Wat Phra Non Chaksi (วัดพระนอนจักรสีห์)

Thai. ‘Temple of the Chaksi reclining Buddha’. Buddhist temple in Singburi. The name Chaksi is a compound of chakra (จักร) and si (สีห์), meaning ‘discus’ and ‘lion’, the latter being a reference to Singburi, which means ‘Lion city’. It is a royal temple of the third class and is in full known as Wat Phra Non Chaksi Worawihaan. The temple has a large, well-designed garden, with a lake that at its centre has a pavilion built over the water and that on its roof has a large blackish walking Buddha statue, reminiscent to that of Phra Phutta Monthon (fig.), and this part of the complex is hence also called Phra Phutta Monthon Singburi. However, despite this eye catcher, the main attraction of the temple is a circa 47.42 meters long Sukhothai-style reclining Buddha statue which faces north and is believed to be commissioned by Thao U-Thong and suggests that the temple may predate the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The temple is also home to two other Buddha images, both seated in the bhumisparsa posture, i.e. Phra Kahn (พระกาฬ), a gilded stone image, and Phra Kaew (พระแก้ว), a cast Buddha image. Both statues were built in the reign of King Rama V and are used as the principal ceremonial images to which civil servants swear their oath of allegiance. In the garden are several cannonball trees (fig.), i.e. sala trees, which feature on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2004. See also POSTAGE STAMPS. 回