Bucha Khru Commemorative Medal — Wat Chulamanee, B.E. 2554 (2011)

The Bucha Khru commemorative medal of Wat Chulamanee, B.E. 2554 (2011), was created for the temple's second Bucha Khru ceremony honoring the past masters — an observance the temple holds once every three years. Those who joined the ceremony received this commemorative medal to keep as an auspicious blessing.

The Obverse — the Heads of Nine Great Deities

At the centre of the medal is enshrined the Phra Lak gold-faced yantra, encircled by the heads of nine great deities. Each one carries its own significance, as follows:

• Phra Isuan (Shiva) — the deity who creates the world; white-bodied, with a gourd-shaped crown, bearing a trident, with Phra Uma Phakhawadi (Uma) as his consort

• Phra Phrom Thata (Brahma) — the deity of the sublime abodes (brahmavihāra); white-bodied, four-faced and eight-armed, with a five-tiered gourd crown, bearing a rosary, a ewer, the scriptures of the Vedas, and a bow

• Phra Narai (Vishnu) — the deity who upholds goodness; with a body the colour of the crape-myrtle blossom, a five-tiered crown of victory, bearing a trident, a golden mace, a discus, and a conch

• Phra Witsanu (Vishvakarma) — the deity of all teacher-craftsmen; green-bodied, with a gourd-shaped crown, bearing a plumb-line and a set-square

• Phra Khanet (Ganesha) — the deity of art and literature; bronze-bodied, with the head of an elephant, four-armed, with a star-fruit gourd crown, bearing a vajra, a single tusk, a skull-cup of holy water, and a lasso

• Phra Panchasikhon (Panchasikha) — the deity of the science of music; white-bodied, one face and four hands, with a four-tiered gourd crown

• Phra Prakhonthan — a gandharva deity; vermilion-bodied, one face and two hands, with a gourd crown, his whole form drawn in a clockwise spiral

• Phra Phirap (Bhairava) — an asura-deity (the wild Phirap); one face and two arms, wearing a face-guard, with a fierce grimace and crocodile eyes, his weapon a spear

• Phra Ruesi (Phra Phrot Muni) — the venerable elder-master of all the sciences

The Reverse — the Maha Chakkraphat Yantra

The reverse of the medal is impressed with the Maha Chakkraphat (Great Universal Monarch) yantra, reckoned a sacred yantra of immeasurable power, whose history is as follows:

This Maha Chakkraphat yantra was originally enshrined at Wat Pradu Rong Tham in the old capital, in the era when Ayutthaya was the royal seat. The texts relate that Phra Phrom Muni of Wat Pak Nam once inscribed it as a golden takrut and presented it to King Narai the Great while he reigned at Lopburi. King Narai the Great — the royal son of King Prasat Thong — upon ascending the throne, received this treatise as it had been handed down through many venerable and accomplished masters beyond compare.

Later, in the Rattanakosin era, a rite was once held to inscribe this yantra-takrut and present it to King Vajiravudh, King Rama VI, who commanded that a ceremony be held to create the Maha Chakkraphat takrut.

The Consecration Ceremony

The consecration (Buddhābhiṣeka) of the commemorative medal was held on 6 August B.E. 2554 (2011) at 6.30 p.m. Luang Pho Itthi of Wat Chulamanee performed the solo empowerment beforehand, and the monks of Wat Lao, Bangkok, chanted the Maha Chakkraphat. Seventeen master monks were invited to preside in meditation (nang prok), as named below:

1. Luang Pho Chaloem, Wat Phra Yat

2. Luang Pho Khong, Wat Khao Kling

3. Luang Pho Mian, Wat Ban Janian Wanaram

4. Luang Pho Yuang, Wat Pho Si

5. Luang Pho Udom, Wat Pathum Khanawat

6. Luang Pho Uayphon, Wat Don Yai Hom

7. Luang Pho Siri, Wat Tan

8. Luang Pu Bun, Wat Thung Hiang

9. Luang Pho Chup, Wat Wang Krachae

10. Luang Pho Sa-at, Wat Khao Kaeo

11. Luang Pho Thongdi, Wat Orasaram

12. Phra Achan Phen, Wat Khao Lo

13. Luang Pho Dam

14. Khruba Phrom, Samnak Song Phutthatham Thep Mani

15. Phra Maha Wiraphong

16. Phra Achan Bualoi, Wat Inthabamri

17. Luang Pho Kitiwat, Wat Phet Samut Worawihan

The Bucha Khru Ceremony

The Bucha Khru ceremony was held on 7 August B.E. 2554 (2011), the second such ceremony in the temple's observance held once every three years. Those who joined on this occasion received the Bucha Khru commemorative medal of B.E. 2554 as a keepsake and an auspicious blessing.

Note: This content has been compiled from the temple's announcements and from records of the creation of Wat Chulamanee's sacred objects, in order to preserve the history and auspicious meaning of this edition. It is in no way intended for any purpose of buying or selling.