพิมพ์, 2515. สุภัทรดิศ ดิศกุล. ศิลปะขอม. กรุงเทพฯ : องค์การค้าของคุรุสภา, 2533. สุภัทรดิศ ดิศกุล, หม่อมเจ้า. ศิลปะสมัยลพบุรี. กรุงเทพฯ : มหาวิทาลัยศิลปากร, 2547.