Wat Chaiyathit Ordination Hall: Life of the Buddha

THAILAND, Bangkok; Bangkok period

This mural is located above the doorway in the ordination hall of Wat Chaiyathit in Thonburi, Bangkok. It was first painted during the Ayutthaya Kingdom (circa 1350–1767) and was restored twice; once during the rule of King Rama I (reigned 1782–1890), and again in the time of King Rama III (reigned 1824–1851).
Moving from left to right, the scenes from the Life of the Buddha depicted are Return from Trayastrimsa Heaven, Parinirvana, and Distribution of Relics Among the Eight Kings. The Return from Trayastrimsa Heaven is divided into two distinct sections. In the upper register, the Buddha, sitting on a lotus throne in a heavenly pavilion, teaches the Dharma to heavenly beings who kneel and join their palms in reverence. On the right side of the lower register, the Buddha descends to the human realm on a triple ladder, escorted by Brahma, Sakra, and other heavenly beings. A king and attendants kneel at the bottom of the ladder awaiting the Buddha’s return from Trayastrima Heaven. On the left, beings in the dark caverns of the hell realms raise their hands and pay respect.
In the second scene, royal families, disciples, and devotees gather inside and outside a palace to mourn the Buddha’s passing into parinirvana. On the upper left outside the jagged band that borders the palace, a non-Buddhist is shown holding a flower that blossoms at the moment the Buddha enters parinirvana. On the right, heavenly beings descend to pay respect and offer flowers. The Distribution of Relics Among the Eight Kings is depicted on the right side of the mural. Within a large palace, the brahmin Drona divides the Buddha’s relics into into eight equal portions to give to the eight kings. Sakra can be seen flying through the air after taking the tooth relic that Drona attempted to hide in his topknot.
The mural features many traditional Thai decorative elements. Jagged bands separate the scenes. The deep red background highlights the detailed palace architecture. The overall tone is dark; some details are embellished with gold.