Mural

Not every wall in the temple is adorned with mural paintings. They are usually found on the interior walls of the temple’s ordination halls (bot) and assembly halls (viharn). They were painted in solid color without the use of perspective or shading. The murals were used by monks as teaching aids and also for the purposes of meditation.

Actually, there are certain patterns of temple murals. The two sides of the walls are normally divided into two sections. Typically, the paintings on the upper section represent a gathering of the celestials whereas those on the lower section, close to the level of the windows, depict either Jataka stories, the stories of the Lord Buddha’s previous lives; or the events and incidents in the Life of the Lord Buddha, before and after the great enlightenment.

On the front walls, opposite the main Buddha image is typically a depiction of the Subduing of the Mara (a symbolic form of evil), when the Lord Buddha gained victory over the demons of desire before achieving enlightenment. The back wall, behind the principal Buddha image, usually portrays the Buddhist cosmology: heaven, earth and hell.

Several old temples, particularly royal temples, in Bangkok have excellent examples of these typical mural paintings. But if you have the opportunity to visit more temples, you may observe subtle differences in the themes of the murals. Nonetheless, they all relate to Buddhism in some way or form.

In some murals, scenes of royal ceremonies, depictions of everyday life, local myths and even the history of the country can be seen. At Wat Suwandararam in Ayutthaya province, for instance, the mural painting inside the viharn depicts the story of King Naresuan, reflecting a departure from the usual style of mural paintings.

Some mural paintings exhibit a broad lustful humor even in the most revered of scenes; an indication of the artists’ sense of humor. In one way or another, the Thai paintings transport one to the mythical and fantastic realms where divinities, fabulous beasts and spirits act out their roles.

Some temples also have mural paintings in the galleries, such as the one at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The mural paintings there depict scenes from the Ramakien, the most famous work of classical Thai literature. Scenes from the Ramakien are not seen inside the ordination halls or assembly halls as they are non-Buddhist works.

Jataka are the stories of the previous lives of the Lord Buddha. Reincarnation, in an endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth, is one of the central themes of Buddhism. The Lord Buddha was no exception. He also had innumerable previous lives before he was born as Prince Sitthatha, a life when he finally attained enlightenment, nirvana and final escape from the cycle of rebirth.

Successive generations of Thai painters derived their inspiration from these Jataka stories. The last ten stories (so-called Tosa-Jataka) of the total 547 Jataka stories are mainly used as the subjects for painting and teachings. Of the last ten stories, the best known is the last one, called Maha Vessandara Jataka.

Maha Vessandara Jataka is the story of the last life of the Lord Buddha, the life when he cultivated the practice of giving. In his last life, he even consented to give away his children and wife despite his deep love for them. His deeds were considered to be the greatest sacrifice possible by a human being. The main point of this story is to praise the good deed of giving unselfishly and charitably. The story is very popular in Thailand as well as in other Buddhist countries. The story has also brought inspiration to countless Thai artists over the years.

Jataka stories are a helpful means by which Buddhist principles are explained and pointed out in a story form. These stories are interesting and entertaining and so are a very effective means of teaching morals to adults as well as children. Although the paintings are not for individual aesthetic expression, they are nonetheless works of art in their own right.

Apart from Jataka stories, the Life of the Lord Buddha is itself a popular theme for mural paintings in the Thai Buddhist temples. Several well-known events and incidents in his life, before and after he entered nirvana, can be found in paintings in temples in Bangkok and all over Thailand.

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