Special Report: Luang Pu Nenkham Chattigo is building the World’s largest replica of the Emerald Buddha
Thursday, August 20th, 2009Luang Pu Nenkham Chattigo is building the World’s largest replica of the Emerald Buddha with the merit dedicated to H.M. the King and H.M. the Queen of Thailand
The legend of Pra Buddha Maha Maneeratana Patimakorn, widely known as the Emerald Buddha, has been narrated for several centuries. The Buddha image is a highly revered sacred object. For over 2 centuries, he has been at the Wat Prasrirattanasasadaram (Wat Pra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in the compound of the Royal Grand Palace, in the hearth of Bangkok. Each day, a large number of Thais and foreigners went to pay respect to the Buddha image for their merit and prosperity.
The Emerald Buddha has been long regarded as the image that King Indra (the King of Tavatimsa heaven) and Visnukam (his engineering assistant angel) brought over a crystal piece to earth to be crafted as a replica of Lord Buddha, with relics of 7 past Buddhas also embedded inside. The Emerald Buddha is actually made of a dark-green soft jade, measured 19 inches by width and 28 inches by height. The artistic style of the sculpture is considered to be of pre-Chiang Saen Kingdom era. Historically, the Emerald Buddha had been placed at various cities in the north, starting at the pagoda of Wat Pa Ya (currently Wat Pra Kaew Ngam) in Chiang Rai, then a King Sam Fang Kaen of Chiang Mai tried to bring him to Chiang Mai. However, while the elephant caravan carrying the image along the jungle trail reached a 3-way intersection, the carrier elephant refused to go to Chiang Mai, but tried to head to Lampang, so the King acquiesced and move him to Wat Pra Kaew Don Tao in Lampang, still inside his Lanna Kingdom ’s territory. Long time after, after King Tilokarach was enthroned in Chiang Mai, he built a high-roof royal pavillion to house the Emerald Buddha after he successfully moved him from Lampang, however the pavillion was striked several times by lightening. Later, when King Chaiyachettha of Lan Xang Kingdom, who was a relative to a deceased King of Chiang Mai, who also became the ruler of Chiang Mai, moved the Emerald Buddha and another sacred Buddha image, Pra Buddhasihing, to Luang Prabang in his Lan Xang Kingdom, and later to Vientiene after the capital was established there.
After King Taksin the Great established Thonburi as the capital of the Thai Kingdom (around 1767) he moved the Emerald Buddha and another Buddha image, Pra Bang, from Lan Xang (Laotian) Kingdom, to Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn). Later, after King Buddhayodfahchulalok (Rama I) established Bangkok, just across the river, as the new capital, he relocated the Emeral Buddha to the current location at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha while Pra Bang was returned to Laos.
With the fascinating story around the Emeral Buddha, and after an auspicious event occurred to the mind of Luang Pu Nenkham Chattigo, head of the Sangha of Wat Pa Khanti Dhamma, and president of the Foundation Patronage of Righteousness and Quality of Life, Ban Yang, Kanthrarom District, Sri Saket province, Luang Pu thus inititated the project to build a big replica of the Emerald Buddha, aimed to be the largest ever-built in Thailand.
Luang Pu Nenkham kindly told us about the story behind his initiative to build the world ’s largest Emerald Buddha. He said of the auspicious event in one night that King Indra came over and asked him to build a big replica of the Emerald Buddha, so that it can become a major pilgrimage site for people. King Indra said he would help supporting the construction and Luang Pu needed not worry about financial problem since a lot of people would come to donate their money. The morning after, another remarkable event took place. A man came over to see him, bringing along a brown paper bag. When he opened it and looked inside, it was full of money. When Luang Pu looked up, the man had already vanished without a trace. Two days later, he was invited to a funeral and he found out that it was that man’s funeral. He was astonished that the money he received from that man amounted to 950,000 Baht. So he began the project at Wat Pa Khanti Dhamma immediately. He also intended to make the structure the largest Emerald Buddha in the World. The construction cost just for the body structure alone was estimated to be over 150 million Baht. Numerous people have donated money so far.
Luang Pu Nenkham kindly explained further that building of the body structure is nearly completed. The body of the Buddha image replica at Wat Pa Khanti Dhamma will be totally covered with jade. Genuine green jade was imported from India, the origin country of Buddhism. Jade is considered a kind of beautiful gem stones while the size of the Emerald Buddha replica is very big, thus the construction is a big effort to gather jade in Thailand. Measurement from the ground to the base platform was 7 meters. From the base platform to the top of the head measured 18.5 meters. The width at the lap was 15 meter wide. Many important milestones have passed and celebrated in ceremonies, such as the installation of facial parts, elevating the hand fingers, elevating the toe fingers. The basal structure will be contemporary art, combining artistic styles from all parts of Thailand, aimed to be lively and beautiful, in order to convey meanings to Buddhists so that they will have steadfastly unclenched faith to teaching of Lord Buddha.
Luang Pu Nenkham kindly revealed that construction was about 70% complete. Afterward, there will be construction on 3 sets of decorative emperor’s garments for the 3 seasons of Thailand, which will need more than 9,000 kg of pure gold, and a construction of a Vihara (a pavillion) to shelter the large Buddha from the sun, thunders and rain. The entire area will cover about 15 Rais (6 acres). Luang Pu intended to dedicate the merit from this construction to H.M. the King, for the occasion of his recent 80th birthday, as well as to H.M. the Queen.
With the height of around a 6-storey building, an elevator would be installed inside the body of the big Emerald Buddha. The ground floor would be used as a public meditation hall. To be placed on top of the image’s head will be a Thai-style crown, 7 meter in height, to be built with 150 kg of pure gold. The image thus will be among the most beautiful, in addition to be the World’s largest. In the future, the Buddha image would be a major Buddhist religious site for Thailand, as well as a touristic site.
Mr. Burapha Rod-ari, head of the construction works, said that construction of the large Emerald Buddha is his life-time accomplishment and considered to be a blessing for his career. After he graduated in the ten disciplines of Thai arts from Silpakorn University, he has worked as an artisan for 30 years. Building a gigantic Buddha image with a large amount of green jade to establish a major treasure for the country is his first big sculpture work, which also use modern innovations. To build the big Buddha replica, concrete structure were built first, based on the actual scaled-up size without decorative clothing. Then, stainless steel strips, each 2-mm thick and 1 inch wide, would be used to build frames for the skin pieces. Each skin piece would serve as a supporter for jade squares, which were attached to the steel frames by epoxy glue. Resin fiber was then used to seal the joints among jade squares. Then, each skin piece was hoisted and fixed to the concrete structure by screws. Covering of the entire Buddha replica by jade skin pieces took over 8 months. At this time of this writing, work was in the final stage of polishing the jade surface, which would take about 1 month before the body work of the Buddha was finished.
Mr. Burapha informed that over 30 artisans who joined the construction work are local craftmen from Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Phanom provinces. Although they are expert in concrete construction, building a large jade Buddha image was difficult. It was amazing that there was never any problem that would stall the progress of the work: neither accident nor bad weather had impeded the construction. It was considered a merit to have a chance to serve Luang Pu and build the big Buddha image. The experience would last throughout his entire life.
The artisan master said he was proud to be a builder of this Buddha image and he had enormous pleasure. As Luang Pu wished to donate the merit to H.M. the King and the Queen, he considered that he has made his life worthy. As an artisan in the ten traditional Thai artistry and alumnus of the University of Fine Arts (Silpakorn), building a World’s largest sculpture is a great art work. Besides, the gigantic Buddha image which was covered entirely with jade is unique.
When the project is completed, construction of the big replica of the Emerald Buddha would cost to the tune of 1.5 Billion Baht. Now the body work is near completion. The crown to be placed on top of the head would be made of pure gold. About 150 kg of gold would be used. The monastery is now collecting donated gold for the purpose.
Anyone wishing to make donation to support this construction can directly come to donate at Wat Pa Khanti Dhamma, Ban Yang, Kanthrarom District, Sri Saket, or donate cash via Bank account transfers Bank of Ayudhya, Sri Saket branch, account number 156-1-18518-8 and Krung Thai Bank, Sri Saket branch, account number 3-1-065-415
Now that the news about the construction is spreaded throughout the country, and the World, a large number of people traveled to visit Wat Pa Khanti Dhamma daily. If you want more information, please call the Secretarial office at 084.8252348 or 081.8193504
