The Emerald Buddha of the Siamese Empire

     Emerald Buddha, 15th century, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok, Thailand

The Emerald Buddha

Shown above is the Emerald Buddha, a statue that resides in Thailand and has been around since about 44 C.E. The legend of the statue is that it was made with a wish granting stone inside of it, and that the statue itself descended from the heavens. Despite the name, the statue is made with no emerald at all, except fro some small jewels dotting the clothes of the statue. The statue is primarily made of jade. It has been noted that the statue has spent time in a large amount of Southeast Asia, in nations such as India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and eventually modern day Thailand, where it has remained. Buddhism is still in fact practiced in Thailand, with the statues arrival marking a change of culture in the region. The form of Buddhism practiced in Thailand can actually be traced as one of the oldest and most original forms of Buddhism, with the teachings echoing those of the Buddha's own dharma, or decrees. The most interesting thing about the statue that I found however, was how it was used in religious ceremonies, and eventually how it was to be believed to heal. The people of Thailand, at the time known as the Siamese Empire, note how every nation that has possessed the statue has had great wealth and prosperity come their way. As a result, those who were successful in life, or would wish to be successful, would pray to the statue in hopes of gaining fortune. It is also stated that when a king strayed from the dharma, the statue would bring ruin to a nation. While the majority of stories behind the statue are myth, the actual wars and conflicts held over the statue are all too real, showing the deep belief the people had in the statue. This belief can be traced all the way to the 19th century, where a Cholera outbreak was ravaging Southeast Asia, and the statue was ordered to be brought out by the King of Thailand, King Rana II, as he believed the unveiling of the Buddha would not only heal his people, but cement his place in history as a great king. The statue was paraded around the country by boat and land, and by the time the next king had come to rule, the outbreak had been quelled, though this is often attributed to the fact that western medicine and vaccination had been implemented with traditional medicine. It will be curious to see if while the entire world is in a pandemic now, if Thailand would once again bring out the Emerald Buddha.

Sources:

https://smarthistory.org/emerald-buddha/

Comments

  1. DianaOctober 21, 2021 at 12:04 AM

    It is so interesting to read a small part of the history of the statue, you explained it throughout the paragraph very well. I liked how at the end you included current events and tied it into the statue. Do you know why emerald was chosen for the statue instead of another material?

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