Saran Suebsantiwongse | University of Cambridge (original) (raw)

Papers by Saran Suebsantiwongse

Journal of Siam Society , 2024

In recent years, the Phra Khun Phaen amulet, featuring a buddha in the subduing Māra pose, has ga... more In recent years, the Phra Khun Phaen amulet, featuring a buddha in the subduing Māra pose, has gained popularity among Thais and foreigners, especially Asians. Believed to bestow charisma, wealth, and sexual attraction, the amulet’s origins trace back to the Siamese literary work Khun Chang Khun Phaen from the Ayutthaya period. This article explores its evolution from early clay tablets to modern representations, emphasizing its shift from a Buddhist doctrinal tool to a necromantic symbol of wealth and power, shaped by economic conditions from the early 20th century to today.

Journal of Dharma Studies, 2023

Bas-reliefs of scenes from the epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata are extremely common in temples all... more Bas-reliefs of scenes from the epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata are extremely common in temples all over India, but depictions of scenes from a Sanskrit drama (mahānāṭaka) in places of worship are virtually unheard of. A few bas-reliefs at the Lokeśvara Temple and the Trailokyeśvara Temple at Paṭṭadakal depict scenes centring around a female figure, who is arguably Śakuntalā. The story of Śakuntalā is first mentioned in the Mahābhārata and was subsequently dramatised by Kālidāsa in the fifth century in the Abhijñānaśākuntalam. From a comparison of these basreliefs with the aforesaid texts in the original Sanskrit, it is evident that they match the storyline in the drama better than that of the epic. Apart from corroborating the probability that these reliefs may have been inspired by a Sanskrit drama, this paper also explores how the rasas, which can normally be experienced through live performances or literature, can also be depicted and communicated through a nondynamic medium. Additionally, this paper demonstrates that the works of Kālidāsa were known and cherished by the Cālukya royal figures, some of whom memorialised them in stone, in an unusual form of temple iconography in the two temples at Paṭṭadakal.

Journal of Yoga Studies, 2022

The largely understudied Sāmrājyalakṣmīpīṭhikā is known to a small number of Sanskritists as a co... more The largely understudied Sāmrājyalakṣmīpīṭhikā is known to a small number of Sanskritists as a compendium on kingship, which they believe to be from South India. The text is composed in the form of an ongoing dialogue between Śiva and Pārvatī and the colophon attributes it to the Ākāśabhairavakalpa. Hence, the text is catalogued as a Tantric text. Apart from Tantric rituals, the Sāmrājyalakṣmīpīṭhikā also contains chapters on various activities that the king must perform publicly and privately. Chapter 107 contains an elaborate description of the Navarātri festival, which describes various amusements that the king should witness on the night of the Mahānavamī. Dance performances, wrestling combats, acrobatic shows, magic and presumably yogic practices are some of the physical exercises on the list. This paper aims to highlight these physical practices and demonstrate how performers and ascetics shared the same space during religious festivals, a situation that could favour the excha...

Routledge eBooks, Jan 4, 2023

The Phrachetuphonmangalaram Temple, commonly known as “Wat Pho,” was one of the first royal templ... more The Phrachetuphonmangalaram Temple, commonly known as “Wat Pho,” was one of the first royal temples built after Bangkok was founded. The temple is believed to be where the Thai massage, listed by UNESCO as “an intangible heritage” of Thailand, has originated. It is also a training center, drawing thousands of students from around the world each year. Massage techniques are recorded in the forms of inscriptions, mural paintings, and palm leaf manuscripts. Furthermore, textual sources and the material culture at Wat Pho contain a wealth of information on physiology, medicine, and yoga āsanas. This chapter aims to identify what is Thai massage by looking at its origin and evolution through texts, inscriptions, and the material culture of Wat Pho. In keeping with the theme of the book, it aims to identify the “Thai body”; the Thai systems of physiology, the nāḍīs, and their connection to spirituality and Buddhism; and how they are used in the massage and yogic practices. They are then compared with the Indian systems of Ayurveda, Haṭha Yoga, and Rājayoga. Finally, the chapter explores how this knowledge might have been transferred to Thailand through centuries of transmigrations across the Indian Ocean.

SPAFA JOURNAL, Dec 8, 2022

Scholars have long debated the form and functions of Borobudur, whether it is a maṇḍala, a stūpa ... more Scholars have long debated the form and functions of Borobudur, whether it is a maṇḍala, a stūpa or both. Two Buddhist maṇḍalas have tentatively been assigned to the structure, namely the Vajradhātumaṇḍala and the Mahākaruṇagarbhadhātumaṇḍala. But as the concurrence between the structural and iconographical details of the monument and the textual evidence are yet to be matched precisely, research on the exact nature of Borobudur is still current more than a century after its re-discovery in modern times. Recapping and building on different scholarly views to date, this paper presents yet another interpretation, insights into, and possible functions of this ancient megastructure. Para sarjana telah lama bardebat tentang bentuk dan fungsi Borobudur: apakah itu merupakan sebuah maṇḍala, stūpa, atau keduanya. Untuk sementara, dua maṇḍala buddhist telah dinisbatkan kepada struktur tersebut, yaitu Vajradhātumaṇḍala dan Mahākaruṇagarbhadhātumaṇdala. Tetapi, karena kesesuaian antara detail struktur dan ikonografis monumen serta bukti tekstualnya belum dicocokkan dengan tepat, penelitian tentang sifat persis Borobudur berlangsung lebih dari satu abad sejak penemuannya di era modern. Merangkum dan membangun dari berbagai pendapat hingga saat ini, makalah ini menyajikan interpretasi lain, wawasan, dan kemungkinan fungsi-fungsi lain bagunan megastruktur kuno ini.

SPAFA Journal, 2022

The little studied Sāmrājyalakṣmīpīṭhikā is known to a small number of Sanskritists and historian... more The little studied Sāmrājyalakṣmīpīṭhikā is known to a small number of Sanskritists and historians as an encyclopaedic work on kingship from the Vijayanagara period. The work is, however, catalogued as a Tantric text, probably owing to its title (which includes the name of a Tantric goddess), literary form, colophon and the majority of the contents of the first half of the book, which includes a large portion on the elaborate Tantric rituals that must be conducted by the king at both private and state festivals – the foremost being the Navarātri, the 10-day festival exclusively dedicated to the worship of the Mother Goddess. The second half of the Sāmrājyalakṣmīpīṭhikā, nevertheless, focuses exclusively on kingship and statecraft in well-balanced proportion with its first part on Tantra. Thus, I propose to call the text a hybrid compilation (nibandha) of kingship and Tantric practices. The primary aim of this dissertation would, therefore, be to justify my argument on why I call the...

HASS, 2021

A group of Catholic priests and lay brothers known as the Jesuits arrived in China in the 16 th c... more A group of Catholic priests and lay brothers known as the Jesuits arrived in China in the 16 th century with the mission to covert the Emperor and the nation. One of their foremost methods to achieve this was by means of art. Amongst the Jesuits in China, Giuseppe Castiglione, an Italian painter/lay brother, was one of the most recognised personalities. He arrived in Beijing in 1715 CE and worked as a court artist for three consecutive Emperors of the Qing dynasty until his death. Castiglione adapted the tradition Chinese style of painting and integrated it with his background in European painting, which resulted in a new idiom of courtly art. This paper outlines Castiglione's influence and contribution to the imperial Chinese art of the 18 th-century through the analysis of styles and techniques in some of his notable works, which are then compared with a number of European and Chinese paintings of different periods and genres. The result demonstrates that the Chinese art during the Qing period acquired a new style through the significant artistic innovation spearheaded by Castiglione and his associates, while still remaining in tune with the Emperors' taste and formidable courtly traditions. And though the Jesuits captured the Emperors' attention with their artistic skills, the history has proven that their principle mission at converting the nation had not achieved quite the same result.

SEAMEO SPAFA, 2020

The lintel situated above the eastern portal of the garbhagṛha (sanctum sanctorum) at Phimai dep... more The lintel situated above the eastern portal of the garbhagṛha (sanctum sanctorum) at Phimai depicts a three-headed deity with eight arms dancing on an elephant’s head. As Phimai is confirmed to be a temple for Esoteric Buddhist practices according to the inscriptions attributed to various kings of the Khmer Empire, this deity unquestionably belongs in the Tantric Buddhist pantheon. While most agree that the deity is Tantric, some scholars have mixed opinions about the identity of the deity, which has been thought of as either Cakrasaṃvara or Trailokyavijaya. Hence the primary objective of this paper is to verify the identity of this deity through the studies of Sanskrit texts on Tantric Buddhist iconography. The results demonstrate that Tantric Buddhism once flourished in Thailand and that Buddhist Sanskrit texts on iconography may have been used in the creation of Tantric iconographies at Phimai.

HASSS, 2020

Although Thailand's population is predominantly Buddhist, many customs and traditions are deeply ... more Although Thailand's population is predominantly Buddhist, many customs and traditions are deeply rooted in the Vedic rituals of ancient India; the rites of passage and associated rituals known in Sanskrit as saṃskāras, which are performed in the Thai court, clearly demonstrate this fact. The Indic saṃskāras are sixteen in number, comprising ceremonies to mark different stages of one's life: from birth to death. Similarly, the courtly ceremonies of Thailand have the same functions, but they are also conducted for the benefit of the population and are not limited to the personages of the court. Moreover, Brahmanical rituals utilising Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava hymns from south India namely the Tiruveṃpāvai and Tiruppāvai are also carried out, thus suggesting that Hinduism once played the central role in the socio-religious backdrop in the kingdom. The sources of these rituals, both courtly and public, can be found in The Royal Ceremonies of Twelve Months written by King Chulalongkorn who expounds them in great detail. Apart from outlining the significance of rituals and connecting them to the courtly protocols of the Ayutthaya period, Chulalongkorn provides glimpses into the 19 th-century royal ceremonies. In the present era, these rituals can still be observed in the palace and are officiated by the court Brahmins who claim ancestry from the early Indian diaspora in the present-day Thailand. Besides presenting the history and practices of Thai Brahmins, this paper also aims to compare the royal rituals with the Indian saṃskāras. Additionally, it aims to highlight the role of Brahmins in the Thai court and how their sacred liturgies ordain the king with the ritual sovereignty in exchange for the royal patronage that supports their livelihood and sustains their existence.

Thai Prajña Journal, Silpakorn University, 2017

British Association of Vedic Astrology, 2004