Description
Wat Pa Charoen Tham Sammakki (วัดป่าเจริญธรรมสามัคคี) is a small, rural temple that is worth visiting if you are in the area and visiting other nearby Buddhist sites like Ban Non Sung Priest's Camp Site and the Forest Charoen Thamarat Wanaram Priest's Camp Site. Rather than entering through an ornately adorned gate (as is so often found at Sakon Nakhon temples), the gate is fashioned from two large tree trunks, between which slides a gold and brass iron gate with dharma wheel and small Naga serpents, which is beautiful in its simplicity.
The Viharn (or assembly hall) is also beautifully simple, with a charming drawing of the Buddha on the roof gable, sitting in front of a traditional Thai representation of the Bodhi tree. On the porch of the Viharn are several bees nests, symbolizing a life in harmony with nature. And inside the Viharn are three gold sculptures in front of beautiful red and gold wall paper that, once again, features traditional Thai representations of the Bhodi tree. There is also a small replica of the famous Emerald Buddha.
Only 4 kilometers away is the beautiful white temple Sri Chai Rattanakot Ashram, which was built only a few years ago and has a lovely white pagoda that houses a sacred sculpture of Luang Pu Thep Lok Udon.
