Money Town - 22 Walks in Bangkok - page 47

Within the ordination hall there are tempera paintings in glass frames depicting the story
of the Emerald Buddha, painted during the reigns of Rama III and Rama IV . he wiharn
houses an ancient golden Buddha image that had previously been encased in lime, the
image having been discovered when its casing was broken. It dates from the Sukhothai
period, and an old U-Thong script can be seen etched along the base. The scripture hall is
carved with a floral motif from the early Rattanakosin period and is used as monks' living
quarters, while the bell tower is pure white, built in brick and mortar, and is Chinese in
style.
Tonson Mosque was founded by Cham Muslims and is the oldest mosque in Bangkok.
Occasionally, in this urban area, one stumbles across temples that could easily be in
the middle of the countryside, such is their atmosphere of detachment from the outside
world. Wat Ratchasittharam, on Itsaraphap Soi 23, is one. Standing by the side of a small
canal, and with two chedis at the entrance, the temple is set amongst lovely old rain trees.
During the final days of Ayutthaya, a forest monk known as the Venerable Suk Kaithuean
(1733-1822) had played an important role in promulgating the meditation practices that
had originated with the historical Buddha. A forest monk undertakes what the Thais call
thudong , which is the ascetic practice of wandering the forests developing themselves spir-
itually by becoming one with nature. During the Thonburi era the Venerable Suk had
settled at Wat Thahoi, on the outskirts of the now-ruined Ayutthaya, where his affinity to-
wards wild creatures had them nesting in the temple grounds. Suk appears to have been a
charismatic and possibly unpredictable man, the name Kaithuean being a nickname that
translates as “wild chicken”, but his form of ancient meditation was important and authen-
tic during this time of turmoil, and Rama I invited him to Bangkok where he was installed
at Wat Phlab in 1782 as head of meditation instruction.
At the same time Wat Ratchasittharam was built adjacent to Wat Phlab and the two
temples were merged. Rama II , when he was king, studied here, and Suk was appointed
Supreme Patriarch in 1819. During the reign of Rama II his system of meditation was pro-
moted as the main medium of instruction for the entire monastic community of Siam, and