Description
Wat Phu Phan Wihan Tham (สำนักสงฆ์ภูพานวิหารธรรม) is a "samnak song" or Buddhist monastery in Sakon Nakhon. Like many samnak songs in Thailand, it has unique aspects, including several sculptures not ordinarily seen at official Thai temples.
One such unique display is a Buddhist tableau featuring the "Three Wise Monkeys" of Japanese tradition paired with the long-suffering Preta or Hungry Ghosts. The monkeys demonstrate the wisdom of the dharma path that the "Preta" should have followed, instead of enslaving themselves to the carnal desires that produce negative actions and bad karma.
Wat Phu Phan Wihan Tham also has two dragon figures entwined around posts that remind one of the famous "Dragon Temple" of Wat Sam Phran in Bangkok. In addition, there is a wooden dragon's head with a gold ball in its mouth that symbolizes the power and wisdom that dragons hold in Chinese lore.
It is unusual to see dragons at Thai temples, except for those that specifically serve Thai-Chinese Buddhists and are designed with Chinese iconography. Instead, the common figure of power, wisdom, and protection is the Naga, which is a serpent of the underworld, rather than a dragon.
Wat Phu Phan Wihan Tham is located almost directly opposite the entrance to Phu Phan National Park, about 150 meters off of the main highway that goes through the Phu Phan Mountains of Sakon Nakhon. The temple is only about 20 minutes from Sakon Nakhon City. Nearby is another "samnak song" named Wat Pa Ban Lat Somboon Mai.
