kweejibo stories, January 2013: Bayon Temple, Giant Heads of Buddha at Angkor, Travels in Cambodia

Jayavarman VII sponsored the construction of the enormous temple Bayon, Angkor Thom or Angkor Wat, Cambodia, where this sculpture is believed to have come from...

Above photo taken at Musée Guimet, Paris.

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We spent a couple days in Phnom Penh, a very busy hot city with many scooters... and then a bus ride and exciting fast boat packed with locals across Tonle Sap Lake to Siem Reap, the town near Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

Bayon :

First in a Series of four temples on my trip to Angkor Thom, or commonly known as Angkor Wat, Cambodia, in 2000.

Bayon, is the last of the great architectural pieces, sponsored by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII, and dedicated to Mahāyāna Buddhism.

Though Buddhist in concept, its plan is similar to the Hindu ideal of a temple mountain. One goes "into the mountain" as one goes further into the temple. Bayon was originally built at the center of a large city, Angkor Thom, or originally Indrapattha.

Durian fruit seller in local market

I am wearing a lot of clothes in these photos considering the weather. In every photo taken of me by my then-partner, Peter, there are several Cambodian male temple staff standing and gawking behind him. They believe that I am a Thai prostitute, as is usually the case with a mixed couple (Asian female-white male) visiting the very-touristed sites such as Angkor. I was not treated in the most respectful manner throughout the temple complexes, and one staff worker even made an uncomfortable joke about my "ugly face". At first, I was puzzled by the behavior of all, until one day, when I went for a walk by myself in the town of Siem Reap. And for the first time, no one stared at me, whistled at me or treated me strangely. It was the only time that I was treated like a normal woman going for a walk.

The upper terrace of Bayon contains the most striking feature of a large number of sculptural heads, built around towers which contain two to four of these statues. The original number of heads is 216. Although some have been destroyed or damaged, an impressive group still remains.

As I walked around the upper reaches of Bayon, all I could see were these serene faces, a story tall each. They resemble strikingly a combination of the Khmer KIng Jayavarman VII, and Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. It is possible, that he wanted to be represented with the appearance of the bodhisattva.

A deep dark pit, with many bats....

We woke up at five a.m. to see Bayon because Angkor is ... hot.

There is one photo of the temple heads, with what appears to be a darkening sky, a sunset. Actually, it is the sunrise.

Our driver was dubious and not entirely happy at the notion of going at this hour, but, he was also not happy at the notion of sweltering weather in the temple grounds.

This is a photo taken at sunrise, not sunset, we got up early to avoid the heat.

Above photo taken at Musée Guimet, Paris.

Jayavarman VII (1181-1218?)

Jayavarman VII understood the importance of architecture in influencing the kind of country, the religion and culture that makes Cambodia what it is even today.

He is revered in Cambodia still both for his enormous influence on creating the Buddhist state and for his sponsorship of architectural works, largely Buddhist, which represent the height of Khmer Empire and Cambodian Architecture and sculpture, twelfth and thirteenth century.

Cambodia, or the Khmer Empire practiced the Hindu religion for over a thousand years before Jayavarman VII.

He was the second Buddhist king of the Khmer Empire; the first being Suryavarman I, over a hundred years earlier. Jayavarman's father, Dharnaindravarman II, who ruled before him was Hindu.

Aside of rumors of a brief Hindu revolt, Cambodia remained a Buddhist country, after Jayavarman's death.

Currently, Cambodia is Theravada Buddhist, the oldest and considered more basic form of Buddhism, which is closer to the early traditions...

Currently, this movement is more predominant in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and Cambodia, and is the second largest branch of the Buddhist religion.

Some Theravadist movements adhere to the Mahāyāna Buddhist worship of the bodhisattvas, and others reject Mahāyāna traditions.

PART TWO... Next Installment, Ta Prohm, sprawling temple overgrown by the jungle, Constructed by Jayavarman VII, in honor of his mother Sri Jayarajacudamani

Angkor Wat, Main Temple

Ta Prohm, overgrown by jungle, temple site of Angkor Region

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Bayon Temple, Giant Heads of Buddha at Angkor, Travels in Cambodia