The Sanctuary of Truth

The Sanctuary of Truth
@Asim Deb

You may call it a spiritual site without any religion, or You may call it the world’s largest woodcraft structure themed on the Buddhist and Hindu beliefs, and a structure of only wood and wood, that didn’t use a single nail. It was/is not built to spread any particular religion, but to share the message of spiritual unification of different religious thoughts into a single belief: peace and love for all.  

“Who are we, where did we come from? how to live? how will life go on? and what is the purpose of life?”
Passing through the ‘Prasat of the Truth’ Museum’, the largest wooden castle in the world at Laem Ratchawet, Na Kluea Subdistrict, Chonburi Province, here people are invited to find the meaning of life. Its Thai name is Prasat Satchatham, with “prasat” meaning “castle” and “satchatham” meaning “philosophy”. It is constructed according to ancient Thai ingenuity to withstand wind and sunshine on the seashore. To the international world it is known as The Sanctuary of Truth. The museum structure is themed on the Ayutthaya Kingdom’s Buddhist and Hindu beliefs. And the structure is decorated with Thai, Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese, and Khmer ornamentations and traditions.

The Sanctuary of Truth covers an area of 13 hectares of land (more than 3,200 sq. meters), the temple houses an internal space of 2,115 m2, with the tallest spire reaching 105 m (344 ft.). The height of 105-meters with its spires reaching towards the sky, is symbolizing the eternal communication between heaven and the earth.

The splendid attraction will be the beauty of a wooden sculpture carved with only wood, using the ancient Thai art and technique of attaching woods instead of using nails. Carvings are inspired by the art of East Asia that have been blended together until become the unique art of the museum and about philosophy life meaning Morals and ideas that are not attached to any religion is a philosophy that is universal and can be applied in daily life. Considering Ayutthaya Kingdom’s Buddhist and Hindu beliefs, main focus is to visually portray important eastern religious concepts and the cycle of life, with only wood-carved idols and sculptures. Neither a temple nor a palace, despite looking like a hybrid of both, it was commissioned as a place of appreciation for philosophy, art, culture and faith, without being tied to any single religion.

The Sanctuary of Truth is one of the most unusual and photogenic buildings in Buddhist regions. In doing so, the highest point is over 100 meters, and you can admire it from afar. It is impossible to capture the atmosphere, the beauty and the small details in a photograph, you have to see the Sanctuary of Truth for yourself when you are in Pattaya! Interestingly the temple has hundreds and thousands of minute artworks that are all handmade.

The temple has a celestial view of the ocean, it is best described as a visionary environment consisting of art and craftsmanship, religious shrine and cultural monument. Its four wings are each dedicated to a religious iconography: Thai, Khmer, Chinese and Indian. Through elaborate carvings and sculptures; and pays tribute to the seven creators that man cannot exist without: Heaven, Earth, Father, Mother, Moon, Sun and Star.

Architectural Marvels and Symbolism
The Sanctuary of Truth is showcasing the seven truths of life by the following
• First Truth: “Who are we? Where are we from?”
• Second Truth: “How do we live our lives?”
• Third Truth: “The End of Life”
• Fourth Truth: “Samples of Civilization”
• Fifth Truth: “What is a life goal?”
• Sixth Truth: “Society is like a two-sided coin”
• Seventh Truth: “The beginning of society”

The Four Halls
The sanctuary comprises four main halls dedicated to different religious themes and teachings:
• North Hall: Represents the heavens and the creator of the universe.
• South Hall: Focuses on the Earth and its significance to humanity.
• East Hall: Depicts the principles of religion and morality.
• West Hall: Symbolizes philosophical and spiritual ideals.

The Western Hall is called “The Origin”, representing the creation of Earth by the four elements of nature – Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. Here we find depiction of Hindu God Vishnu sleeoing on a Naga (snake) in the middle of an ocean and represents Water. Also we find Brahma riding a swan and represents Air, and Shiva who lives on top of a mountain and represents Earth and Fire. The first sculpture you’ll notice is the gigantic 4-faced Brahma to follow the four universal virtues – benevolence, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity.

The Southern Hall is centered around astronomical themes of the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars – the three creators of life. The Sun controls the day and night, the Moon controls the tides, while the Stars control your destiny. Each star (planet) represents a day of the week, and depending on which day you were born, you are destined to have a specific trait:
Monday – Moon – Beauty and Elegance
Tuesday – Mars – Brave and Industrious
Wednesday – Mercury – Gentle and Polite
Thursday – Jupiter – Wisdom an Intelligence
Friday – Venus – Charm and Wealth
Saturday – Saturn – Activeness and Diligence
Sunday – The Sun – Honorable and Social

The Northern Hall depicts the teachings of Taoism and Confucianism. It reflects on the Buddhist beliefs that even though the people are born different, if they make merits and do good, they would be liberated from vices, greed, and passion, and reach Nirvana.

The Central Hall features a magnificent wooden throne. There are no deities at the gates around it, which symbolizes a liberation, timeless truth, and harmony. It also urges us to cleanse our hearts and follow the five precepts of Lord Buddha – to abstain from killing, stealing, adultery, lying, and vices (alcohol, opiates, gambling).

The Sanctuary of Truth: its construction began in 1981 and is still an unfinished museum, is still in construction, though visitors are permitted inside wearing hard hats. Visitors need to wear the safety helmet provided when touring the facility with an assigned guide.

Mr. Viriyaphan wanted to spread message to all the people to behave well, according to Buddhist teachings, so that we can achieve peace around the world.

References:
** https://sanctuaryoftruthmuseum.com/
** https://www.agoda.com/
** https://globalcastaway.com/sanctuary-of-truth-pattaya
** https://www.tourismthailand
** Wikipedia

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