Nak Prok Buddha : King of Nagas over The Head of Buddha
" Thai Buddha Amulet "Nak Prok" Image is a Style of Buddha Image that the Buddha have a King of Nagas Over The Head."
About Wat Nak Prok (Nak Prok Temple)
Wat Nak Prok was established around late Ayutthaya period in 1748. A hundred year afterward (approximately in the reign of King Rama III or IV), the temple was restored by Phra Boriboonthanakorn (Pook Tan), a wealthy Chinese merchant, who married to Thai lady and settled down in Siam. He had the great gratitude to Siam and a strong believe in Buddhism that inspired him to renovate this monastery.
In the beginning Phra Boriboonthanakorn directed to construct the first building, Uposatha hall or chapter house. Inside this hall, there was an attractive Chinese style mural. Subsequently he managed to build a repository of Buddha images, Vihara or shrine-hall. Interior of this Vihara, there was a beautiful Thai style mural telling the story of the Buddha ("Return from Tavatimsa heaven" and "Victory over Mara or demon"). He also respectfully invited a principal Buddha statue from Sukhothai province to be enshrined here.
The principal Buddha statue was cast from bronze in Mara Vichai style (Victory over demon style). This statue has a 7 heads great serpent over the head of the Buddha statue. The temple was named from this image. In Thai language, 'Wat' means temple, 'Nak' means the great serpent and 'Prok' means to cover.
Wat Nak Prok is a private Theravada temple under Council of Elders (the Sangha Supreme Council) in Mahanikaya (the Great branch). It is located on 342 Toetthai49 Road, Pak Klong Pasicharoen sub-district, Pasicharoen district, Bangkok. Canals, school and another temple surround the temple. The north is adjacent to Wat Nak Prok canal. To the east of the temple is Wat Nang Chee. The south of the temple is Bang Wah canal, and to the west of the temple is Wat Nak Prok School. The total area of the temple is 4.884 acres.
The Buddha Protected by Naga King (Phra Nak Prok)
The huge seven-headed sea serpent (Naga) is there to protect Buddha from everything, including bad weather! The word Naga comes from the Sanskrit, and nag is still the word for snake, especially the cobra, in most of the languages of India. The Nagas are known for protecting the Buddha and other spiritual victors. This pose represents a time during the sixth week after Siddhartha's Enlightenment, when the naga king protected the meditating Buddha against heavy rainfall by making a shelter with his multi-headed hood and lifted him above the flood waters by coiling its body under him.
This beauty was seen in the stunningly situated temple complex of Wat Thaton in the far north of Thailand near the border with Mynamar (Burma). It was absolutely gleaming in the early morning sunshine; use of polarizer helped reduce some of the reflection and intensify the blue. The original was horribly processed with gharish colors. Natural looks better!
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