Buddhas I have seen so far.

One of my favorite experiences in Bangkok came when I wandered into a temple at the end of a long day of sightseeing to find a group of monks performing their chants. At first I was happy just to have a floor to sit on (feet not pointing towards the Buddha!), but after a few minutes I got completely caught up in the chant. It was hypnotic–a low repetitive drone, with higher parts coming from the older monks at these really unexpected (to me) intervals and harmonies. It was so simple, but the longer I listened, the more complicated the patterns started to become. About 20 minutes in, a single bell was struck, and seriously–something inside of me shifted. I was suddenly aware of the birds singing outside. After they finished, I walked back into the world feeling calm, observant, aware. Mind like a mirror. Which lasted for about five minutes as I was set upon by tuk-tuk drivers and women selling silk prints of ancient erotic art outside the temple, but still.

This was at Wat Pho, the temple which houses the incredible Reclining Buddha, 150 feet long and the biggest of its type in Asia. The reclining position shows the Buddha about to achieve Nirvana. (Other basic positions: sitting, standing, walking. And within each position are a variety of gestures, or attitudes. For example a sitting Buddha may have both hands in his lap, which shows the moment he attained enlightenment. Or he may have left hand in lap, right hand over his knee with fingers touching the ground. This position is called subduing Mara; Mara, evil personified, had tried to distract the meditating Buddha with demons and monsters and worldly pleasures.)

Another important icon, the most revered in Thailand, is the Emerald Buddha. It has a magical discovery story of being found in a chedi that was struck by lightning, and a centuries-long history of theft and recapture between Thailand and Laos. The Buddha itself is only a couple of feet tall but it is housed in one of the most lavish temples in Bagkok, the Wat Phra Kaew, located on the grounds of the Royal Palace. The temple is a complex of gilt bell-shaped stupa, Khmer-style towers called prang, a library, pavilions, shrines, and the chapel itself (called an ubosoth) that holds the Emerald Buddha. Everything here gleams; every inch of every surface is covered with gold leaf paint or glazed tile or colored glass. It’s pretty dazzling, if that’s your thing. The Emerald Buddha sits on an enormous gold-colored wooden throne and has three different changes of outfit–one for the rainy season, one for winter, and one for spring.

About religion here: as I mentioned in a comment, Buddhism (which, I just read, 94 percent of Thais practice) is integrated into life in a way I’m not used to seeing, at least in NYC. Almost everyone seems to unironically and unpiously treat Buddhism with respect & reverence. Of course I could be misinterpreting things, but still it was interesting, while listening to the monks chanting, to see hipster kids come in and bow and touch their foreheads to the ground three times and just to seem very comfortable in the setting. The same can be said about the reverence for the king. Every Monday, for example, you’ll see a lot of Thais wearing yellow polo shirts with royal insignia on the chest–this is a gesture of support for his health.