Temples in Chiang Mai

This morning we woke up a little earlier, so we could get to the main temples before it got so hot we could barely move. Chiang Mai is famous for its temples and the place is teaming with monks as well. They have monk universities here and everything...

This was the first temple we went to, Wat Phra Singh. Phra Singh means Lion Buddha. 

Did you know that Buddha descended from royalty. His original name was Buddha Shakyamuni (shakya = the family name he was born into) and (Muni means able one). 

Buddha was born a royal prince 624 BC in a place called Lumbini which is now Nepal. His mothers name was Queen Mayadevi and his father was King Suddhodana.

They hang money from the ceiling. 

The zodiac signs are on the roof above Buddha's head.

On the night Buddha's mother conceived him, she said she dreamed that a white elephant descended from heaven and entered her womb and that this child would be a pure and wonderful being. 

When she gave birth, instead of experiencing pain, she experienced a special, pure vision in which she stood holding the branch of a tree while the Gods Brahma and Indra took the child painlessly from her side. 

Beautiful lotus flowers around the shrine in a temple.

This monk looks so real, but he is made out of wax. It's pretty off putting when you first walk in. 

This stupa is a called a Kulai, it means five tiered roof stupa.

When Buddha's father saw him for the first time, he felt as if all his wishes had been fulfilled and named him Siddharta. 

King Shuddhodana invited a Brahmin seer to come and make predictions about the child's future. 

The seer examined the child and said that he was destined to become a chakravatin king (a ruler of the whole world) or a fully enlightened Buddha. The time of the chakravatin kings was over so he predicted he would become a Buddha.  

The seer said that "his beneficial influence will pervade the thousand million worlds like the rays of the sun."

The beautifully decorated doors on the temple. 

Buddha tried to escape from the royal palace, when he did, he cut off his hair and threw it up into the sky where it was caught by one of the gods of the Land of Thirty-three Heavens who then offered the prince saffron robes of a religious mendicant. The prince accepted the robes and ordained himself as a monk. 

In general, Buddha means "awakened one", some who has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and sees things as they really are. 

A Buddha is a person who is completely free from all faults and mental obstructions.

Buddha has a great compassion which is completely impartial, embracing all living beings without discrimination. 

We could all do with a bit Buddhism in our lives. 

A Buddha's compassion, wisdom and power are completely beyond conception. 

In Buddhist teachings, Buddha explains how to attain liberation from suffering for oneself alone, and in the Mahayana (wheels of dharma) teaching on how to attain full enlightenment or Buddhahood for the sake of others.

This is Wat Phan Tao - this temple is made out of the most exquisite teak wood. 

Dharma means protection. By practicing dharma Buddhist's protect themselves from ignorance which causes problems and suffering. If we integrate Buddha's teachings into our everyday lives we will be able to solve all our inner problems and attain a truly peaceful mind.

These are gifts for Buddha left in the temple. 

There are different Buddha's for the day you were born on:

This is the Sunday Buddha. He is standing with his arms crossed in front of his waist with the right hand covering the left. This image represents the time when Buddha obtained enlightenment and he stood for gratitude and admired a bothi tree for 1 week without blinking.

Monday Buddha. His right hand raised at shoulder height with his palm and fingers extended. This is symbolic of the time when Buddha returned from heaven to pacify his relatives who were arguing about the rights to water running through their land. Buddha managed to get them to compromise.

Tuesday Buddha. Buddha lying on his side, right arm supporting his head, This represents parinibbana the day on which Buddha died, which was a Tuesday. 

Wednesday Buddha. Buddha standing with an alms bowl in his hand. This represents the time when Buddha went back to visit his father and joined the monks collecting food in the early morning. His father was upset that Buddha was "begging".

Thursday Buddha. Buddha in the lotus position, soles facing upwards and hands curled in his lap. In this position some believe that you are receptive to energy entering the body through the top of the head and the open palms.  

Friday Buddha (this is my Buddha). Both hands covering the chest, right hand over left. This position indicates contemplation and consideration, and represents Buddha contemplating the subtle nature of dharma and ponders on how he will reveal it to mankind. 

Saturday Buddha. Buddha in a lotus position with a naga behind him. It uses its head as a rain cover. This pose represents a time 6 weeks after Buddha's enlightenment where the naga king protected him from heavy rains by wrapping himself around him and lifting him above the floods as well as using his many heads to cover him.

Wat Chedi Luang - beautiful temple - renowned for meditation and mysticism.

Buddhism relies mainly on training the mind. Buddhists believe that you do not need to wait for better conditions in order to practice, because we can transform any circumstances, whether good or bad, into the path of liberation and enlightenment. 

In Buddhism, you rely on your inner strength as apposed to external conditions.

Being in these temples is very peaceful and spiritual. It brings upon a feeling of calmness and serenity. 

Applying the principle practice: At the moment we have precious life, but it is uncertain how long it will last. We should be thinking that it would be a great tragedy to waste such a precious and rare opportunity, we should use it in a meaningful way. It is pointless to work only for material wealth. Even the very rich still suffer and have worries. 

Such intricate engravings on the doors. 

More of the designs on the doors.

Old ruins within the temple grounds. 

Elephants around the temple ruins...now you know why Buddhist temples often have elephants around them and why there are stupas and what Buddha represents! You can't say I don;t educate you guys on this blog!

With concentration Buddha removed the final veils of ignorance from his mind and he became a fully enlightened being. He walked to Bodh Gaya, on the day of the full moon of the fourth month of the lunar calender. He assumed the meditation posture under a Bodhi tree and did not move until he found total enlightenment. 

This Buddha had the most incredible beautiful robe over him. 

Through the force of Buddha's concentration, and into enlightenment, the weapons, rocks and mountains appeared to him as a rain of fragrant flowers and the raging fires became  like the offerings of light from a rainbow.  

Happy Buddha. Rub his foot - such excellently good luck!

They have a monk university here...