"The Temple of the Big King's Bell and the Legacy of Faith by the Chao Phraya."
"The Temple of the Big King's Bell and the Legacy of Faith by the Chao Phraya."
The Koxitaram Mahavihara Bell Temple is not only a place where people are popular for the patriarch, to the Brahma Rays or to worship His Majesty, but an area where Bangkok-Ratconin history, Buddhism, teacher art and the faith of the people converge most prominently on one of the sides of the Chao Phraya River.
1. From Bang Wa Yai Temple to Bang Ko Sitaram Temple
The Bell Temple, located in Bangkok Noi, Thonburi, formerly known as the "Bang Yai Temple," is an ancient temple that dates from the time of Sri Ayutthaya, with the Bang Yai Temple, now Omindaram Temple, located nearby.
In the time of Bangkok, King King King King Rama restored and raised the temple to the royal monastery as well as its importance as a place associated with the purification and collection of the Tripitaka after his home through war damage and the loss of Sriyutthaya.
Later, in the reign of 1, there was a story that during the excavation of the temple, an ancient bell with a beautiful reverberation was found. His Majesty the King of the Great World took the bell to be enshrined at the temple of Sri Rat the Prophet Rama, and built a new bell with the name of "Wanggongzitaram Temple."
The word "Gozitaram" refers to a monastery that reverberates with bells and the sound of the book. In a deeper sense than the history of the temple, bells are like a warning to man from carelessness, not just a ritual sign.
2. Your Majesty, to the Brahma Rays
His Majesty, also known as the "Big King Temple of the Bell," is the main monk of the early Bangkok, according to popular history. He was born on April 17, 1788, and died on June 22, 1872. Siri was 84 years old, serving as abbot of the Temple of the Bell from about 1852 to his death.
His Majesty's fame stems from many aspects at once, both the fragmentation of the law, the simplicity, the kindness of the people, and the courage to warn the powerful with wisdom. The stories about him include both historical evidence, the memory of his pupils, and later mythical faith narratives that should be carefully considered.
He also has a strong relationship with King Bell Temple, which is highly regarded in the Thai Phra culture. However, more important than materiality is his statue, which reflects that sanctity should not be separated from precepts, kindness, recklessness and wisdom.
3. The president smiles and receives the sky.
The president inside the bell temple is a beautiful bronze Buddha, which is known as the "Smiling President of the sky." In front of the apostles and disciples are enshrined in a manner that is listening to the sermon. It is an infrequent element in the rectory of other temples.
The origin of the name "Smiling for the Sky" is linked to the decree that when His Majesty came to offer the garment at the Temple of the Bell, he felt that when he entered the rectory of the president, he was smiling at the visitor, and it was the name that the people remembered to date.
A gentle and calm face reflects "energetic peace" rather than immediate inspiration. Those who come to the temple should start by bowing to the president, intending to keep the precepts, and calm their hearts, because the Buddha should be the center of the temple entrance, not just a stop before asking for blessings from other sacred things.
4. Chin spell
The word "Shin" consists of the word "Shin," meaning the Buddha who wins the passion, and "Shin" means a cage, a window, or a protective siege, and together it symbolically means "the protection of the Shin God."
The content of witchcraft is the past Buddha, the disciples, the monks, and the virtues of Ratta, to enshrine the parts of the body and protect the hymns. The core of witchcraft is not only to create a "magic shield," but to remind the body, the verbal and the heart to be under the Buddha, the virtues and the monks.
On the question of whether he is the author of the Shinchak spell, it should be said carefully. Although many Thai sources of faith are called the "Big King's Shinchak spell," the scriptural evidence suggests that the spell has roots older than his days and is associated with Theravada Buddhist culture in Sri Lanka and Lanna, the Big King is probably the one who remembers, uses, adapts or proliferates in the central region, rather than decisively concluding that he was entirely rewritten.
In belief, people pray for protection, auspiciousness, and mental stability. In truth, the obvious benefit is to make the mind gather, reduce fear, and remember the Khun Phratthai. If the prayers can control speech, reduce obtrusion, and live more consciously, that is a deeper meaning than mere memory.
5. Tripitaka Tower
The Tripitaka Tower, the Bell Temple, is an important site of the early Ratconin period. It was originally the residence of His Majesty the King of the Great Chulalothon, when he was in the service of Bangkok. Later, when he was enthroned, please dismantle and bring such a Thai house to the temple to serve as the Tripitaka Tower.
The building is characterized by three twin Thai houses, consisting of a sitting tower, a central rotunda, and a sleeping tower. It was originally located in the middle of a pond to help protect against termites and insects that might damage the courtyard leaf. The interior has murals and watering tripitta cabinets that reflect the craftsmanship of the early artisan Rathko Sin.
The interior paintings include the Ramak Tribhut, the Vesson Chadhra, the Garlands, the Congregational Gods, the Science, the Demon Army, as well as various images of wood and animals. Later, images were preserved and copied by art experts to preserve as much of their original authenticity as possible.
The Tripitaka Tower means more than a repository because it is evidence that the stability of Buddhism is not based on faith alone, but on study, recording, inheritance, and preservation of knowledge.
6. Great Highness Well
Inside the temple, there is a popular spot called the "Great King's Well," with the image of the patriarch, Tor Brahma Rays, enshrined in the vicinity, devout people pay their respects, receive holy water, or take the water back as a glory.
However, details about the history of this holy well also contain several streams of information. Matters said to be ancient ponds over two hundred years old, or that a slab of headstone was brought under the pond. Much is found in hearsay and faith media, but there is still no solid early evidence equivalent to the history of the temple, the Tripitaka Tower, or the presiding officer, so it should be understood as a tradition of belief inherited within the temple rather than summarized as historical facts without a doubt.
Position section of the pond Some information indicates that it is on Faculty 4, while some signs or traveler information indicate Faculty 6 may be due to changes in area arrangement or name calling at each time. Temple-goers should therefore confiscate signs inside the temple or inquire monks and officials primarily on travel days.
According to Thai Buddhist culture, holy water is water that undergoes the Buddha ceremony, so it is meant as a reminder to remember Rattarat and his intention to lead a life of dignity, not as a cure or a guarantee to change his life instead of his own actions.
Holy water may help the heart build faith and stability, but truly changing life also requires precepts, consciousness, wisdom, and action.
"Proper Order of Worship"
When traveling to the Bell Temple, worship may be ordered as follows: Start with the President smiling at the sky inside the rectory, concentrate on keeping the precepts and calming the mind, then bow down to the image of His Majesty, remember your verses and teachings, watch the Tripitaka Hall with the attitude of the student, pray the Shintak spell by trying to understand the meaning, and then go to the holy well by the temple sign, before concluding with alms, mercy, or sitting calm for a moment.
If you pray, you may say,
"May the charity and charity that I do today give me wisdom, carelessness, and encouragement to do what is right, save me from the evil of my own generation, and know the cause of self-prosperity."
The Gositaram Bell Temple should not be viewed only as a place to wish for a bell-like reputation, but should be a warning that the most valuable sound is the voice of the book, which awakens man from recklessness and returns to life of true precepts, consciousness and wisdom. 🙏
วัดระฆังโฆสิตารามเป็นหนึ่งในวัดที่มีความสำคัญยิ่งทางประวัติศาสตร์และวัฒนธรรมของไทย ผู้ที่เคยไปเยือนจะรู้สึกถึงบรรยากาศที่ชวนสงบและเต็มไปด้วยพลังแห่งศรัทธาอย่างแท้จริง ในประสบการณ์ส่วนตัวของผู้เขียน จุดเด่นที่ไม่น่าละเลยคือการเริ่มต้นที่พระประธานยิ้มรับฟ้า ความรู้สึกที่ได้รับคือเหมือนมีการต้อนรับอย่างอ่อนโยนอบอุ่น พระพักตร์ที่ยิ้มนี้ไม่เพียงแต่เป็นงานศิลปะที่งดงาม แต่ยังเป็นแรงบันดาลใจให้เกิดความสงบภายในจิตใจ เหมือนพระพุทธองค์กำลังแนะนำให้เรารักษาจิตใจให้เบิกบานและสงบก่อนเริ่มต้นการปฏิบัติธรรมและสักการะสถานที่อื่นๆ ในวัด ส่วนคาถาชินบัญชรที่ชาวไทยนิยมสวดนั้น ผู้เขียนพบว่าการสวดคาถาด้วยความเข้าใจถึงความหมายและเคารพต่อพระรัตนตรัย ทำให้จิตใจรู้สึกมั่นคงและปลอดภัย เป็นเกราะกำบังทางใจ นี่ไม่ใช่เพียงการสวดมนต์เพื่อขอพรเท่านั้น แต่เป็นการเชื่อมต่อกับหลักธรรมคำสอน เพื่อเตือนใจให้มากำกับพฤติกรรมและความคิดให้ดีขึ้นไป พร้อมทั้งลดความเครียดและความหวาดกลัวในชีวิตประจำวัน นอกจากนี้ หอพระไตรปิฎกของวัดระฆังยังเป็นตัวอย่างที่ชัดเจนของการอนุรักษ์ความรู้และศิลปกรรมไทย ด้านในหอนี้เต็มไปด้วยจิตรกรรมฝาผนังที่เล่าเรื่องราวทางพระพุทธศาสนาและวรรณกรรมโบราณ ผู้เขียนเคยมีโอกาสชมและสัมผัสถึงความวิจิตรงดงามที่สูญหายไปจากหลายที่ ซึ่งส่วนตัวรู้สึกซาบซึ้งใจและคำนึงถึงความสำคัญของการรักษามรดกนี้ให้คงอยู่ต่อไปสำหรับคนรุ่นหลัง เรื่องบ่อน้ำมนต์สมเด็จโต สะท้อนความเชื่อและวัฒนธรรมที่ยังคงดำรงอยู่ ผู้เขียนเคยสังเกตเห็นผู้คนที่มารับน้ำมนต์ด้วยความศรัทธาและหวังในสิริมงคล ซึ่งแม้จะไม่มีหลักฐานทางประวัติศาสตร์ที่ชัดเจน แต่ความเชื่อนี้สะท้อนถึงความหวังและการตั้งใจในการดำเนินชีวิตที่ดีขึ้นของผู้คน เป็นส่วนหนึ่งของประสบการณ์วัดระฆังที่เต็มไปด้วยเรื่องราวและความรู้สึกลึกซึ้ง สุดท้าย การสักการะวัดระฆังแบบครบถ้วนตั้งแต่พระประธานยิ้มรับฟ้า รูปเหมือนสมเด็จโต หอพระไตรปิฎก คาถาชินบัญชร และน้ำมนต์ จะช่วยให้ผู้มาเยือนได้รับทั้งความรู้ ความสุขใจ และแรงบันดาลใจในการดำเนินชีวิตอย่างมีสติและปัญญา ทุกครั้งที่เดินออกจากวัดจึงเหมือนได้รับเสียงระฆังแห่งธรรมที่เรียกให้ตื่นจากความประมาทและพร้อมก้าวข้ามอุปสรรคชีวิตด้วยความมั่นคงและสงบแท้จริง
