Since I have studied in Thailand I always brought many Thais and foreign people to visit Cambodia and I have never made any kind of interesting report about those visit-sites in my Country. But In the project, the study-tour to Cambodia on project, ASEAN Shangha Youths Project: Interreligious between Cambodia–Thailand holds by ASEAN Studies Center of Mahachulalongkornra -javidyalaya University from 1st -5th November, 2016, I wrote my interested one and it was also special chance for me in behalf of guide and translator(Thai, English and Khmer). There are forty- two members who participated in this projects and We went to visit many place such as Angkor Wat Temple, Ta Prohm Temple and Tonle Sap until Phom Penh City including Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and three universities: Preah Sihamoniraja Buddhist University, Preah Sihamoniraja Buddhist University and Paññāsāstra University and final objectives of the project is to pay respect to Samdech Tep Vong, Grand Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia. But what best interesting point for me are the smiling faces of Bayon Temple.
On the second day of our study-tour, when we arrived Bayon Temple that was the best interested place for me, it made us very happy and wonder. It was the beautiful Temple that seemed to cover of the smiling faces. This temple was like the powerful human or gods who were looking at us friendly and lovely. On the other hand the faces looked like warm well and saying hello to us. After lunch, it made us fully and sleepy but when we arrived and visited this temple made us clear and more interested. What made me more interested were the smiling faces on the top of Bayon temple.
As historically the temple, Bayan Temple was built by King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. It is located in the center of Angkor Thom. On the top of temple, we can see the towers with faces. There are over 200 large faces on the 54 towers. The faces are represent the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshara belongs to Mahayana Buddhism that are still debated by many scholars. As we known, King Jayavarman VII before who fallowed Hinduism and later He converted himself to Buddhist and promised to be Bodhisattva. The King Jayavarman VII was the great king and well-known in his emperor.
For building Bayon temple architecturally composition was exudes grandees in every aspect. The faces caved on towers are represented the 54 provinces in Cambodia that time. They were instead of him and they were likely to look after all provinces by four Sublime States of the king.
When I started to walk into the temple with all study-tour members I looked at the faces carefully and intentionally. And all faces seemed looking at us. They were likely smiling to welcome us. The faces were smiling friendly and lovely. When I looked the towers and faces, I thought deeply about how the King could build this temple and what was the real meaning of those smiling faces.
By my own thought, the ways of building of this temple is mixed together between Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism and He wanted to show his ruling and controlling of the counties by Dhammma (Four Supreme State) for his people because at that time almost people who followed Hinduism. The four smiling faces on each tower stand for the Four Supreme States. Accounting to Buddhism, it refers to Dhamma have been taught by the Buddha: first one Love or Loving-kindness (Metta) is compassion by a physical act, word or deed. Second one, compassion (Karuna) is the representation of pity, Sympathetic Joy. Third one, Mutita is the virtue of rejoicing at other people’s happiness and last one Oupekha is impartiality. The Pali words for these concepts have their roots in have been adopted into Khmer. These are stand for all smiling faces of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshara on Bayon Temple.
When I took a look at one tower I could see the beautiful stone linked smoothly together with the nice cravings that shown out the four faces into four directions with Lotus on the top. Each faces seemed still-stand smiling, lovely, patient and strong with taking care and looking after the country and people instead of the King.
When we felt in past time, the reign of King Jayavarman VII, it was the wonderful world and great powerful Country in Southeast Asia and the king was obeyed, respected as God by His people.
Visiting to Bayon temple, we all remembered the smiling faces of temple in our heart, made us happy that feeling proud of the King’s works that made for His people and country, especially leaving for young generations that is wonderful thing not only for Cambodia but also for the World.
Smiling faces of Bayon temple are reflect and show the smile and manner of Khmer nation who have the great-developed customs, culture and civilization in past up to now. In behalf of Khmer I am proud of my Country and my ancestors who built unbelievable thing for us.
For this trip I was so happy that I have a chance to bring the study-tour teams to visit my country. In behalf of Cambodian monk, I would like to expresses my hope and love in the ways of bringing the other people to my country. Otherwise I hope all foreigners will visit my country, especially to see the smiling faces of Bayon temple.
Writer : Ven. Ratank Keo (Ratanasilo), Ph.D. Candidate, Philosophy, MCUKK.
Reference
Phuong Keo.Tourism Sites of Cambodia, Ponleu Khmer Printing and Publishing House:, (Mr. Oav Cago Printed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2014
Bayon Smiles – Still a mystery, retried on 28/ 11/ 2016 http://www.leisurecambodia.com/news/detail. php?id=180
