%PDF-1.6
%âãÏÓ
1 0 obj<>
endobj
2 0 obj<>
endobj
3 0 obj<>
endobj
5 0 obj<>
endobj
7 0 obj<>
endobj
8 0 obj<>>>
endobj
9 0 obj<>
endobj
10 0 obj<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>]/P 9 0 R/S/Article/T()/Pg 11 0 R>>
endobj
11 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
12 0 obj<>
endobj
13 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
14 0 obj<>/A<>/Border[0 0 0]>>
endobj
15 0 obj[14 0 R 16 0 R 17 0 R 18 0 R 19 0 R 20 0 R]
endobj
16 0 obj<>/A<>/Border[0 0 0]>>
endobj
17 0 obj<>/A<>/PA<>/Border[0 0 0]>>
endobj
18 0 obj<>/A<>/Border[0 0 0]>>
endobj
19 0 obj<>/A<>/Border[0 0 0]>>
endobj
20 0 obj<>/A<>/PA<>/Border[0 0 0]>>
endobj
21 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
22 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
23 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
24 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
25 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
26 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
27 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
28 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
29 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
30 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
31 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
32 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
33 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
34 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
35 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
36 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
37 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
38 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
39 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
40 0 obj<>
endobj
41 0 obj<>
endobj
42 0 obj<>
endobj
43 0 obj<>
endobj
44 0 obj<>
endobj
45 0 obj<>
endobj
46 0 obj<>
endobj
47 0 obj<>
endobj
48 0 obj<>
endobj
49 0 obj<>
endobj
50 0 obj<>
endobj
51 0 obj<>
endobj
52 0 obj<>
endobj
54 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
55 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
57 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
58 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
60 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
61 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
63 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
64 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
66 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
67 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
68 0 obj<>
endobj
70 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
71 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
73 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
74 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
76 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
77 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
79 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
80 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
82 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
83 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
84 0 obj<>
endobj
86 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
87 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
89 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
90 0 obj<>
endobj
91 0 obj<>
endobj
92 0 obj[87 0 R/XYZ 0 634.149 null]
endobj
93 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
95 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
96 0 obj<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>>
endobj
98 0 obj[10 0 R]
endobj
106 0 obj<>
endobj
107 0 obj<>
endobj
110 0 obj<>
endobj
111 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/WebCaptureBG BMC
/WebCaptureFN <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
0.545 0.412 0.412 rg
38.857 613.953 534.286 127.989 re
f
EMC
EMC
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
0 0 0 rg
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
24.0615 0 0 24.0615 229.3246 700.6591 Tm
(Explorations)Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 304.8459 681.2944 Tm
(in)Tj
/TT2 1 Tf
24.0615 0 0 24.0615 162.1448 655.4775 Tm
(Southeast Asian Studies)Tj
/TT3 1 Tf
12.5538 0 0 12.5538 94.9059 627.0847 Tm
(A Journal of the Southeast Asian Studies Student Association)Tj
-3.691 -1.974 Td
(Vol 3)Tj
36.598 0 Td
(Fall 1999)Tj
ET
0 0 1 RG
0.603 w 10 M 0 j 0 J []0 d
173.172 580.476 m
227.568 580.476 l
S
0 0 1 rg
BT
/TT4 1 Tf
12.5538 0 0 12.5538 173.1719 582.2834 Tm
(Contents)Tj
0 0 0 rg
/TT1 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 227.5677 582.2834 Tm
( )Tj
ET
230.845 580.476 m
280.383 580.476 l
S
0 0 1 rg
BT
/TT4 1 Tf
12.5538 0 0 12.5538 230.8454 582.2834 Tm
(Article 1)Tj
0 0 0 rg
/TT1 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 280.3828 582.2834 Tm
( )Tj
ET
283.66 580.476 m
333.198 580.476 l
S
0 0 1 rg
BT
/TT4 1 Tf
12.5538 0 0 12.5538 283.6604 582.2834 Tm
(Article 2)Tj
0 0 0 rg
/TT1 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 333.1979 582.2834 Tm
( )Tj
ET
336.476 580.476 m
386.013 580.476 l
S
0 0 1 rg
BT
/TT4 1 Tf
12.5538 0 0 12.5538 336.4755 582.2834 Tm
(Article 3)Tj
0 0 0 rg
/TT1 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 386.013 582.2834 Tm
( )Tj
ET
389.291 580.476 m
438.828 580.476 l
S
0 0 1 rg
BT
/TT4 1 Tf
12.5538 0 0 12.5538 389.2906 582.2834 Tm
(Article 4)Tj
0 0 0 rg
/TT1 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 438.8281 582.2834 Tm
( )Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
18.8308 0 0 18.8308 75.7939 540.7226 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 270.3544 503.8223 Tm
(Eric Roeder)Tj
-12.379 -2.557 Td
(>Eric Roeder is an M.A. candidate in the department of Asian )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. he is spending the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(1999-2000 academic year examining the educational opportunities )Tj
T*
(for the physical handicapped within Thailand)Tj
ET
288.563 383.605 m
323.437 383.605 l
S
0 0 1 rg
BT
/TT4 1 Tf
12.5538 0 0 12.5538 288.5627 385.4127 Tm
(Notes)Tj
0 0 0 rg
/TT1 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 323.4373 385.4127 Tm
( )Tj
-22.711 -2.751 Td
(The Emerald Buddha is known as 'the palladium of Thai society'. Located \
on the grounds of the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Grand Palace and situated within Wat Phra Keo, The Emerald Buddha watche\
s over the Thai )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(nation. Yet the image's history continues to reveal very little. Fable, \
myth, legend and fact )Tj
T*
(intermingle, creating a morass for those who study the Emerald Buddha. W\
hile the Buddha is )Tj
T*
(often mentioned in texts about Thailand, surprisingly little is written \
about it in great length. )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Beyond the image's origins in documented history, the Emerald Buddha has\
traveled widely.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(This paper will look at the mythical origins of the Emerald Buddha as re\
corded in The Chronicle )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(of the Emerald Buddha and other sources, then trace its history in Thail\
and beginning from its )Tj
T*
(first appearance in the town of Chieng Rai. Upon its discovery in Chieng\
Rai, the Emerald )Tj
T*
(Buddha became much coveted. The image moved throughout the region, from \
Chieng Rai to )Tj
T*
(Lampang, Chieng Mai, Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Thonburi, and finally, to\
its present location )Tj
T*
(in Bangkok. More than just a spoil of battle, the Emerald Buddha was bel\
ieved to bring )Tj
T*
(legitimacy and prosperity to all those who possess it. Thus kings throug\
hout the region have )Tj
T*
(desired to have the Emerald Buddha preside over and bring good favor to \
their capitals.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The arrival of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok marked the beginning and th\
e rise of the Chakri )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(dynasty. The first king of the Chakri dynasty Rama I validated his reign\
by moving the seat of his )Tj
T*
(government to Bangkok and further strengthened his position through his \
possession of the )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
0 0 0 rg
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(1 of 24\)7/17/2008 \
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
112 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.8826 Tm
(Emerald Buddha. Rama I constructed a magnificent temple to house the Bud\
dha, and today the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(image serves as a potent religious symbol for the majority of the Thai B\
uddhists in the region. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(A study of the iconography of this image may provide clues to its origin\
s, and the stone used to )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(create it--jasper, not emerald--may also suggest the original craftsmans\
hip of the Emerald )Tj
T*
(Buddha. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The older a Buddha image is, the more power it is believed to have. The \
Emerald Buddha has a )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(long history, possibly reaching back to India. Early in the Bangkok peri\
od, the Emerald Buddha )Tj
T*
(was taken out of its temple and paraded in the streets to relieve the ci\
ty and countryside of )Tj
T*
(various calamities. The image also marks the changing of the seasons in \
Thailand, with the king )Tj
T*
(presiding over the seasonal ceremonies. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The power of the Emerald Buddha gives legitimacy to the king and protect\
ion to the nation. The )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(image's significance is built upon its long history and symbolism as an \
object of power for those )Tj
T*
(able to possess it. During the Bangkok period not all who desired the Em\
erald Buddha were of )Tj
T*
(royal lineage. The political significance of the Buddha also marked Thai\
land's legitimacy during )Tj
T*
(World War II. The image serve to mark political legitimacy outside the r\
oyal family.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Today, King Rama IX, still wields considerable power and influence in Th\
ailand. Some believe )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(he is the second to the last king of the Chakri dynasty, with his succes\
sor marking the Tenth and )Tj
T*
(final rule of the Chakri. Of the King's children there are two candidate\
s from whom he must )Tj
T*
(choose, a prince and a princess. After Rama X who will be the caretaker \
of the Emerald Buddha? )Tj
T*
(While the Emerald Buddha has had a murky past, its future is even less c\
lear. )Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(A Fable)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(Five centuries after the Buddha's passing into Nirvana, there lived in I\
ndia an ascetic named )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Nagasena. Nagasena was deeply devoted to the teachings of Buddha. His de\
dication directed )Tj
T*
(him toward becoming a monk at Wat Asokarem in the city of Padalibutra. I\
n Padalibutra, )Tj
T*
(Nagasena's devotion and love for the Buddha intensified. Confident in hi\
s abilities, Nagasena's )Tj
T*
(unwavering devotion and words sparked renewed interest for the people of\
the city who had )Tj
T*
(forgotten Buddha's teachings. Yet confidence and devotion aside, Nagasen\
a's heart grew heavy )Tj
T*
(due to his daily mental and physical exertion. His sharing the Buddha's \
teachings with the )Tj
T*
(growing numbers of devotees in the city began to take its toll. Nagasena\
's sadness soon reached )Tj
T*
(the slopes of Mt. Meru and the powerful god Indra. Alarmed and concerned\
, Indra and Visnu )Tj
T*
(descended from the mountain to lift the heavy burden from Nagasena's hea\
rt.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Waiting in the lush garden of Wat Asokaren, Indra and Visnu, surrounded \
by peacocks and the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(scent of jasmine, approached Nagasena as he entered the garden. Upon see\
ing the two deities, )Tj
T*
(Nagasena dropped to his knees with his hands and face close to the groun\
d. Indra asked )Tj
T*
(Nagasena to stand up and share his troubles. Nagasena explained to the g\
ods that Buddha's )Tj
T*
(teachings should be shared with all and that a image of the Buddha be cr\
eated so that all could )Tj
T*
(worship and pay reverence. The Buddha image had to be made to last forev\
er, the likeness of the )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(2 of 24\)7/17/2008 \
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
113 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 751.5854 Tm
(Buddha chiseled from precious stone. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Compelled to help Nagasena, Indra instructed Visnu to go to the dreaded \
Mountain of Velu and )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(seek out the most precious of all gem stones to be used for the image of\
Buddha. Staring at the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(ground, Visnu refused to budge, seeming to ignore Indra words. Indra's p\
atience quickly waned )Tj
T*
(and he demanded that Visnu obey his request. Visnu dropped to his knees \
and told Indra of his )Tj
T*
(fears of the dark demons filling the slopes of Mt. Velu. Speaking in a v\
oice choked with fear, )Tj
T*
(Visnu told Indra that those who try to remove the precious gems from the\
mountain would be )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(turned to vapor by the demons. Indra calmed Visnu's fears and offered to\
accompany him to Mt. )Tj
T*
(Velu. In Marian Davies Toth's version of this tale, she notes that "the \
demons and giants of the )Tj
T*
(mountain guard its treasures as carefully as the kings of Siam guard the\
ir white elephants."[1])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The great leap in time between the creation of the first Buddha image an\
d the kings of Siam )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(noted in Toth's version foreshadows the eventual resting place of the Em\
erald Buddha in )Tj
T*
(Thailand. This time gap is not important, however; only the reference to\
Siam is relevant. In this )Tj
T*
(case, the Hindu deities Indra and Visnu show their respect to the kings \
of Siam by )Tj
T*
(acknowledging the difficult task of retrieving a stone great enough to p\
roduce the first image of )Tj
T*
(Buddha.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(As the story continues, both Indra and Visnu confront the demons of Mt. \
Velu. Recognizing )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Indra, the demons drop their aggressive posture and bow to him, asking h\
ow they can be of )Tj
T*
(service. Indra explains that a most precious stone is needed to create a\
n image of Buddha that )Tj
T*
(will inspire all who gaze upon it. Displeased with Indra's request, the \
demons respond that they )Tj
T*
(serve as guardians of the precious gems for King Isvara, a ruler living \
high up in the Himalaya )Tj
T*
(Mountains. The demons note that the most precious of all these gems is a\
rare chunk of jade. )Tj
T*
(Indra and Visnu are allowed to view the stone, and they marvel at the lu\
minous green glow )Tj
T*
(emanating from it. Convinced that this is the stone they must have, Indr\
a asks if he might give )Tj
T*
(the stone to Nagasena. In reverence of the Lord Buddha, the demons agree\
to Indra's request. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Indra and Visnu returned with the precious stone to the gardens of Wat A\
sokarem and )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(presented it to Nagasena. At that point, Indra sensed that Nagasena hear\
t was no longer )Tj
T*
(burdened with grief. While Indra returned to Mt. Meru, Visnu stayed with\
Nagasena, taking on )Tj
T*
(the form of a sculptor who created the likeness of the Buddha. Thus was \
the luminous chunk of )Tj
T*
(jade transformed in the gleaming image of the Emerald Buddha. The Emeral\
d Buddha was )Tj
T*
(placed in a beautiful new temple with a roof of gold and attracted thous\
ands of people from )Tj
T*
(every corner of the land. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(This popular fable serves as the birth story of the Emerald Buddha. An i\
mage retrieved and )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(sculpted by gods in honor of Buddha. An image well suited to serve as th\
e palladium of Thai )Tj
T*
(society. )Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(3 of 24\)7/17/2008 \
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
114 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.8826 Tm
(The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha is a text tracing the mythical origi\
ns and travels of the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Emerald Buddha. As yet there has been little attempt to determine what i\
s factual and what is )Tj
T*
(mythical in this account. The chronicle is generally considered to be a \
morass of information: it )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(includes instances in which the Emerald Buddha is in two places at once,\
significant time )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(discrepancies, and descriptions such as the king who could fly through t\
he air to reach his )Tj
T*
(desired destination in a short period of time. It would be easy to disre\
gard the contents of this )Tj
T*
(chronicle as mere fable, ignoring the possible merits hidden within it. \
At this time it is safe to say )Tj
T*
(that there has been little academic research regarding The Chronicle of \
the Emerald Buddha. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The Nagara Krtagama, the fourteenth-century Javanese poem by Mpu Prapanc\
a, was once )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(regarded by academics such as C.C. Berg as offering little more than an \
author's flight of fancy. )Tj
T*
(While Berg's criticisms do have merit, since questioning historical auth\
enticity is important, his )Tj
T*
(dismissal of this text should serve as caution to not simply to discredi\
t a traditional history out of )Tj
T*
(hand. Today, the Negara Krtagama is considered an important source of in\
formation for )Tj
T*
(scholars seeking to unravel the histories of the Singasari and Majapahit\
periods in eastern Java. )Tj
T*
(Unraveling The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha may likely prove a much m\
ore difficult task )Tj
T*
(due to its many ambiguities.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha was first translated into French, th\
en into English, in 1932 )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(by Camille Notton. Notton translated the Chieng Mai dialect \(yuon\) tex\
t, which was originally )Tj
T*
(taken from a palm leaf manuscript found in Chieng Mai. This original man\
uscript is in the Pali )Tj
T*
(language. According to Notton, there is no indication of the original au\
thor or a date of )Tj
T*
(composition for The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha. There are also manu\
scripts about the )Tj
T*
(Emerald Buddha found in neighboring countries. Laos, Cambodia, and the S\
han States of )Tj
T*
(Burma all acknowledge their own manuscripts of The Chronicle of the Emer\
ald Buddha. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The fact that there is more than one manuscript seems to imply that ther\
e had been an older text )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(that existed at an earlier time. Notton notes that S.S. Reinach, a membe\
r of the Academy of )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres in Paris supports the idea that the late\
r versions of the Emerald )Tj
T*
(Buddha manuscript reflect some semblance of the original version of the \
chronicle. Notton )Tj
T*
(further acknowledges Reinach's judgments that there is evidence that the\
original manuscript )Tj
T*
(must have been an object of particular esteem. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The Chieng Mai manuscript came to the attention of a young Frenchman who\
se interest in Siam )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(took him beyond his daily duties as a servant to the government of Franc\
e. Camille Notton had a )Tj
T*
(rather undistinguished career as a diplomat. Trained in Thai language at\
the Ecole des Langues )Tj
T*
(Vivantes in Paris, Notton was appointed in August of 1906 as a student i\
nterpreter for the )Tj
T*
(Bangkok legation.[2] He was transferred in 1916 to Chieng Mai and moved \
back and forth )Tj
T*
(between Chieng Mai and Bangkok for several years. In 1930 he became a Fi\
rst-Class interpreter )Tj
T*
(and was sent back to Chieng Mai from Bangkok in 1932. In 1935 Notton was\
promoted to )Tj
T*
(Second-Class Consul and remained in Chieng Mai until 1938. According to \
Kennon Breazeale, )Tj
T*
(there was no central-Thai version of the Chieng Mai annals in Camille No\
tton's time, Notton )Tj
T*
(must have thus gained a reading knowledge of the northern-Thai script in\
order to translate the )Tj
T*
(annals. Notton's translation of The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha mark\
s the first translation )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(4 of 24\)7/17/2008 \
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
115 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.8826 Tm
(of the text by a Westerner.)Tj
ET
0.5 0.5 0.5 rg
14.571 722.709 m
14.571 724.651 l
597.429 724.651 l
596.457 723.68 l
15.543 723.68 l
15.543 723.68 l
h
f
0.875 0.875 0.875 rg
597.429 724.651 m
597.429 722.709 l
14.571 722.709 l
15.543 723.68 l
596.457 723.68 l
596.457 723.68 l
h
f
0 0 0 rg
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 685.1054 Tm
(The often reproduced fable noted earlier in this paper clearly received \
its inspiration from The )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha. The chronicle's first Epoch relates how\
, from his home in )Tj
T*
(India, Nagasena first conceived the idea of creating an image of the Bud\
dha to encourage the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(flourishing of Buddhism. Nagasena was aided by both Indra and Visnu, and\
proclaimed that the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(newly-produced image would last five thousand years. Nagasena also predi\
cted the Emerald )Tj
T*
(Buddha's future importance in lands located beyond India.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Nagasena had through his supernatural knowledge a prescience of future e\
vents, and he made )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(this prediction: 'The image of the Buddha is assuredly going to give to \
religion the most brilliant )Tj
T*
(importance in five lands, that is in Lankadvipa \(Sri Lanka\), Ramalakka\
, Dvaravati, Chieng Mai )Tj
T*
(and Lan Chang \(Laos\).' Moreover, the five images of the Buddha, namely\
Phra Ken Chan Deng )Tj
T*
(\(Buddha-heart-sandal-red\), which was made by King Pasena, Phra Bang \(\
Buddha-partly; so-)Tj
T*
(called because as it is said in the chronicle of The Phra Bang, everybod\
y among human beings )Tj
T*
(and angels contributed a small quantity of gold, silver and copper for c\
asting the statue\), Phra )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Keo Amarakata \(Buddha-crystal-smaragd\), Phra Che Kham \(Buddha-pure-go\
ld\) will ensure very )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(great prosperity and give preeminence to the countries where they are es\
tablished; and the kings )Tj
T*
(of these places will excel all other kings. So shall it be.[3])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The section of Notton's translation in bold clearly notes the future sig\
nificance that each image, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(including the Emerald Buddha, will have in the countries in which each i\
mage is established. )Tj
T*
(Beyond being a self-fulfilling prophecy, the significance of the Emerald\
Buddha will be )Tj
T*
(addressed further on.)Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Sri Lanka)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(The second epoch of the Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha notes a civil wa\
r in Pataliputra. )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Concerned about the safety of the Emerald Buddha, the ruler of Pataliput\
ra sent the image to the )Tj
T*
(King of Lankadvipa for safe keeping, intending to restore it to his king\
dom once the fighting has )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(ceased. The account continues by noting that the ruler of Pataliputra li\
kely never journeyed to )Tj
T*
(retrieve the image from Lankadvipa. Therefore, the image is said to have\
remained in )Tj
T*
(Lankadvipa for two centuries.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(With the Emerald Buddha in Lankadvipa, Buddhism flourished. Lanka emerge\
d as a stronghold )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(of Buddhism and upon his death the Buddha himself sought celestial prote\
ction for Sri Lanka )Tj
T*
(and its faith. According to Karen Schur Narula, "the belief in the Buddh\
a's statement upon his )Tj
T*
(death would form the basis of Sri Lanka's concept of itself as a place o\
f special sanctity for the )Tj
T*
(Buddhist religion."[4])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The style of Buddha images appearing in Sri Lanka reflect a characterist\
ically Sri Lankan )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(5 of 24\)7/17/2008 \
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
116 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.8826 Tm
(craftsmanship, according to Dorothy Fickle. The most common pose of Sri \
Lanka's seated )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(images of the Buddha is that of virasana \(yogic\) position, the positio\
n that the Emerald Buddha )Tj
T*
(of Wat Phra Keo shares. Yet based on these features alone, it is not pos\
sible to determine )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(whether the Emerald Buddha originated in Sri Lanka.)Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Burma)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha continues, noting that monks from Bu\
rma, dissatisfied )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(with Buddhist scripture from India, ventured to Lanka to make transcript\
ions of texts there. The )Tj
T*
(monks believed that the scriptures found at Lanka were the purest script\
ures of the Buddha. )Tj
T*
(Finishing their tasks in Lanka the monks made arrangements for their ret\
urn to Pagan. Two )Tj
T*
(boats set off for the return voyage, one carrying scriptures written by \
Sri Lankans, and the other )Tj
T*
(carrying teachings for the people of Pagan as well as the image of the E\
merald Buddha. As fate )Tj
T*
(would have it, the boat carrying the Emerald Buddha never arrived in Pag\
an. Narula notes:)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Recorded history pays homage to King Anawratha as the legendary and hist\
orical ruler who )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(united peoples and places under the banner of a Theravada Buddhist Burma\
. The fact that this )Tj
T*
(king ruled some six hundred years after the date attributed to him in Th\
e Chronicle of the )Tj
T*
(Emerald Buddha should be laid aside. The earliest recorded religious con\
tacts between Burma )Tj
T*
(and Sri Lanka date to the eleventh century. Indeed, the priest known in \
the chronicle as )Tj
T*
(Silakhanda may well be the Mon monk Shin Arakan whom according to tradit\
ion, worked under )Tj
T*
(King Anawratha to convert the Burmese to Theravada Buddhism.[5])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha records that Anuruddha flew back to \
Pagan, weary with )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(the length of time it was taking for the boat carrying the scriptures \(\
Tripitaka \) and the Emerald )Tj
T*
(Buddha to arrive in his kingdom. It is worth noting that the term 'flyin\
g' often symbolizes )Tj
T*
(divinity, therefore its mention within the chronicle may be much more th\
an literal. Upon his )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(arrival, Anuruddha received word that the long missing boat had arrived \
in Indrapatha Nagara )Tj
T*
(\(Angkor\). )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Such a journey is possible but the likelihood of the boat being blown of\
f course and arriving at )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Angkor would entail more skill than fate. If one did not want to travel \
over land and abandon his )Tj
T*
(ocean-going vessel, one would have to navigate the Straits of Melaka and\
then head north to )Tj
T*
(reach the coast of Cambodia avoiding possible mistaken landfalls all alo\
ng the journey. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(While not mentioned in The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha, the Emerald \
Buddha could have )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(traveled over the Isthmus of Kra, close to the site of Ligor. In this ca\
se it would be a short )Tj
T*
(journey to the Gulf of Thailand with a continuation on to Cambodia. The \
film Emerald Buddha, )Tj
T*
(Seat of the Center of the Earth,[6] comments in passing about the myth o\
f the Emerald Buddha )Tj
T*
(being left at Ligor \(Nakhon Si Thammarat\) for 1,700 years. The film su\
ggests that the Emerald )Tj
T*
(Buddha was brought to Ligor by a ship carrying a princess. The film does\
not mention where the )Tj
T*
(ship came from or who the princess was; it also fails to offer a time fr\
ame for this tale. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Today, there is a wat located in Nakhon Si Thammarat that is said to con\
tain a relic of the )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(6 of 24\)7/17/2008 \
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
117 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 751.5854 Tm
(Buddha. One of the most revered temples in southern Thailand, Wat Phra M\
ahathat is a )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(prominent landmark, its original pagoda said to have been built some 170\
0 years ago to house )Tj
T*
(the relic brought from Sri Lanka. Yet whether or not the Emerald Buddha \
followed the same )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(path as the relic at Nakhon Si Thammarat is unknown and speculative. )Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Cambodia)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(The newly-arrived treasures came into the hands of Indrapatha, but this \
ruler of Angkor ignored )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Anuruddha's demand to return both the Tripitaka and the Emerald Buddha t\
o Burma. Angered )Tj
T*
(by the news that the king of Angkor refused to return the treasured item\
s, Anuruddha flew )Tj
T*
(through the air to Angkor to scare Indrapatha and his associates. Anurud\
dha flew around )Tj
T*
(Indrapatha and his men, slashing their necks with his sword. While bleed\
ing, the men were not )Tj
T*
(seriously wounded and Indrapatha, fearing Anuruddha's powers, relinquish\
ed control of the )Tj
T*
(Tripitaka. Yet the Pagan King Anuruddha, perhaps in his haste to leave A\
ngkor, took only the )Tj
T*
(boat containing the Tripitaka, leaving behind the statue of the Emerald \
Buddha. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(According to The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha, some time after Anurud\
dha, during the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(reign of Senaraja, an incident of grave consequences took place at Angko\
r that would once again )Tj
T*
(relocate the Emerald Buddha. This incident involved the young son of an \
officer and Senaraja's )Tj
T*
(own son. The two boys commonly played together and each possessed a pet \
insect. The officer's )Tj
T*
(son had a pet spider while the Senaraja's son kept a pet fly. The boys o\
ften let their insects play )Tj
T*
(with each other until one day the spider killed and ate the fly belongin\
g to Senaraja's son. The )Tj
T*
(king exploded with anger upon receiving this news and immediately had th\
e officer's son put to )Tj
T*
(death by drowning. Upon the death of the officer's son, a great naga app\
eared, creating a )Tj
T*
(tremendous storm and flood that killed the king and most of the inhabita\
nts at Angkor. A monk )Tj
T*
(concerned for the safety of the Emerald Buddha took the image and travel\
ed north. Narula )Tj
T*
(attempts to link the ruler who perished in the tempest created by the na\
ga to the Khmer King )Tj
T*
(Dharmasoka whose death during the siege of Angkor in 1431 was followed b\
y the defection of )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(two important monks to the Siamese. Narula notes that "the past and the \
Chronicle overlap )Tj
T*
(here; Angkor was abandoned."[7])Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(The Luang Prabang Chronicle and The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(Before continuing with the mythical history of the Emerald Buddha, it is\
important to consider )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(the Luang Prabang chronicle. The Fine Arts Department in Bangkok argues \
that the 1967 )Tj
T*
(publication of Tamnan Phra Keao Morakot \(A Historical Account of the Em\
erald Buddha\) )Tj
T*
(contains the 1788 Thai translation of the Luang Prabang version of the h\
istory. Kennon )Tj
T*
(Breazeale notes that since this version was rewritten in the Fifth Reign\
, it should be treated )Tj
T*
(cautiously, since the author not only brought the history up to date but\
also may have 'corrected' )Tj
T*
(some passages in the period prior to 1788.[8])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Breazeale also feels that the date of the composition can be determined \
tentatively from the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(terms Lao Phung Dam \("Black-belly Lao"\) and Lao Phung Khao \("White-be\
lly Lao"\). According )Tj
T*
(to Breazeale, these were old terms known to the Thai, but they seem to b\
e used here to indicate )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(7 of 24\)7/17/2008 \
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
118 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 751.4254 Tm
(the northern region \(Lanna and Nan\) and the upper-Mekong region \(Luan\
g Prabang\), which, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(during 1890-1899 were officially designated as the Lao Phung Dam and Lao\
Phung Khao circles, )Tj
T*
(respectively. Breazeale believes that these terms would not have been us\
ed in such a )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(composition after 1899, because of Thai policy of suppressing ethnic ide\
ntifications in official )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(toponyms. Given the Thai government's efforts for the years prior to 189\
3 to find documents in )Tj
T*
(provincial towns to support Thai territorial claims in the Mekong basin,\
Breazeale guesses that )Tj
T*
(the anonymous document was written before 1893, hence his tentative dati\
ng of 1890-1892.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The Luang Prabang chronicle parallels The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddh\
a for the most part )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(with only a few details distinguishing them apart. For example, in the L\
uang Prabang's version, )Tj
T*
(Anuruddha sails on a Chinese junk rather than flying to Angkor. The Luan\
g Prabang version also )Tj
T*
(notes that Anuruddha tried to steal back the Emerald Buddha from Angkor \
disguised as a )Tj
T*
(merchant but failed in his attempt. Both chronicles have the Emerald Bud\
dha taken to the north )Tj
T*
(after the devastating tempest at Angkor. Once it came in the north, the \
reigning king of )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Ayutthaya \(Ayuddhya\) Boran \(King Atitaraj, according to the Luang Pra\
bang text\) took )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(possession of the Emerald Buddha as well as its attendants. The image wa\
s kept at Ayutthaya )Tj
T*
(Boran for many generations. The use of the term boran after the Ayutthay\
a period translates to )Tj
T*
('ancient' in Thai, but the use of the term in the Luang Prabang chronicl\
e is not clear.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(A relation to the king of Ayutthaya Boran, The king of Kamphaeng Phet, a\
sked for the image and )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(carried it off to Kamphaeng Phet where it stayed for a time. This Kampha\
eng Phet king then )Tj
T*
(allowed one of his son's, who was governor of Lopburi, to keep the Emera\
ld Buddha for one year )Tj
T*
(and nine months, a time period agreed upon by both The Chronicle of the \
Emerald Buddha and )Tj
T*
(the Luang Prabang text. Both chronicles relate that a king of Chieng Rai\
\(King Phromma That, )Tj
T*
(according to the Luang Prabang text\), friend of the king at Kamphaeng P\
het, was allowed to take )Tj
T*
(the image to Chieng Rai. The Chronicle of the Emerald Buddha notes that \
the image stayed in )Tj
T*
(Chieng Rai until 1506. According to Narula, the Chieng Mai version of th\
e chronicle explains )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(that it was during the reign of Sen Muang Ma in the years 1388-1411 that\
the Emerald Buddha )Tj
T*
(was hidden behind stucco in a Chieng Rai temple. )Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Chieng Rai, Lampang, Chieng Mai, Luang Prabang, and Vientiane)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(Perhaps the most reproduced aspect of the history of the Emerald Buddha \
is its remarkable )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(discovery in 1434. The majority of books dealing with Thailand's history\
mention this discovery )Tj
T*
(of the Emerald Buddha in Chieng Rai. Depending on which sources are used\
, the Emerald )Tj
T*
(Buddha is said to appear in either 1434 or in 1436. Those who quote W.A.\
R. Wood's A History of )Tj
T*
(Siam note the date 1436, while those who cite the chronicles use 1434. Y\
et what is important is )Tj
T*
(not the slight discrepancy in the date of discovery, but the emergence o\
f the Emerald Buddha )Tj
T*
(from a mythical past to a historical reality.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(According to the history found in the chronicles, in 1434 the Phra Keo M\
orakot was inside a )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(large stupa at Chieng Rai. When the stupa tumbled down after being struc\
k by lightning, a monk )Tj
T*
(noticed a Buddha image covered in gold leaf beneath the crumbled stucco.\
Believing that the )Tj
T*
(image was composed of ordinary stone, the monks of the temple placed it \
in the wihan \(temple )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(8 of 24\)7/17/2008 \
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
119 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.4026 Tm
(sanctuary\) along with the many other Buddhist statues. Chadin Flood wri\
tes:)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Two or three months later, the plaster that covered the statue that was \
lacquered over and then )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(covered with gold leaves, chipped off at the tip of the statue's nose. T\
he head monk of the temple )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(saw that indeed the statue inside was made of a beautiful green crystal.\
He therefore chipped out )Tj
T*
(the rest of the plaster, and it was then seen by all that the statue was\
made of one solid piece of )Tj
T*
(crystal without marks or imperfection.[9])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The population of Chieng Rai and the surrounding regions soon flocked to\
venerate the Emerald )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Buddha. News was also sent to the ruler of Chieng Mai who ordered an ele\
phant procession to )Tj
T*
(transport the image \(called Phra Mahamaniattanapatimakon according to t\
he chronicles\) to )Tj
T*
(Chieng Mai. As the procession approached the crossroads leading to Lampa\
ng, the elephant )Tj
T*
(carrying the Emerald Buddha became agitated and ran off down the road to\
ward Lampang. The )Tj
T*
(elephant's mahout calmed his pachyderm then struggled to return it to th\
e intersection, to )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(continue the journey to Chieng Mai. Yet once again the elephant became e\
xcited and ran off )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(toward Lampang.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(At this point it was decided that a more docile elephant would be chosen\
to carry the image, yet )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(the next elephant also reacted in the same way, charging down the road t\
o Lampang. The news )Tj
T*
(of the combative elephants soon reached the ruler of Chieng Mai. Being a\
strong believer in the )Tj
T*
(supernatural, he feared the consequences of the incident and felt that t\
he spirit guarding the )Tj
T*
(Emerald Buddha did not want the image to come to Chieng Mai. The ruler o\
f Chieng Mai thus )Tj
T*
(allowed the image to go to Lampang and stay at a temple built from alms \
given by the people of )Tj
T*
(Lampang. The image remained in Lampang for the next thirty-two years, re\
siding within a )Tj
T*
(temple that even today is referred to as the Phra Keo.[10])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(According dynastic chronicles of the Bangkok Era \(First Reign\), in the\
year of the Chula Era, A.)Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(D. 1468, a new ruler of Chieng Mai came to power. He believed that the p\
revious ruler should )Tj
T*
(not have allowed the Emerald Buddha to stay in Lampang. Diskul Subhadrad\
is confirms that )Tj
T*
("the Emerald Buddha was moved to Lampang from Chieng Mai in 1468."[11] T\
he Buddha was )Tj
T*
(brought in procession to Chieng Mai and set up in a wihan. The Chieng Ma\
i ruler ordered a )Tj
T*
(prasat \(spiral roof\) for the temple housing the Emerald Buddha, but af\
ter repeated lightning )Tj
T*
(strikes destroyed the roof, the idea was abandoned. Within the wat, the \
Emerald Buddha was )Tj
T*
(kept in a cabinet and was put on public display only occasionally. The E\
merald Buddha stayed in )Tj
T*
(Chieng Mai for eighty-four years. Flood writes:)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(In 1551 the ruler of Chieng Mai was Chao Chaiyasetthathirat, the son of \
the ruler \(Phra Chao )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Phothisan\) of Luang Prabang. The previous ruler of Chieng Mai gave his \
daughter, Nang )Tj
T*
(Yotkham, in Marriage to Phra Chao Phothisan. She became his consort and \
bore him a son Chao )Tj
T*
(Chaiyaset. When the latter was fifteen years of age, the ruler of Chieng\
Mai, his maternal )Tj
T*
(grandfather, passed away. There was no other descendant to succeed him. \
High-ranking officials )Tj
T*
(and Buddhist monks therefore agreed unanimously to offer the throne to C\
hao Chaiyaset, the )Tj
T*
(eldest son of Phra Chao Phothisan and the grandson of the late ruler of \
Chieng Mai. His name )Tj
T*
(was lengthened to Chao Chaiyasetthathirat.[12])Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(9 of 24\)7/17/2008 \
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
120 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 736.9226 Tm
(After Chaiyasetthathirat assumed rule of Chieng Mai, his father Phothisa\
n passed away in Luang )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Prabang. Concerned that if he attended his father's funeral, he might be\
prevented from )Tj
T*
(returning to Chieng Mai, Chaiyasetthathirat decided to take the Emerald \
Buddha with him to )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Luang Prabang. He also claimed that taking it to Luang would allow his r\
elatives the opportunity )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(to venerate the image and make merit.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The Chieng Mai chronicles record that Chaiyasetthathirat also decided to\
stay and rule Luang )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Prabang. The dynastic chronicles of the Bangkok era \(First Reign\) tell\
a slightly different story; )Tj
T*
(while there is no mention of Chaiyasetthathirat's rule of Luang Prabang,\
it is written that he was )Tj
T*
(on good terms with his half-brother and thus decided to stay in Luang Pr\
abang for three years, )Tj
T*
(discussing the division of their inheritance. It is also indicated that \
the officials of Chieng Mai )Tj
T*
(felt that Chaiyasetthathirat had stayed away too long.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Breazeale writes that these officials of Lanna \(Chieng Mai\) were no lo\
nger willing to wait for )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Chaiyasetthathirat, and sought found another descendant of Mangrai dynas\
ty to take the throne. )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(This Shan prince, known as Mae ku, was a distant relative of Chaiyasetth\
athirat. The Chieng Mai )Tj
T*
(chronicles again differ in their version of the story, recording that th\
e officials chose a Buddhist )Tj
T*
(monk called Mekuti, a relative of the late ruler of Chieng Mai. Yet neit\
her text mentions any )Tj
T*
(attempt by Chieng Mai to retrieve the Emerald Buddha from Luang Prabang.\
)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(In any case, Mekuti or Mae Ku may not have had an opportunity to do anyt\
hing. )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Chaiyasetthathirat came under serious threat of attack after the Burmese\
took Chieng Saen, )Tj
T*
(north-east of Chieng Mai, and Bayin-naung's forces gained the position t\
o make an armed attack )Tj
T*
(down the Mekong river. Thus, after twelve years in Luang Prabang, Chaiya\
setthathirat decided )Tj
T*
(to move his residence to Vientiane in the 1560's, taking the Emerald Bud\
dha with him. The )Tj
T*
(image stayed in Vientiane for two hundred and fifteen years until 1778. \
)Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Taksin and Chao Phya Chakri)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(Around the time the Burmese captured and pillaged Ayuddhya in 1767, a yo\
ung Siamese general )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(fled the capital with a few hundred followers. Scholars have speculated \
about the origins of this )Tj
T*
(Ayuddhya citizen, Taksin, who seems to have been born with the Chinese f\
amily name Sin, )Tj
T*
(which when was then extended to 'Taksin' when he served as governor of T\
ak.[13] As he traveled )Tj
T*
(south of the sacked city of Ayuddhya, Taksin was able to increase his fo\
llowing and go on the )Tj
T*
(offensive, routing the Burmese. Remarkably, within a short period of tim\
e Taksin had )Tj
T*
(reconstituted the kingdom and was crowned king in 1768. Indeed, during h\
is fifteen-year reign )Tj
T*
(of Siam, Taksin was able to both unite the kingdom and expand its territ\
orial claims.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(With Ayuddhya so thoroughly destroyed, Taksin set up his new capital of \
Thonburi on the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(western side of the Menam Chao Phya, south of Ayuddhya. While Taksin set\
about the task of )Tj
T*
(expanding his territory, one of his most accomplished generals also made\
a name for himself on )Tj
T*
(the battlefield. A long-time associate of Taksin's, Chao Phya Chakri was\
victorious in the )Tj
T*
(majority of his battle campaigns; one of his few defeats took place at P\
hitsanulok in 1776. Due to )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(10 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
121 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.0826 Tm
(famine and a lack of supplies, Chao Phya Chakri was forced to abandon Ph\
itsanulok to the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Burmese. According to W.A.R. Wood, )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(During this invasion Maha Sihasura expressed a desire to meet Chao Phya \
Chakri, whom he had )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(found to be the toughest of his antagonists. A meeting was arranged, and\
the Burmese General, )Tj
T*
(himself a very old man, was astonished to find that Chao Phya Chakri was\
only thirty-nine years )Tj
T*
(of age. Maha Sihasura prophesied that Chao Phya Chakri was destined to w\
ear the crown; a )Tj
T*
(prophecy which came true approximately six years later.[14])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(It should be noted that 'Chakri,' which designates the present dynasty, \
is a title rather than a )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(family name. The title Chao Phya Chakri is found at various times in the\
history of Thailand. It is )Tj
T*
(conferred upon a high-ranking military officer, who, upon accepting the \
title, will drop the name )Tj
T*
(given to him at birth. The Chao Phya Chakri who served King Taksin was o\
ne of King Taksin's )Tj
T*
(top military commanders. In 1778, he subdued Vientiane and removed the E\
merald Buddha )Tj
T*
(from Vientiane, taking it to Thonburi. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(When Taksin acquired the Emerald Buddha, he placed it in a building near\
the site of Wat Arun, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(an action that has, curiously, been overlooked by many historians. The E\
merald Buddha )Tj
T*
(remained in Thonburi until Taksin's death. Alleged to have become insane\
, Taksin was removed )Tj
T*
(as king and put to death by Chao Phra Chakri, who in turn ascended the t\
hrone. When Chao )Tj
T*
(Phra Chakri assumed the title Rama I, he moved the site of the capital a\
cross the Menam Chao )Tj
T*
(Phra to its present location in Bangkok. The Emerald Buddha also travele\
d across the river, very )Tj
T*
(likely accompanied with pomp and circumstance. To house the image, Rama \
I constructed Wat )Tj
T*
(Phra Keo.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(After Rama I's ascent to the throne in 1782, he proclaimed a celebration\
to mark the site of the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(new capital. The dynastic chronicles note that the three-day celebration\
and festival also )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(honored the Phra Sirattanasatsadaram Temple that housed the Emerald Budd\
ha. Flood )Tj
T*
(comments: )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(At the conclusion of the celebration, Rama I renamed the capital city to\
accommodate the name )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(of the Buddhist statue of Phra Phuttharattanpatimakon; Krungthepmahanakh\
on )Tj
T*
(Bawonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharattanaratchath\
aniburirom )Tj
T*
(Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphiman-awatansathit Sakkathattiyawisanukam\
prasit. This )Tj
T*
(was to be the capital city that housed the Buddhist statue Phra Mahamani\
rattanapatimakon, )Tj
T*
(made of the finest, most beautiful crystal. The statue indeed enhanced t\
he honor of the king, )Tj
T*
(who himself established this capital city of Krungthepmahanakhon.[15])Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Wat Phra Keo \(Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram\))Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(The temple of the Emerald Buddha known in Thai as Wat Phra Keo is the mo\
st famous and )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(perhaps the most beautiful wat in Thailand. The official name of Wat Phr\
a Keo is Phra Sri )Tj
T*
(Rattana Satsadaram, which translates into "the residence of the Holy Jew\
el Buddha." Wat Phra )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(11 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
122 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.8826 Tm
(Keo was built in 1784 by King Rama I and was constructed at the same tim\
e as the Grand Palace, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(which shares the grounds with Wat Phra Keo. Since its foundation in 1784\
, Wat Phra Keo has )Tj
T*
(never been allowed to fall into decay. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The bot, or chapel, of the Emerald Buddha contains three small chambers \
on the west, twelve )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(salas --four on the northern and southern sides and two on the eastern s\
ide and western sides. A )Tj
T*
(tower, or belfry, is located on the south end of the structure, and ther\
e is also a small bot on the )Tj
T*
(south-eastern corner next to the bot that houses the Emerald Buddha. The\
bot of the Emerald )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Buddha was constructed according to the standard plan of the majority of\
Thai temples but with )Tj
T*
(the specific purpose of housing the Emerald Buddha. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The image of the Emerald Buddha sits upon an elaborate multi-terraced al\
tar that is the focal )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(point within the bot. The upper part of the altar, which was built durin\
g the original construction )Tj
T*
(of the temple, rests upon a base added by King Rama III; on either side \
stand two images of the )Tj
T*
(Buddha, said to personify the first two kings of the Chakri dynasty.[16]\
)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The bot of the Emerald Buddha has not changed much since its constructio\
n, though its wood-)Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(work was replaced by King Rama III and King Chulalongkorn. The beautiful\
doors and windows )Tj
T*
(of the bot, as well as the copper plates that cover the floor, were inst\
alled during the reign of )Tj
T*
(King Mongkut. The wall paintings representing the universe according to \
Buddhist cosmology )Tj
T*
(and the various reliefs depicting the various stages of the Buddha's lif\
e were partly restored )Tj
T*
(under Rama III. The three chambers on the western side of the Bot were c\
onstructed by King )Tj
T*
(Mongkut. The northern most chamber \(Phra Kromanusorn\) contains images \
of Buddha in )Tj
T*
(remembrance of the kings of Ayuddhya, and the wall murals were painted b\
y In Khong, a )Tj
T*
(famous painter of the nineteenth century. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Perhaps due to their highly visible location at Wat Phra Keo, the best k\
nown Thai paintings are )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(of the Ramakien, the Thai version of the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana. Or\
iginating in India well )Tj
T*
(over 2,000 years ago, the Ramayana is a literary epic dealing with a rei\
ncarnation on earth of )Tj
T*
(Visnu, destined in his rebirth to rid the world of demons. The Ramakien \
was written during the )Tj
T*
(reign of Rama I \(1782-1809\). The 178 mural panels depicting the Ramaki\
en at the Temple of the )Tj
T*
(Emerald Buddha were also created during Rama I's reign and have received\
extensive )Tj
T*
(restoration up to the present time. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(While elaborate and colorful, the Ramakien murals also serve a didactic \
purpose, exemplifying )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(virtues such as honesty, faith, and devotion. The story relates how the \
king of Ayuddhya, beset )Tj
T*
(by the intrigues of one of his wives, banishes his son Rama to the fores\
t. Rama is the )Tj
T*
(reincarnation of Visnu on earth, and his beautiful wife Sita is the rein\
carnation of the goddess )Tj
T*
(Lakshmi. The beauty of Sita comes to the attention of the ruler of Langk\
a \(Sri Lanka\), the great )Tj
T*
(demon Ravana or Tosakan. He kidnaps Sita and Rama, along with his brothe\
r Laksmana, must )Tj
T*
(call upon Hanuman the White Monkey to help free Sita. In their devotion \
to Rama, Hanuman )Tj
T*
(and his monkey army agree to attack Langka. It is also Hanuman who ultim\
ately discovers and )Tj
T*
(destroys Ravana's key to immortality by removing Ravana's heart from a b\
ox and allowing Rama )Tj
T*
(to kill the demon. )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(12 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
123 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 737.4026 Tm
(Hanuman's loyalty is rewarded by Rama who builds a city in Hanuman's hon\
or. According to the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Ramakien, the site of Hanuman's new city was decided by the landing plac\
e of a magic arrow )Tj
T*
(fired by Rama, and the boundaries of the town were determined by the cir\
cumference made by )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Hanuman's tail. According to Rita Ringus, Hanuman was reward with the ci\
ty of Lopburi.[17] )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Today, Lopburi is the site of a festival honoring the monkeys residing a\
t an old Khmer temple. )Tj
T*
(Each year, these monkeys receive a bountiful buffet of fruits and vegeta\
bles. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(After fourteen years of captivity in Langka, Sita was forced to prove he\
r chastity through an )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(ordeal by fire, in which she completed unharmed. Yet Rama remained uncon\
vinced of his wife )Tj
T*
(fidelity, and his suspicions were reinforced when he found a drawing of \
Ravana beneath Sita's )Tj
T*
(bed. Rama's anger forced Sita to move to the forest where she gives birt\
h to Rama's son. In )Tj
T*
(succeeding years, Rama and his son, unaware of their relationship to eac\
h other, battled for )Tj
T*
(control of the kingdom. In time, a recognition and understanding occurre\
d, and father, mother, )Tj
T*
(and son were finally united to live happily in Ayuddhya.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The story of the Ramakien is an elaborate and important part of the art-\
works displayed at Wat )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Phra Keo. While the origin of the Ramakien is Indian, the story has been\
assimilated by the Thai, )Tj
T*
(and is known by the majority of the people of Thailand. Along with other\
works of art, the )Tj
T*
(presence of the Ramakien murals reinforce the importance and meanings as\
sociated with the )Tj
T*
(Emerald Buddha, which watches over all things associated with being Thai\
.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Continuing with the description of the bot of the Emerald Buddha, Rama I\
also placed twelve )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(salas around the bot. Each contains fascinating remains brought from var\
ious regions, such as )Tj
T*
(Cambodia and Java. Indeed, it was within one of these salas that the fam\
ous inscription of )Tj
T*
(Ramkamhaeng resided, until it was moved to the National Library in 1924.\
[18])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(A sala on the western side of the bot contains an important bronze image\
of a rusi, or hermit, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(said to have the power to healing the sick. The small chapel on the sout\
hwestern corner \(Phra )Tj
T*
(Gandhararaj\) and the high belfry were both built during the reign of Ki\
ng Mongkut.[19] The )Tj
T*
(buildings on the platform to the north of the Bot are occupied by a libr\
ary and another small )Tj
T*
(chapel in the northwest corner. The focus of this northern collection of\
structures is the )Tj
T*
(Mahamandapa, a square pavilion erected by Rama I on the site of the anci\
ent library, which was )Tj
T*
(destroyed by fire upon its completion. This pavilion was built for the p\
urpose of housing sacred )Tj
T*
(scriptures and was restored by King Mongkut. The platform or terrace upo\
n it which it stands )Tj
T*
(was enlarged by King Mongkut. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(At the same time, Mongkut also constructed the stupa Phra Sri Ratanachet\
iya, the building of )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(which was completed by King Chulalongkorn, who adorned it with gold-colo\
red tiles.[20] Also )Tj
T*
(begun in 1855, the pantheon was originally planned as a special chapel f\
or the Emerald Buddha )Tj
T*
(but was later found to be too small for ceremonial purposes. Notton comm\
ents that the )Tj
T*
(pantheon was renewed in 1903 after it had been partly destroyed by fire.\
During the reign of )Tj
T*
(Rama VI, the king placed statues of his five ancestors in the pantheon t\
o be worshipped at )Tj
T*
(certain times of the year.)Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(13 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
124 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 737.2426 Tm
(On the northern part of the terrace is a model of Angkor Wat that was be\
gun by King Mongkut )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(and completed by King Chulalongkorn. In the northeastern corner of the c\
ourtyard, the library, )Tj
T*
(with its beautiful exterior and elaborate interior, was built by Rama I \
for storing sacred books. )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(The magnificent bookcases of the library were made of lacquered wood inl\
aid with mother-of-)Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(pearl, at the request of Rama I.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Besides all the structures that compliment Wat Phra Keo, there are also \
several guardian figures )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(of more recent workmanship, bronze images of lions, elephants, oxen and \
monkeys. The nine )Tj
T*
(towers standing in a row on the eastern side of the temple ground were e\
rected by Rama I. The )Tj
T*
(colors of the glazed tiles with which they are covered are different for\
each tower and correspond )Tj
T*
(with the colors of the nine planets. Wat Phra Keo is clearly an appropri\
ate showcase for the )Tj
T*
(palladium of Thai society.)Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Description of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(The Emerald Buddha sits in the virasana position, a Yogic common meditat\
ion position for )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(seated Buddha images in most of Thailand. Dorothy Fickle notes that "esp\
ecially in southern )Tj
T*
(India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, including Thailand, the right leg m\
erely lies on top of the )Tj
T*
(left leg in the 'hero pose' or virasana."[21] This contrasts with the 'a\
damantine' pose in which the )Tj
T*
(legs are fully crossed, with each foot resting on the opposite thigh. Th\
e Emerald Buddha itself )Tj
T*
(sits under a canopy on a high-tiered pedestal decorated with gold leaf.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The Emerald Buddha is 66 centimeters high, and its lap measures 48.3 cen\
timeters.[22] The )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(image has a round based, top-knot which is smooth, terminating in a dull\
ed point marking the )Tj
T*
(top of the image. The face of the Emerald Buddha has a gold third eye in\
set above its )Tj
T*
(pronounced eyebrows. The eyes of the image are cast downward giving the \
image a placid )Tj
T*
(appearance. The nose and mouth are small, and the mouth is closed. The e\
ars are elongated, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(indicating the figure's divine status. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The torso of the image sits in an upright posture with smooth, rounded s\
houlders, an )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(unpronounced chest, and a slightly protruding belly. The torso also appe\
ars to wear 'wet' )Tj
T*
(drapery, with the robe clinging smoothly to it. The elbows of the statue\
almost rest on the thighs. )Tj
T*
(The hands rest on the lap with the up-ward facing right palm resting in \
the palm of the left hand. )Tj
T*
(This is the Dhyanamudra position indicating the 'Buddha of the West'. Th\
e Emerald Buddha was )Tj
T*
(carved resting upon a platform, while this base itself rests on a gold l\
otus blossom.)Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Craftsmanship and Other Aspects)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(According to Hiram Woodward, the Emerald Buddha is an aerial image, asso\
ciated with Indra's )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(heaven.[23] The image has sometimes been linked to the Phra Sihing Buddh\
a, which is a )Tj
T*
('watery' image of Sri Lanka origin. It is possible that the Emerald Budd\
ha was crafted in Sri )Tj
T*
(Lanka, however, most art historians point to other locations of origin, \
with no general )Tj
T*
(agreement.)Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(14 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
125 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 739.385 Tm
(31 Sombot Phlainoi, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Tamnan Phra Chaiyawat Lae Phra Kaeo Pracham Ratchakan)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Bangkok: )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Chomrom Bamrung Bandit: Ruam San phuthaenchamnai, 1985\), 91.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(32 H. G. Quaritch Wales, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Siamese State Ceremonies: Their History and Function)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Richmond: )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Curzon Press, 1992\), 36.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(33 Wells 243.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(34 Wales 89-90.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(35 Wales 193.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(36 Kobkua Suwannathat-Pian, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Thailand's Durable Premier; Phibun through Three Decades )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(1932-1957)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1995\), 3.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(37 Judith A. Stowe, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Siam becomes Thailand)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1991\), 228.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(38 Stowe 228-229.)Tj
T*
(39 Stowe 283.)Tj
T*
(40 Stowe 228-229.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(41 Elliott Kulick & Dick Wilson, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Thailand's Turn)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992\), 8. )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(24 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
126 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 732.8083 Tm
(Speculation on the craftsmanship has stirred controversy in the past. Ki\
ng Mongkut issued a )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(declaration that the Emerald Buddha was made of jade and concluded from \
this that the stone )Tj
T*
(used for the image had been brought from China. Challenging King Mongkut\
's interpretation )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(has proved unpopular. For example, when one art historian contended that\
two famous Thai )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Buddha images, Phra Sihing Buddha and the Emerald Buddha, "were not as c\
ommonly thought, )Tj
T*
(from India but were locally made," he was strongly criticized for causin\
g confusion and )Tj
T*
(undermining the fame and authenticity of the images.[24] )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Surprisingly, Subhadradis does not provide an illustration of the Emeral\
d Buddha and says )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(nothing of its origins in his text on the subject. The renowned scholar \
of Thai art, Hiram )Tj
T*
(Woodward, also makes no stylistic observations about the Emerald Buddha \
in his 1997 study. )Tj
T*
(Lingat ascribes the image to the Chieng Saen School of the late fourteen\
th century and suggests )Tj
T*
(that it may have been hewn out of a stone found in the Nan province, whi\
ch has been analyzed )Tj
T*
(as a variety of quartz.[25] Le May also feels that the Emerald Buddha is\
clearly of local )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(manufacture and probably belongs, as Lingat suggests, to the Chieng Saen\
School.[26] Le May )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(states that he is familiar with the greenish stone found in the Nan regi\
on, attributing his )Tj
T*
(knowledge to the stone Buddha images available for purchase at local mar\
kets.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Basing his argument on stylistic grounds, Jean Boisselier contends that \
the image was probably )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(not carved in Lanna. He notes that according to one tradition it arrived\
from Sri Lanka, while )Tj
T*
(another says it came from South India. Yet, says Boisselier, art histori\
ans are not in the position )Tj
T*
(to draw any definite conclusions about such an origin.[27] He believes t\
hat the Emerald Buddha )Tj
T*
(is probably made of jasper, which is not a gem stone and which usually a\
ppears in the colors red, )Tj
T*
(yellow or brown. It is worth noting, however, that the color green does \
not seem to be a feature )Tj
T*
(of jasper. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Both Chieng Rai and Chieng Mai are along the trail that led from the Sal\
ween estuary into south-)Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(west Yunnan Province in China. Breazeale notes that the overland trade a\
long this trail is very )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(old and presumably pre-dates the founding of Chieng Rai. Despite some ra\
pids, Chieng Mai was )Tj
T*
(a relatively easy contact down-river with the gulf. Given these geograph\
ical links and the )Tj
T*
(established fact that Chinese-style celadons were produced in the Sukhot\
ai kingdom, Breazeale )Tj
T*
(feels it is not inconceivable that the stone used to create the Emerald \
Buddha was brought to )Tj
T*
(Lanna from a quarry in China or South Asia and that the sculptor likewis\
e came from elsewhere. )Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(The Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(In Thailand, images of the Buddha, particularly stone or gem images, hav\
e long been associated )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(with having special powers. Buddha images have also long served as objec\
ts of veneration and )Tj
T*
(worship. They appear on small tables and altars in homes, schools, and t\
emples; they are found )Tj
T*
(in police courts where people are required to take oaths; various organi\
zations make their )Tj
T*
(pledges before them; and they appear in the committee rooms of provincia\
l capitals where )Tj
T*
(officials gather for services on national holidays. Kenneth Wells points\
out that "whenever a )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(15 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
127 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.8826 Tm
(chapter of monks performs a ceremony, as at a funeral of an important pe\
rson or laying a )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(cornerstone of a great building, an image of the Buddha is usually prese\
nt and a sacred sincana )Tj
T*
(cord is often attached and held by chanting monks."[28])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Images of the Buddha are brought out from their respective sites, to be \
carried in procession at )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(times of drought. At Wat Si Ubon Rattanaram in Northern Thailand there i\
s a priceless topaz )Tj
T*
(Buddha image the size of a small table lamp which is used on occasion fo\
r a rain-making )Tj
T*
(ceremony. Chieng Mai also houses two small images believed to possess ra\
in-making powers. )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(One of these Buddha images is made of quartz crystal and the other is ma\
de of grey stone said to )Tj
T*
(be of Indian craftsmanship.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Buddha images were also brought out in procession during times of plague\
or epidemics. The )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Emerald Buddha itself has served to ward off the effects of epidemics. I\
n the cholera epidemic of )Tj
T*
(1820, for example, the Emerald Buddha was taken from Wat Phra Keo and ca\
rried throughout )Tj
T*
(Bangkok in both land and canal processions. Lingat notes that the 1820 e\
pidemic was the worst )Tj
T*
(in the history of Siam:)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Corpses which there was no time to burn were heaped up in the monastery \
'like stacks of timber' )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(or else left to float about in the river and the canals. The people fled\
in a panic from the capital; )Tj
T*
(the monks deserted the monasteries, and the whole machinery of governmen\
t was at a standstill. )Tj
T*
(The king even released the royal guard from their duties in the palace. \
There were great )Tj
T*
(ceremonies of propitiation; the Emerald Buddha and the precious relics k\
ept in the monasteries )Tj
T*
(were taken out in procession through the streets, and on the canals of t\
he city, attended by high )Tj
T*
(dignitaries of the Church who scattered consecrated sand and water. The \
king and the members )Tj
T*
(of the royal family maintained a rigorous fast. The slaughter of animals\
was completely )Tj
T*
(forbidden, and the king caused all supplies of fish, bipeds, and quadrup\
eds, offered for sale, to )Tj
T*
(be bought up in order that they might be liberated. All criminals, excep\
t the Burmese prisoners )Tj
T*
(of war, were released from prison. The scourge abated at last after taki\
ng 30,000 victims within )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(a few months. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Rama IV brought an end to the custom of removing the Emerald Buddha duri\
ng times of )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(epidemic for fear that it could suffer damage Also, Rama IV hoped that p\
eople would realize that )Tj
T*
(diseases are caused by germs, not by evil spirits or the displeasure of \
the Buddha. After that )Tj
T*
(point in history, a sacred cord was attached to the image so that ceremo\
nies could take place )Tj
T*
(outside of the temple on its behalf, without moving the image. By contra\
st, the Phra Sihing )Tj
T*
(Buddha image, which is today located in the Buddhaisawan Chapel near the\
National Museum )Tj
T*
(in Bangkok, is still removed from its site for short periods of time. Du\
ring the Songkran festival )Tj
T*
(in April, the Phra Sihing Buddha is taken out onto the Promenade Ground \
in front of the )Tj
T*
(museum, where worshippers can sprinkle it with a few drops of water as a\
merit-making gesture.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Chao Phra Chakri is believed to have collected over twelve hundred Buddh\
a images from around )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(the country while serving under King Taksin. These images were brought t\
o Bangkok and )Tj
T*
(installed in temples that were built when Chao Phra Chakri ascended the \
throne. After being )Tj
T*
(crowned Rama I, the new king installed a regnal image at the Royal Chape\
l, The Phra Chai )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(16 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
128 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.8826 Tm
(Buddha. Seated on an elaborate pedestal beneath a five-tiered umbrella, \
this 'Lord of Victory' )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(image is depicted in 'the touching the earth' mudra and holds a fan befo\
re his face, which, as )Tj
T*
(Dorothy Fickle points out, suggests the manner of a monk in Thai society\
.[29] The function of )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(the Phra Chai image was to ensure victory in the field of battle for the\
ruler, thus it accompanied )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(the king on all his military excursions.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(It is believed that the older the image is, the more potent its power. I\
n a temple containing )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(several Buddha images, one or two in particular may be venerated for the\
ir unusual powers. )Tj
T*
(Consecrated images are also believed to possess nana, or knowledge, whic\
h leads to release or )Tj
T*
(transformation, and some images are even believed to have certain likes \
and dislikes. For )Tj
T*
(example, the Phra Bang Buddha image was believed to have caused a series\
of disasters while it )Tj
T*
(remained in the same city as the Emerald Buddha, and for this reason, Ra\
ma I finally returned it )Tj
T*
(to Vientiane in 1782. In similar fashion, when the Phra Jinasi Buddha wa\
s removed from )Tj
T*
(Pitsanulok and brought to Bangkok, the city suffered a three-year drough\
t and the government )Tj
T*
(official in charge of the image took ill and died.[30])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(According to Sombot Phlainoi, the first six kings of the Chakri dynasty \
had their own regnal )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(crystal Buddha images.[31] The practice of creating regnal images was di\
scontinued when Rama )Tj
T*
(VII died before his own consecration. It is still taboo to inquire after\
the king's health, and in the )Tj
T*
(past, it was even forbidden to allude directly to the death of a king. T\
hus the term used to )Tj
T*
(express this event is satec svargagata, 'to migrate to heaven.'[32])Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Ritual Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(While many ceremonies are performed throughout the year on the grounds o\
f the Grand Palace, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(which encloses Wat Phra Keo, most of these only briefly acknowledge the \
presence of the )Tj
T*
(Emerald Buddha. One such ceremony is Chakri Day, which allegedly began A\
pril 6, 1782. On )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(this national holiday honoring the founding of the Chakri dynasty, the k\
ing takes a leading part )Tj
T*
(in the ceremony. Rama IX, the present king of the Chakri dynasty is acco\
mpanied by the Queen, )Tj
T*
(members of the royal family, the Premier, and officials in the Ministry \
of Defense and other )Tj
T*
(government departments. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(According to Kenneth Wells, the king and queen first pay homage to the E\
merald Buddha, the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(palladium of the Chakri dynasty, in Wat Phra Keo. They then visit the pa\
ntheon, also on the )Tj
T*
(grounds of the Grand Palace. It is at the pantheon where both the king a\
nd queen pay their )Tj
T*
(respects to the images of previous Chakri rulers that have been enshrine\
d there. Opened to the )Tj
T*
(public only during the annual Chakri day commemoration, the small buildi\
ng is thronged by )Tj
T*
(visitors throughout this day.[33] )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Next, the Royal family stops at the statue of Rama I to pay their respec\
ts and lead a procession of )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(dignitaries who leave wreaths at the site. The ceremony closes with the \
king lighting candles and )Tj
T*
(paying homage to Buddha and his ancestors.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Quaritch Wales also notes a brief appearance by the Emerald Buddha in th\
e coronation )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(17 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
129 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 751.5854 Tm
(ceremony. As part of his description of the coronation of Rama VI \(King\
Prajadhipok\), Wales )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(records the Acceptance of the Headship of the Buddhist Religion:)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(During the coronation ceremony the king is carried in procession to the \
Chapel Royal \(Wat Phra )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Keo\). He wore a Great Crown while seated on the palanquin, but when on \
foot before mounting )Tj
T*
(the palanquin, after leaving it, and while on his way to enter the Templ\
e of the Emerald Buddha, )Tj
T*
(he wore a Royal Hat. On entering the Chapel Royal the king made offering\
s of gold and silver )Tj
T*
(flowers and lit candles before the Emerald Buddha and the images of Budd\
ha representing the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(earlier kings of the dynasty. Then in full congregation of the higher cl\
ergy of the kingdom, he )Tj
T*
(made a formal declaration of his religion and his willingness to become \
Defender of the Faith.)Tj
T*
([34])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The coronation ceremony was last performed by King Rama IX upon his asse\
nt to the throne. It )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(is one of many ceremonies in which the king pays homage to the Emerald B\
uddha; however, )Tj
T*
(today the number of times a king takes part in ceremonies that require h\
omage to the Emerald )Tj
T*
(Buddha has been reduced.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The Oath of Allegiance or the Drinking Water of Allegiance, in which the\
Emerald Buddha and )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(other relics were honored, was once of great importance to the absolute \
monarchy.[35] But after )Tj
T*
(the absolute monarchy was dissolved in 1932, this ceremony was no longer\
performed, having )Tj
T*
(been replaced by Constitution Day. The Ceremony of the Expulsion of Dise\
ase was also ended by )Tj
T*
(Rama IV after the cholera epidemic of 1820, thus eliminating its use in \
the future.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Today the most significant ceremony associated with the Emerald Buddha t\
akes place three )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(times a year. The king climbs up behind the grand pedestal that supports\
the Emerald Buddha )Tj
T*
(and cleans the image by wiping away any dust that has collected and chan\
ging the headdress of )Tj
T*
(the image. One of the king's royal attendants then ascends and changes t\
he elaborate garments )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(of the image while the king worships in silent prayer. As the designated\
Protector of the Faith, )Tj
T*
(the king is the highest master of ceremonies for all Buddhist rites. Cur\
rently this distinction falls )Tj
T*
(on Rama IX whose search for the meaning of life begins and ends within t\
he power and )Tj
T*
(influence of the charmed circle of the Emerald Buddha. The Emerald Buddh\
a goes through this )Tj
T*
(ceremony in March, the hot season, July. the rainy season, and November,\
the cool season. )Tj
T*
(Rama I introduced the ceremonies marking the change of seasons as well a\
s providing the )Tj
T*
(garments in which the Emerald Buddha is dressed. However, he only introd\
uced the ceremony )Tj
T*
(for the hot season and the rainy season. Rama III \(King Chulalongkorn\)\
introduced the )Tj
T*
(ceremony for the cool season during his reign. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The hot season costume includes a pointed crown of gold and jewels, and \
a set of jeweled )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(ornaments that are banded at various points on the body from the shoulde\
rs to the ankles. The )Tj
T*
(rainy season costume is marked with a flaming top-knot headdress made of\
gold, enamel and )Tj
T*
(sapphires. The gold robe is decorated with rubies and arranged with the \
robe draping over the )Tj
T*
(left shoulder only, leaving the right shoulder bare. From the waist of t\
he image down to the )Tj
T*
(ankles, the image is covered with gold garments. The costume for the coo\
l season introduced by )Tj
T*
(Rama III is a mesh robe or covering made of gold beads. This elaborate g\
arment covers the )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(18 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
130 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.5626 Tm
(entire body of the Emerald Buddha from the neck down and is draped like \
a poncho.)Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Political Significance)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(The Emerald Buddha's mystical origins, its desirability by past rulers s\
eeking to legitimize )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(power, and the powers attributed to older Buddha images, have all allowe\
d the Emerald Buddha )Tj
T*
(to become a potent religio-political symbol and the palladium of Thai so\
ciety. The Emerald )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Buddha also serves to legitimize the power of the Chakri dynasty as well\
as its present king. The )Tj
T*
(current king of Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, has recently celebrat\
ed the fiftieth year of )Tj
T*
(his reign. His legitimacy is reflected in his ability to defuse major cr\
ises in his country. In the )Tj
T*
(recent past, the king has intervened to end crises between the military \
and students in October )Tj
T*
(1973, and most recently, in May 1992. Near the end of that May, the king\
ordered General )Tj
T*
(Suchinda crawl on his knees in front of him, the media, and all the worl\
d, to shame Suchinda )Tj
T*
(publicly. Broadcast over international television, this dramatic disgrac\
ing of an important )Tj
T*
(military leader allowed the rest of the word to see the immense power th\
e king of Thailand is still )Tj
T*
(able to yield.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Although the king does not have any political or administrative power un\
der the system of )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(constitutional monarchy, his role in times of political crises has been \
crucial. The Thai people )Tj
T*
(view him as a sacred and spiritual leader who serves as a symbol of unit\
y. Because of this, the )Tj
T*
(monarch remains above all conflicting political groups. Support from the\
monarchy remains an )Tj
T*
(indispensable source of political legitimacy. A political leader or regi\
me, even a popularly-)Tj
T*
(elected government, cannot be truly legitimized without the king's bless\
ing. The king is the )Tj
T*
(caretaker of the Emerald Buddha, and the possession of the image itself \
symbolizes the )Tj
T*
(legitimacy of the king. In turn, the Emerald Buddha brings prosperity to\
the land in which it is )Tj
T*
(kept. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The legitimacy of power through the possession of the Emerald Buddha has\
not always been in )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(the hands of the Chakri dynasty. When Prince Mahidol was out of the coun\
try there was no one )Tj
T*
(to assume the role of King of Thailand, and in 1932, the monarchy lost i\
ts governing role in a )Tj
T*
(coup d'\351tat. A short time later, a youthful military leader gained th\
e position as premier from )Tj
T*
(Phraya Phahon. In 1938, Phibun Songkran was selected by the National Ass\
embly to succeed )Tj
T*
(Phahon. He held both the premiership and the post of Commander-in-Chief \
of the Army, and in )Tj
T*
(1941 assumed the role of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. As a rew\
ard for winning )Tj
T*
(the Indo-Chinese War against the French, Phibun was conferred the rank o\
f field marshal in )Tj
T*
(July 1941; he thus reached the summit of his military career at the rela\
tively young age of forty-)Tj
T*
(four.[36])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(At the beginning of World War II, Phibun believed that Japan would emerg\
e victorious at war's )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(end. Thus, on December 14, 1942, he signed a secret agreement with the J\
apanese, committing )Tj
T*
(Thai troops to Burma.[37] Judith Stowe writes that on December 21, matte\
rs were taken a step )Tj
T*
(further by the conclusion of a formal treaty of alliance between the two\
Buddhist countries: "To )Tj
T*
(emphasize its solemn and binding nature, the treaty was signed by Phibun\
and Tsubokami in )Tj
T*
(front of the Emerald Buddha, considered the most sacred object in the wh\
ole of Thailand."[38])Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(19 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
131 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 737.0826 Tm
(By 1944, Phibun's campaign to urge people in Bangkok to leave the area d\
rew suspicions that )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Phibun was deliberately abandoning the capital founded by the Chakri dyn\
asty to promote his )Tj
T*
(own royal ambitions. Indeed, Phibun drew up bills to have the capital mo\
ved to Petchaboon and )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(construct a new Buddhist city at Saraburi, the place of his birth. Yet g\
overnment officials were )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(reluctant to move to Petchaboon because of its lack of infrastructure. E\
lectricity, potable water )Tj
T*
(supplies, stores, and telephones were non-existent, and the road to the \
site was still unfinished. )Tj
T*
(According to Stowe, "The valley up which Petchaboon was situated was so \
insalubrious and )Tj
T*
(inhospitable that thousands of conscript workers were dying of malaria, \
inadequate health care, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(and lack of food."[39] Yet Phibun remained undaunted by the mounting pro\
blems and loss of )Tj
T*
(human life attributed to his project. He ordered the removal of all roya\
l and national treasures to )Tj
T*
(Petchaboon and the building of a grandiose new temple to house the Emera\
ld Buddha. As Stowe )Tj
T*
(notes, )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(To set the seal on these developments, Phibun intended to visit Petchabo\
on on April 23,1944, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(with the Supreme Patriarch of the Buddhist Sangha for the ceremonial lay\
ing of the cornerstone )Tj
T*
(of the new capital. But when the news of these plans was broadcast, it e\
voked comment from a )Tj
T*
(Thai-language radio station based in India, which led Phibun to fear tha\
t the ceremony would be )Tj
T*
(disrupted by an Allied bombing raid.[40])Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(In July of 1944, Phibun's bills for the construction of Saraburi were th\
rown out. Perhaps the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Emerald Buddha had no plans of leaving Bangkok for the mosquito-infested\
land of Petchaboon. )Tj
T*
(Yet Phibun managed to keep his colorful career going until 1957 with his\
once great ambitions )Tj
T*
(kept to himself.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(On February 23, 1991, the National Peace-Keeping Council announced the t\
otal seizure of power )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(by the armed forces. Martial law was declared by Generals Sunthorn and S\
uchinda. The two )Tj
T*
(generals flew to Chieng Mai to meet with the king and to gain his blessi\
ng for their new )Tj
T*
(government. Rama IX granted the generals royal amnesty and endorsed thei\
r new government. )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(The king's endorsement fended off any possible student protest and reass\
ured foreign opinion. )Tj
T*
(Elliott Kulick & Dick Wilson write that "over the next hours the final b\
lessing came from the )Tj
T*
(Supreme Patriarch of the Buddhist sangha, after which the two generals d\
onned full dress )Tj
T*
(uniform to go to the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha."\
[41] At Wat Phra Keo )Tj
T*
(the two generals paid ceremonial respect to the Emerald Buddha, seeking \
final legitimacy for )Tj
T*
(their fledgling government. In the presence of the Emerald Buddha each g\
eneral swore to )Tj
T*
(administer the Thai nation honestly and justly, for the well-being of th\
e people of Thailand. The )Tj
T*
(present government under Chuan Leekpai has also called upon the Emerald \
Buddha in the hope )Tj
T*
(of raising the country out of its economic crisis and ensuring the stabi\
lity of the new regime.)Tj
/T1_1 1 Tf
0 -2.526 TD
(Conclusion)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
0 -2.589 TD
(The palladium of Thai society continues to watch over the country. Perha\
ps in time the Emerald )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Buddha's mythical past will share more of its secrets. Interest amongst \
western scholars in the )Tj
T*
(history of the Emerald Buddha seems to have peaked in the late 1920's an\
d early 1930's. Much of )Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(20 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
132 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.8826 Tm
(what we do know about the Emerald Buddha comes from Western government o\
fficials who )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(took an interest in the history and culture of Thailand during their res\
pective tours of duty. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The various annals or chronicles that speak of the creation and mystical\
travels of the Emerald )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Buddha have been found in the neighboring regions of present day Thailan\
d. The presence of so )Tj
T*
(many chronicles seems to indicate that there once was an original docume\
nt from which the rest )Tj
T*
(of the annals were created. It is possible that the Emerald Buddha, maki\
ng its grand entrance in )Tj
T*
(Chieng Rai, is a reproduction of a now lost version of the Emerald Buddh\
a. For that matter, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(perhaps it is the great Buddha image that visited "five lands," as predi\
cted by Nagasena. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The power of the Emerald Buddha seems to predate its discovery in Chieng\
Rai, making it a )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(much coveted image among those who would count themselves as 'men of pro\
wess' following its )Tj
T*
(discovery. The Emerald Buddha was more than a mere spoil of battle. Alon\
g the its journey, the )Tj
T*
(image gained fame for its power to bring prosperity to the kings and cap\
itals in which it resided. )Tj
T*
(Possession of the image gave and still gives legitimacy to those in powe\
r. The arrival of the )Tj
T*
(Emerald Buddha to Bangkok marked the beginning of the rise of the Chakri\
dynasty. By taking )Tj
T*
(the image across the Menam Chao Phra and building a temple to house it, \
Rama I validated )Tj
T*
(himself as king and created the current capital of the country.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(Speculation continues about the origin of the stone used and the craftsm\
anship of the Emerald )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Buddha, but the creation of images such as the Emerald Buddha do not rev\
eal the artists behind )Tj
T*
(the image. It seems common practice for the creators of Buddha images no\
t to inscribe their )Tj
T*
(identities, choosing instead to remain anonymous. The stone used could b\
e traced to many )Tj
T*
(regions, with some art historians believing that the stone and it manufa\
cture were of local origin )Tj
T*
(in northern Thailand. Some scholars have dated the iconography of the Em\
erald Buddha to the )Tj
T*
(Chieng Saen period. Placing the stone in an earlier era and noting the l\
ess than gem-like )Tj
T*
(qualities of the stone has created controversy in the past. Art historia\
ns studying the image have )Tj
T*
(occasionally received a strong rebuke from those in high places in Thail\
and. It is important to )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(note that none of these scholars has ever had a close look at the image,\
their ideas should )Tj
T*
(therefore be received with reservation.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(The magical powers linked with the Emerald Buddha have in the past been \
associated with the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(purging of evil spirits and disease. While no longer paraded in the stre\
ets, the image continues to )Tj
T*
(be associated with the welfare of the country. Magical powers are also a\
ttributed to many )Tj
T*
(Buddha images kept in Thailand. One of the more common powers associated\
with Buddha )Tj
T*
(images is the ability to conjure up the rains in times of drought. )Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(In recent times the Chakri dynasty has not been alone in seeking legitim\
acy through the Emerald )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Buddha. After 1932, when the monarchy was reduced to constitutional stat\
us, the many )Tj
T*
(premiers who have sought political office have also gone to the Chapel R\
oyal to gain symbolic )Tj
T*
(legitimacy from the Emerald Buddha. During World War II, Phibun Songkram\
came very close )Tj
T*
(to moving the Emerald Buddha away from the present capital to a new capi\
tal at Saraburi, his )Tj
T*
(birthplace.)Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(21 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
133 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 753.7226 Tm
(Last year Rama IX celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his ascent to t\
he throne. To mark the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(grand occasion, he was given a quartz crystal image of the Buddha. Rama \
IX's long career of )Tj
T*
(meritorious works and defusing volatile situations in his country has st\
rengthened his status as )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(well as increased the potency and power of the Emerald Buddha. The Emera\
ld Buddha is the )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(protector of the country, its significance resting upon its long history\
and Nagasena's prediction )Tj
T*
(that it would bring prosperity and preeminence to each country in which \
it resides.)Tj
ET
0.5 0.5 0.5 rg
14.571 640.949 m
14.571 642.891 l
597.429 642.891 l
596.457 641.92 l
15.543 641.92 l
15.543 641.92 l
h
f
0.875 0.875 0.875 rg
597.429 642.891 m
597.429 640.949 l
14.571 640.949 l
15.543 641.92 l
596.457 641.92 l
596.457 641.92 l
h
f
0 0 0 rg
BT
/T1_1 1 Tf
15.6923 0 0 15.6923 14.5714 601.9416 Tm
(Notes)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 566.0552 Tm
(1 Marian Davies Toth, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Tales from Thailand)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Tokyo: Tuttle Company, 1982\), 123.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(2 Personal communication, Kennon Breazeale.)Tj
T*
(3 Camille Notton, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(The Chronicle of The Emerald Buddha)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Bangkok: Bangkok Times Press, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(1933\), 18.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(4 Karen Schur Narula, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Voyage of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(1994\), 26.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(5 Narula 36-37.)Tj
T*
(6 )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Emerald Buddha, Seat of the Center of Earth)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
(, Directed by Timor Somogyi, Princeton: Films )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(for the Humanities & Sciences, 1995.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(7 Narula 55.)Tj
T*
(8 Personal communication with Dr. Breazeale.)Tj
T*
(9 Thadeus and Chadin Flood, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(The Dynastic Chronicles Bangkok Era the First Reign)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Tokyo: )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(The Centre for East Asian Cultural Studies, 1978\), 66.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(10 Flood 66.)Tj
T*
(11 Diskul Subhadradis, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(The History of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
(, \(Bangkok: Bureau of )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(the Royal Household, 1982\), 18.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(12 Flood 67.)Tj
T*
(13 James Basche, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Thailand: Land of the Free)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
(, \(New York: Caplinger Publishing Co., Inc., 1971\), )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(23.)Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(22 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
134 0 obj<>stream
/Artifact <>BDC
0 0 0 rg
0 i
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
0 Tc 0 Tw 0 Ts 100 Tz 0 Tr 8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 780.3651 Tm
(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
ET
EMC
/Article <>BDC
q
0 18 612 756 re
W* n
BT
/TT0 1 Tf
13.6 0 0 13.6 14.5714 746.759 Tm
(14 W. A. R. Wood, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(A History of Siam)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
(, \(Bangkok: 1924\), 266.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(15 Flood 85.)Tj
T*
(16 Camille 3.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(17 Rita Ringis, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Thai Temples and Temple Murals)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
(, \(Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1990\), )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(151.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(18 Camille 3.)Tj
T*
(19 Camille 3.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(20 Camille 4.)Tj
T*
(21 Dorothy H. Fickle, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Images of the Buddha in Thailand)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Singapore: Oxford University Press, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(1989\), 8.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(22 Abha Bhamorabutr, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(The Grand Palace and The Temple of the Emerald Buddha)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Bangkok: )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Department of Corrections Press, 1984\), 42.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(23 Hiram W. Woodward, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(The Sacred Sculpture of Thailand)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Baltimore: The Walters Art Gallery, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(1997\), 24.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(24 Thongchai Winichakul, "New Histories in Thailand Since 1973," )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Journal of Southeast Asian )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Studies)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
(, Volume 26, Number 1. \(March 1995\): 113.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(25 R. Lingat, "Le Culte du Bouddha d'Emerude," )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(The Journal of the Siam Society)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
(, Vol. XXVII )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(\(I\). \(1934\): 37.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(26 Reginald Le May, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(A Concise History of Buddhist Art In Siam)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(Company, 1962\), 133.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(27 Jean Boisselier, Jean-Michel Beurdeley & Hans Hinz, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(The Heritage of Thai Sculpture)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(\(Bangkok: Asia Books, 1987\), 160.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(28 Kenneth E. Wells, )Tj
/TT1 1 Tf
(Thai Buddhism Its Rites and Activities)Tj
/TT0 1 Tf
( \(Bangkok: Suriyabun Publishers, )Tj
0 -1.2 TD
(1975\), 41.)Tj
0 -2.557 TD
(29 Fickle 81.)Tj
T*
(30 Wells 40.)Tj
ET
EMC
/Artifact <>BDC
Q
BT
/T1_0 1 Tf
8.7429 0 0 8.7429 18 7.3651 Tm
(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html \(23 of 24\)7/17/2008\
10:01:51 AM)Tj
ET
EMC
endstream
endobj
135 0 obj(The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha)
endobj
136 0 obj<>
endobj
137 0 obj<>
endobj
138 0 obj<>
endobj
139 0 obj<>
endobj
140 0 obj[137 0 R]
endobj
141 0 obj(http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/eric.html)
endobj
142 0 obj(²™¿jÔö‹y²ÀIây.A\()
endobj
143 0 obj<>
endobj
144 0 obj<>
endobj
145 0 obj(ævT¡Óùܾ >øX)
endobj
146 0 obj<>
endobj
147 0 obj<>
endobj
148 0 obj<>
endobj
149 0 obj<>
endobj
150 0 obj<>stream
2008-07-17T10:01:51-10:00
2008-07-17T10:01:49-10:00
2008-07-17T10:01:51-10:00
application/pdf
The Origin and Significance of the Emerald Buddha
uuid:f8b7d1df-27b2-4831-ad1b-e8e850875c5a
uuid:2c5ee06f-47eb-4e65-a467-830ff47ebe8e
Acrobat Web Capture 7.0
endstream
endobj
xref
0 151
0000000004 65535 f
0000000016 00000 n
0000000145 00000 n
0000000218 00000 n
0000000006 00000 f
0000000399 00000 n
0000000053 00001 f
0000000467 00000 n
0000000568 00000 n
0000000612 00000 n
0000000659 00000 n
0000001416 00000 n
0000001681 00000 n
0000001937 00000 n
0000001961 00000 n
0000002146 00000 n
0000002205 00000 n
0000002386 00000 n
0000002604 00000 n
0000002785 00000 n
0000002965 00000 n
0000003193 00000 n
0000003400 00000 n
0000003424 00000 n
0000003631 00000 n
0000003655 00000 n
0000003850 00000 n
0000003874 00000 n
0000004081 00000 n
0000004105 00000 n
0000004312 00000 n
0000004336 00000 n
0000004543 00000 n
0000004567 00000 n
0000004774 00000 n
0000004798 00000 n
0000004993 00000 n
0000005017 00000 n
0000005224 00000 n
0000005248 00000 n
0000005456 00000 n
0000005549 00000 n
0000005642 00000 n
0000006862 00000 n
0000007098 00000 n
0000008302 00000 n
0000008524 00000 n
0000009738 00000 n
0000009966 00000 n
0000011184 00000 n
0000011413 00000 n
0000012590 00000 n
0000012816 00000 n
0000000056 00001 f
0000012909 00000 n
0000012933 00000 n
0000000059 00001 f
0000013129 00000 n
0000013153 00000 n
0000000062 00001 f
0000013349 00000 n
0000013373 00000 n
0000000065 00001 f
0000013581 00000 n
0000013605 00000 n
0000000069 00001 f
0000013813 00000 n
0000013837 00000 n
0000014033 00000 n
0000000072 00001 f
0000014126 00000 n
0000014150 00000 n
0000000075 00001 f
0000014358 00000 n
0000014382 00000 n
0000000078 00001 f
0000014578 00000 n
0000014602 00000 n
0000000081 00001 f
0000014810 00000 n
0000014834 00000 n
0000000085 00001 f
0000015042 00000 n
0000015066 00000 n
0000015262 00000 n
0000000088 00001 f
0000015383 00000 n
0000015407 00000 n
0000000094 00001 f
0000015627 00000 n
0000015651 00000 n
0000015709 00000 n
0000015769 00000 n
0000015812 00000 n
0000000097 00001 f
0000016020 00000 n
0000016044 00000 n
0000000099 00001 f
0000016252 00000 n
0000000100 00001 f
0000000101 00001 f
0000000102 00001 f
0000000103 00001 f
0000000104 00001 f
0000000105 00001 f
0000000108 00001 f
0000016276 00000 n
0000017489 00000 n
0000000109 00001 f
0000000000 00001 f
0000017721 00000 n
0000017812 00000 n
0000022351 00000 n
0000026649 00000 n
0000030710 00000 n
0000035429 00000 n
0000039571 00000 n
0000043879 00000 n
0000048260 00000 n
0000052881 00000 n
0000057324 00000 n
0000061688 00000 n
0000065690 00000 n
0000070117 00000 n
0000074518 00000 n
0000078572 00000 n
0000080222 00000 n
0000084591 00000 n
0000089068 00000 n
0000093290 00000 n
0000097758 00000 n
0000102171 00000 n
0000106541 00000 n
0000110966 00000 n
0000113953 00000 n
0000116418 00000 n
0000116486 00000 n
0000116524 00000 n
0000116611 00000 n
0000116642 00000 n
0000116744 00000 n
0000116770 00000 n
0000116839 00000 n
0000116875 00000 n
0000117152 00000 n
0000117205 00000 n
0000117240 00000 n
0000117284 00000 n
0000117328 00000 n
0000117415 00000 n
0000117546 00000 n
trailer
<]>>
startxref
121047
%%EOF