Prasat Hin Phimai, Beautiful Khmer Temple in the Ancient Time

Prasat Hin Phimai, one of important religious sanctuary, is situated in the centre of ancient Phimai City in Nakorn Ratchasima, which is a gateway to the northeast of Thailand. Prasat Hin Phimai was not only built as a sanctuary for both Buddhism and Hinduism but also for the worship of person, which is believed by the ancient native tribes such as Jam, Java, Bali and Khmer. They believed that a person who had built a sanctuary would be with Gods after their death.

To build Prasat was originated from the belief that Pra Sumeru Mount was a core of the Earth. The main Prasat was meant to be a centre. Surrounding wall represent the edges of the Universe. Ponds, next to the walls, represent the great oceans. Each level of Pra Sumeru Mount has Himapana creatures such as Garuda, Giant, angels and , also, Narayana and Siva.

The main Prasat, the core of Pra Sumeru Mount, was a place that kept the lingum or sacred images. These sacred images at Prasat Hin Phimi are believed to be Kamara Tenga Vimai, which is the most important sacred image of the Buddhist sanctuary mentioned in the inscription.

General characteristic of Prasat Hin Phimai Prasat Hin Phimai is situated at the centre of Phimai city, which is at the bank of the river Moon. This large city located on a rich plateau called Tung Samrit where is an important area for producing rice. Prasat Hin Phimai is a chrming Mahayana Buddhist sanctuary. It has a cross-shaped plan and consists of 3 important buildings; the main Prang (tower), the prang Bhramadhat and Prang Hin Daeng. All prangs are surrounded by walls that are punetuated by gate-towers at four cardinal points; North, South, East and West. There are ponds at all four corners. The front gate of the Prasat is on the south. The main entrance is a bridge, which is decorated with Naga facing south.

Prasat Hin Phimai is, as aforementioned, a charming Mahayana Buddhist sanctuary. The main prang consists of a square building with portico at all four directions. Each portico is with carved Buddha images in styles described below.

South portico: Buddha image with Naga facing south

West Portico: Buddha image when he gave his sermon to the king of Mara (demon)

North portico: Buddha images in presence of 5 Vajirasattas (Bhodhisatta)

East portico: Ten Buddha images, dressed and in sitting position

The gables on four porticos are beautifully carved, described below;

The gable on the south portico: with scene of Siva is performing 108 postures of dancing. This scene is also called Sivanagaraj.

The gable on the west portico: with scenes of Krisana is lifting up Kovantana Mount and Ramayana is marking out the roads.

The gable on the North portico: with scenes of the fighting from Ramayana; Narayana with 4 hands.

The gable on the East portico:with scenes from Ramayana; King Malivaraj is pleading and prince Rama is killing Giant Viratha.

Prang Bhramadhat is on the left of the main Prang. It contains image of King Bhramadhat and lady Orapima.

Prang Hin daeng, a religious sanctuary, was built with red stones.

There are several important and interesting parts of Prasat Hin Phimai such as Pratu Chai (gate of victory), Klung Ngeon (a treasury) or Dhama Sala, a post for a ceremony to worship fire, Royal pavillion, a church for an ascetic, Church of King Phimai and Meru Bhramadaht.

Prasat Hin Phimai is an ancient Buddhist sanctuary that has been long standing for almost 2,000 years. It is believed that King Suriyavoraman I of Cambodia (1002-1050) built it. The prasat had been maintained until the reign of King Chaivoraman VII. It is also believed that, In the reign of King Suriyavoraman I, other prasats with the same age were also built. They are; Prasat Hin Panomwan (Panomwan temple, Nakorn Ratchasima) and Prasat Hin Panom Roong (Burirum).

Mahayana sculptures in Khmer Art

This sandstone sculpture packed with vibrant energy can be assigned to the second half of the twelfth century on stylistic grounds. The face and the dress are still highly reminiscent of the Angkor Vat style. Prajnaparamita in her nine-headed form achieved great renown at the end of twelfth century. The way her nine heads are arranged here is not otherwise know. The small Buddha figure in her crown of hair depicts the Jina Amitabha, the victor whose light is infinite. This is an iconographic sign that she shares with Bodhisattva Lokesvara, which symbolizes her radiant spiritual power that sheds its light over all things.

Starting with the first Pre-angkorean masterpieces - which can be traced from as early as the 6th century AD - and continuing during the Angkorean period from the 9th to the 15th centuries as well as during the Post-angkorean period, Khmer stone sculptors looked to religion for inspiration. It is in glorification of their gods or deified kings that the artists, forever condemned to anonymity, created their temples, statues, and bas-reliefs. Indeed, their works represent genuine professions of faith and honor with respect to India's two main religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, introduced to Cambodia during the first centuries of the Christian era.

In the sanctuaries, the statues were sculpted in a contemplative sitting pose or standing upright, and were represented holding out in their hands the attributes by which they could be identified. They were expected to be inhabited by a deity (mainly Shiva and Vishnu, but Buddha too), from whose protection and blessing believers hoped to benefit.

In Khmer tradition, Buddha is often depicted in a meditative pose, seated on a base in the form of either a spread out lotus or a serpent whose seven heads fan out above him to afford protection.

The Bayon
Late 12th Century, Buddhist, Jayavarman VII.

There are 37 standing towers, most but not all sporting four carved faces oriented toward the cardinal points. Who the faces represent is a matter of debate but they may be Lokitesvara, Mahayana Buddhism's compassionate Bodhisattva, or perhaps a combination of Buddha and Jayavar-man VII. Bayon was the Jayavarman VII's state-temple and in many ways represents the pinnacle of his massive building campaign. It appears to be, and is to some degree, an architectural muddle, in part because it was constructed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion for over a century.

Seated Buddhas under the Naga

The Khmer Buddha is seated on the body of a 7 headed naga or serpent that looms above him. His face is typical of Khmer Buddha in that it has a small, flat nose. The cream/white of the sandstone contrasts perfectly with the black of the base.

Udana II.1 – Muccalinda Sutta

I have heard that on one occasion, when the Blessed One was newly Awakened — staying at Uruvela by the banks of the Nerañjara River in the shade of the Muccalinda tree — he sat for seven days in one session, sensitive to the bliss of release. Now at that time a great, out-of-season storm-cloud rose up, with seven days of rainy weather, cold winds, and intense darkness. Then Muccalinda the naga king, leaving his realm and encircling the Blessed One’s body seven times with his coils, stood with his great hood spread over the Blessed One, thinking: “Don’t let the Blessed One be disturbed by cold. Don’t let the Blessed One be disturbed by heat. Don’t let the Blessed One be disturbed by the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things.” Then at the end of the seven days the Blessed One emerged from that concentration. Muccalinda the naga king, realizing that the sky had cleared and the storm clouds had left, and unraveled his coils from the body of the Blessed One, changed his appearance and, assuming the form of a youth, stood in front of the Blessed One with hands before his heart in homage.

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

Blissful is solitude for one who’s content,
who has heard the Dhamma, who sees.
Blissful is non-affliction with regard for the world,
restraint for living beings.
Blissful is dispassion with regard for the world,
the overcoming of sensuality.
But the subduing of the conceit “I am” –
That is truly the ultimate bliss.