Heading 2: The Establishment of Rich Temple
The history of Rich Temple dates back to the vision of Luang Ta Yam Daeng, a former Buddhist monk, who desired to create a Dhamma retreat. Even after leaving the monkhood, he continued to dress in white clothes and carried a red bag on his shoulder, maintaining the appearance of a monk. Due to this, his disciples continued to address him as Luang Ta. As he often wore the red bag and occasionally red clothes, he became known as the red bag monk.
Luang Ta Yam Daeng owned a 5-rai piece of land in Tambon Phra Lap, Amphoe Mueang of Khon Khan Province, which he envisioned as the site for the Dhamma retreat. During the excavation of the land by Makro, an ancient sword was discovered. Intrigued by this finding, Luang Ta Yam Daeng believed that the land was a point of connection between three worlds – the heaven, the human world, and the netherworld. With this realization, he resolved to build a temple on this land.
To expand the land for the temple, Luang Ta Yam Daeng and his followers collectively purchased additional pieces of land, resulting in a total area of 73 Rais. The specific area where the three worlds were believed to connect was designated for the construction of the Maha Chedi. Prior to designing the temple, Luang Ta Yam Daeng declared that the Chedi would incorporate an international style, combining elements from Tibet, thailand, Arabia, China, and Europe. This design choice aimed to ensure that visitors from any country could easily appreciate the artistic aspects of the Maha Chedi.
Heading 3: The Architectural Challenge
The task of designing the Chedi fell to an architect who was initially perplexed by the assignment. However, Luang Ta Yam Daeng announced that the temple would be constructed as part of the “Ten Millions of Maha Chedi Project” and claimed that a millionaire would provide financial support for the construction. On October 23, 2548 B.E., Luang Ta Yam Daeng laid the sacred stone, and on January 17, 2551 B.E., the golden coronation was placed.
Following these events, an extraordinary phenomenon occurred during the construction. The Crane car, responsible for lifting the coronation, was unable to locate its intended position and had to be brought down. Despite this setback, the temple’s construction continued. Once completed, Luang Ta Yam Daeng bestowed the name “Maha Chedi Rattana” upon the temple. This name was inspired by the Chulamanee Chedi in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, as it symbolized the connection between the three worlds. The central portion of the Chulamani Chedi enshrined the relics of the Lord Buddha’s upper right tooth, while the lower tooth was enshrined in a Chedi in the netherworld of Naka. Luang Ta Yam Daeng prayerfully invited the lower tooth to be enshrined in the Chedi at Maha Chedi Rattana.
Heading 3: The Profound Meaning
To further enhance the significance of the temple, Chao Khun Saman (Phra Thammadilok), the abbot of Pa Sang Arun Temple, bestowed the name “Maha Rattana Chedi Si Trailokkathat” upon it. This name reflected the monk’s vision of the temple as the Maha Chedi of the three jewels of the three worlds. Initially, Luang Ta Yam Daeng had named the temple “The Field of Rich Temple,” drawing from the Bali-Sanskrit language, where “rich” means superb.
The renaming of the temple by Chao Khun Saman added a more profound and comprehensive meaning to its purpose. “Maha Rattana Chedi Si Trailokkathat” encapsulated the idea that the temple was a sacred place that represented the convergence of the three worlds and the embodiment of the three jewels. This name reflected the monk’s aspiration to create a spiritual sanctuary that would transcend cultural and geographical boundaries.
In conclusion, the establishment of Rich Temple was initiated by Luang Ta Yam Daeng’s vision to build a Dhamma retreat. The discovery of the ancient sword during the land excavation reinforced his belief that the site was a point of connection between the three worlds. With the support of his followers, the land was expanded, and the Maha Chedi was constructed, incorporating elements from various cultures to ensure its universal appeal. Despite challenges during the construction process, the temple was completed, and Luang Ta Yam Daeng named it Maha Chedi Rattana. Later, Chao Khun Saman bestowed the name Maha Rattana Chedi Si Trailokkathat, imbuing the temple with a profound meaning that emphasized its significance as a sanctuary representing the convergence of the three worlds and the three jewels.
Address And Location:
Phra Lap Mueang Khon Kaen Khon Kaen 40000