Description
Wat Sawang Tek Somboon (วัดสว่างเต็กสมบูรณ์) is a village temple in Sakon Nakhon with an impressive collection of Buddhist statues. The temple's Ubosot was built in the center of a pond, which is reached via a walkway with Naga serpents on the railings. A statue of Guanyin/Quan Yin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy according to Chinese tradition, stands next to the Ubosot.
On the banks of the pond is a series of gold statues of the Buddha in various poses, including a reclining Buddha, meditating Buddha, and an unusual pose of the Buddha holding a fan which frames his face (a pose we have never seen at any other temple in Thailand). There is also a Fat Buddha statue and a Hermit Monk statue on the banks.
The most unique statue is positioned on the left side of the driveway leading into the temple grounds. Here you will see an usual representation Guanyin known as "Guanyin with 18 arms". There are only a few temples in Thailand with this statue, the most famous being a giant statue at Wat Plai Laem in Ko Samui.
At Wat Sawang Tek Somboon, you'll also find a bronze statue of earth goddess, Phra Mae Thorani, a bronze statue of Phra Lersi, and a white pagoda that holds a valuable white and gold Buddha protected by the Naga serpent Mucalinda. There also is a pre-school on the grounds.
Wat Sawang Tek Somboon is allegedly within a few hundred meters of another temple named Wat Don Kracho Simaram (วัดดอนกระโจสีมาราม). However, after searching for this temple for almost 30 minutes on motorbike to no avail, we finally gave up. So, we aren't sure if that temple really exists, except perhaps in a 4th dimension we don't have access to.
If you are touring this area, we would highly recommend visiting the famous Wat Pa Suttawat (วัดป่าสุทธาวาส), which is only a little over a kilometer away, and was the temple where the legendary monk Ajahn Mun passed away.
Browse our full photo gallery of this Sakon Nakhon temple at: Wat Sawang Tek Somboon Photo Gallery.
