Ken Dobson's Queer Ruminations from Thailand
Search this site
  • Life in Thailand
  • Queer Issues in Thailand
  • Queer Christian Issues
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Stories

Bathing the Sacred Heart

3/4/2018

0 Comments

 
                                                           งานประเพณีสรงน้ำพระธาตุ
                                                      TEMPLE SECRETS ESSAY 5

This photographic essay is an account of a festive occasion on March 3, 2017 at Wat Ta Pong.  The event was designed to bathe the “sacred heart” of the chedi of Wat Ta Pong, as well as to provide Buddhists an opportunity to make merit and to obtain the benefits of a sub jata life extension ceremony.  For more extensive accounts of several of the key terms please follow the links to the following previous essays:
 
“Sacred Heart” see: www.kendobson.asia/blog/traveling-hearts
“Chedi” see: www.kendobson.asia/blog/chedi
“Sub jata” see: www.kendobson.asia/blog/subjata
 
This photo account will be limited to ten pictures with the following explanations:
 
1.“Front of the Wiharn”  This is the morning sun reflected off the gilded front of the assembly hall of Wat Ta Pong, Sanpatong District, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

2.“Loading Donations”  People made merit by attaching sleeves of money to a rope pulley to be symbolically offered to the Lord Buddha symbolized in the chedi, which is called “Phra That” 

3.“Offerings at the Door”  As people entered the assembly hall they made traditional offerings of flowers, candles and incense as well as a coin.  These were later offered to honor the Lord Buddha.

4.“The Bishop Arrives”  Monks from several temples in the area were included in the ceremony, presided over by the leader of monks of the district, whose duties are similar to those of a Christian bishop.  He was the senior monk present for the occasion.

5.“Guest Monks Donating”  As the monks arrived they paid respects to the abbot of Wat Ta Pong. 

6.“Leader of the Ceremony”  A ceremony to “bathe the sacred heart” is a special occasion.  The leader for the ceremony was a specialist in this ceremony.  He opened the ceremony with a recitation venerating the sacred heart of the Lord Buddha.

7.“Phra-boroma lika-that enshrined”  The sacred heart had been removed from its repository in the chedi and was encased in a crystal goblet with a gold crown.

8.“Opening Chant Ends”  The opening service ended with the people’s offerings being presented by the monk presiding at the rite.

9.“Leaving the Wiharn”  The “bishop” carried the sacred heart vessel between lines of worshipers who showered it with marigold petals.

10.“Positioning the Sacred Heart”  The crystal inside the vessel was put in place in a temporary shrine where it would be bathed with water poured by faithful into a pipe.
 
That was the end of the bathing ceremony.  A subjata life extension merit making ceremony followed in the wihara.    
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Rev. Dr. Kenneth Dobson posts his weekly reflections on this blog. 

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2023 Rev. Dr. Kenneth Dobson