Page 116 - รวมเล่มศาสนาในประเทศไทย ภาคภาษาอังกฤษ

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Religious Objects

Buddha statue is an important religious object in Buddhism. In the time of ancient
India, Buddha was not represented in human form, but only through Buddhist symbolism.
The common symbols of Buddha are objects or images like lotus flower, stupa, and Buddha’s
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footprint. Later, the Buddha sculptures started to emerge in India from the 1 century AD.,
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expanded to Siam around the 3 and 4 centuries AD, and has been flourished and continuously
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developed until today.
There are several materials and technique, such as stone craving and wood craving,
that can be used to create Buddha statue. “Phra Buddha Chinnarat,” enshrined at Wat Phra Sri 1 The Crowned Buddha Image at Wat Na
Rattana Mahathat in Sukhothai province, is considered to be the most beautiful and prestigious Phra Mane Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
image of Buddha in Thailand. It is recorded in the book “His Royal Remarks on Phra Buddha Province
Chinnarat” of King Rama V that said: “....To find an image as beautiful as Phra Buddha Chinnarat 2 Phra Buddha Sihing inside the Laikham
is impossible...” The evidence shows Phra Buddha Chinnarat and Phra Buddha Chinnasi were Vihara Wat Phra Singh, Chiang
created in the same period of time, and by the same craftsman. However, the Prince Narisara Mai Province
Nuwattiwong, the “Father of Thai Crafts” commented that Phra Buddha Chinnasi, enshrined 3 Phra Buddha Chinnasi, in front of
at Wat Bavornnivet in Bangkok, should be casted later -- after Phra Buddha Chinnarat was Phra Buddha Suwannakhet, in the back
completed -- as no imperfection of Phra Buddha Chinnarat found on Phra Buddha Chinnasi at all. Wat Bowonniwetvihara, Bangkok

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