Description
Wat Pa Thepharam (วัดป่าเทพาราม) is a forest temple only about 5 minutes from the new, white stucco temple Wat Na Pho (Sai Yoi). This temple is distinctive for its brick Chedi, which appears to be undergoing some renovation. It's unusual to see a brick Chedi at a Sakon Nakhon temple, the majority being made with concrete.
A Chedi is the Thai version of a Stupa, and most Chedis in Sakon Nakhon hold Buddhist commemorative objects within them. Here at Wat Pa Thepharam, the brick Chedi holds several Buddha sculptures, and a photograph of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 88, having been the world's longest-reigning monarch (70 years). The photo is of a young King Bhumibol when he was serving as a monk. Thailand is currently ruled by his son, H.M. King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
The Chedi also includes a replica of the famous Emerald Buddha, another larger replica being positioned on the grounds of the temple under a pavilion. There is also an interesting black and red Buddha with both hands raised (as if to say, "Stop".) This is unusual gesture to see in Buddha statues at Sakon Nakhon temples. The gesture is called “Calming the Ocean". It refers to an event when a hermit gave the Buddha a hut on the banks of the river to stay for the night. When flood waters threatened to submerge the hut, the Buddha stopped the waters from rising, which immediately caused the hermits and their followers to become followers of the Buddha.
If you are in this area, you might also like to drop by Samnak Song Phut Barami, which some locals call "The Red Temple," with its circle of red Buddha sculptures.
