Description
Wat Daen Moksawadi (วัดแดนโมกษาวดี) is a large Sakon Nakhon forest temple off the main highway (22) that goes to Udon Thani. Heading from Sakon Nakhon to Udon it is on the left side, almost immediately after the u-turn you must take to go to Wat Sapansri, one of the temples that creates floats for the famous Wax Castle Parade.
Wat Daen Moksawadi has two ornately gated entrances, once with a striking bas-relief mural painting of the Buddha in meditation under the Bodhi tree. A new Ubosot is currently under construction. However, the Viharn is worth seeing, for it is lined with beautiful Buddhist murals. Outside is an attractive collection of 4 Buddha statues in different poses, all under 5-tier royal umbrellas (also called chatra). The five-tier umbrella is assigned to princes, while nine-tiered ones represent the King of Thailand. The multiple tiers symbolize the accumulation of honor, and are considered sacred objects themselves.
Wat Daen Moksawadi has nice woods to walk through. If you walk down from the Viharn to the highway, you will soon come to the traditionally designed crematorium, while the path to the left winds its way toward Kutis (i.e. the living quarters of the monks). Overall this Sakon Nakhon temple is very quiet and peaceful, providing a nice natural setting to meditate on the more profound issues of life.
