Wat Phra Sing, Chiang Rai

Wat Pra Sing (Thai: วัดพระสิงห์) is a Buddhist temple located on Thanon Singkhlai in Tambon Wiang, Mueang district, Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand.

This article is about the temple in Chiang Rai. For the temple in Chiang Mai, see Wat Phra Singh.
Nameplate of the temple. Notice the ห์ at the end, a silenced syllable ha, that in this case is also written.

Wat Pra Sing was built by Pra Chao Maha Proma (P.E. 1345 – 1400), c. 1385 (B.E. 1928).

The Phra Sing image
One replica of the Pra Sing image at Wat Pra Sing, Chiang Rai

The Ubosoth contains several replicas of the Pra Sing or Pra Buddhasihing image, a cultural landmark in the history of the Lanka wong Theravada Sect of Buddhism in Thailand.

An Ebony and Gold image

The Pra Buddhasihing image, called the Pra Sing image in Northern Thailand, is said to have come from Sri Lanka to Nakorn Sri Thammalat to Sukhothai to Ayutthaya, Kamphaengphet, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai before ending up in Bangkok.

A Purple Jade image

According to the Chiang Mai Chronicles Pra Chao Maha Proma attempted to usurp the throne at Chiang Mai upon the death of his brother Pra Nue Na but failed and withdrew to the protection of the king of Ayutthaya. When he later returned to Chiang Rai he brought the Pra Buddhasihing image with him.

Other Buddha images at Wat Phra Sing

There are several other interesting Buddha images at Wat Pra Sing, like these gathered beneath a Bodhi tree sent from India.

The Pali School at Wat Pra Sing

There has long been a Pali language school at Wat Pra Sing and a new building was dedicated on the occasion of the Queen's seventy second Phansa, on 22 July 2005 (22 กรกฎคม 2548).

According to Radhika Abeysekera, the Buddha's mother, Queen Mahaa Maayaa, decided to visit her mother so that she could be with her at the time of the birth of her baby.

On the way she stopped at the Lumbini Pleasure Garden to rest. Under a sweet-scented Sala Lanka tree, on a full moon day in the month of May, in the year 623 BC, the Prince was born.

Wat Pra Sing in Chiang Rai has a pair of Sala Lanka trees behind the chedi, in front of the kuti, or monks' quarters. They are sweet scented indeed.

The Buddha walked the earth for 80 years and passed into Nirvana in 543 BC. The P.E and the B.E. differ by 543 years.

  • The Ubosoth at Wat Pra Sing, Chiang Rai
  • The Buddha images within the Ubosoth at Wat Pra Sing, Chiang Rai
  • Another replica of the Pra Sing image at Wat Pra Sing, Chiang Rai
  • Buddha images beneath a Bodhi tree at Wat Pra Sing, Chiang Rai
  • Flower of the Sala Lanka tree at Wat Pra Sing, Chiang Rai

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