Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva

There is no written evidence related to the origin. However, the art style that is comparable with Khmer Arts, Nakhon Wat style suggests that it was built around the 17^th century B.E.

Carved sandstone

The Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is standing on a square base. The face is square. The eyebrows are sharp and the eyes are widely open. The nose and the mouth are well balanced. The image wears pointed round shape earrings and there is a crown that is composed with a visor and a tiara in a cone shape that can be compared to idols in Nakon Wat style. At the center of the tiara appears a trace of an image that its detail was cracked out. The Buddha image on the tiara is a feature of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, so it is believed that this is his sculpture. The image at the center of the tiara is

Amitabha Buddha who gave life to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.

The upper part of the body is bare and the lower part is wearing shorts engraving straight lines and the hem under the stomach is curved. In the middle appears the hem in a shape of a fish tail. This is a style of sculptures in Nakorn Wat Arts.

This is the most completed sculpture of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva in Khmer Arts discovered in Thailand. It was built around the 17^th century B.E. following Nakhon Wat Arts. This is very interesting because, back at that time, in comparison to Brahmanism, Mahayana Buddhism was not widespread in Thailand territory. When combining with many evidences of Bodhisattva before MueangPhra Nakhon, it can be seen that Khmer culture in Thai territory has always been practiced Mahayana Buddhism.

The cracking of Amitabha Buddha image might happen after the reign of King Jayavarman VII. During that time Brahmanism had returned once again and it had caused the destruction of many Buddha images.

According to Mahayana Buddhism, it is believed that Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is truly benevolent. He was born from Amitabha Buddha when Sakyamuni Buddha had already passed away and when Arimeiteiya had not come down to enlightenment yet. Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva would help protecting all the animals of the world to cross the realm of samsara.

The style of the visor, tiara, earrings, and clothes are comparable to the style of the idols in Brahmanism. Only a subject in the hand that proves this sculpture to be Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. This reflects that both religions shared the same art style or it can also be said that the style of sculptures in Brahmanism influenced the style of sculptures in Buddhism.

สุภัทรดิศ ดิศกุล, หม่อมเจ้า. ประติมากรรมขอม. กรุงเทพฯ : กรุงสยามการพิมพ์, 2515.

สุภัทรดิศ ดิศกุล. ศิลปะขอม. กรุงเทพฯ : องค์การค้าของคุรุสภา, 2533.