Chaiya monastic cluster, (in) Chaiya, Surat Thani, TH

Raw data

"Some historians claim that Chaiya in the Surat Thani province in Southern Thailand was at least temporarily the capital of Srivijaya, but this claim is widely disputed. However, Chaiya was probably a regional centre of the kingdom. The temple of Borom That in Chaiya contains a reconstructed pagoda in Srivijaya style[20].
Phra Boromathat Chaiya is highlighted by the chedi in Srivijaya style, dating back from the 7th century but elaborately restored. Buddha relics are enshrined in the chedi, in the surrounding chapels are several Buddha statues in Srivijaya style as it was labeled by Prince Damrong in his Collected Inscriptions of Siam, is now attributed to Wat Hua Wiang in Chaiya. Dated to the year 697 of the Mahasakkarat era (i.e. 775 CE), the inscription on a Bai Sema shaped stone tells about the King of Srivijaya having erected three stupas at that site that possibly the one at Wat Phra Borom That. But also be assumed as three stupas at Wat Hua Wiang (Hua Wiang temple), Wat Lhong (Lhong temple) and Wat Kaew (Kaew temple) found in the area of Chaiya ancient city, stand in the direction from north to south on the old sand dune."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijaya

Chaiya, Thailand Page
Other names: Muang Chaiya, Chaija, Pumreang, Jaiya, Amphoe Chaiya, Ban Pun Riang, Ban Pum Riang, Phum Riang, Ban Phumrieng, Ban Phummariang, Pumriang, Ban Bhum Rieng, Muang Chaya, Amphoe Moeang Jaiya
World:Thailand:Changwat Surat Thani
Lat 9.3833 Long 99.2333
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/TH/60/Chaiya.html

"Srivijaya also maintained close relations with the Pala Empire in Bengal, and an 860 inscription records that maharaja Balaputra dedicated a monastery at the Nalanda university in Pala territory. Relations with the Chola dynasty of southern India were initially friendly but deteriorated into actual warfare in the eleventh century." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijaya

"A stronghold of Vajrayana Buddhism, Srivijaya attracted pilgrims and scholars from other parts of Asia. These included the Chinese monk Yijing, who made several lengthy visits to Sumatra on his way to study at Nalanda University in India in 671 and 695, and the 11th century Bengali Buddhist scholar Atisha, who played a major role in the development of Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijaya

Input by: tmciolek, Aug 31, 2010

"Excavations at Chaia [Skt. Jaiya] […] have revealed Stupas, images and votive tablets similar to those found in Java and Sumatra. These are identified as being of the Mahayana tradition." - Desai (2005:16)

"The chetiyas in Chaiya (Jaya) […] in South Thailand, clearly indicate Mahayana influence." - Kusalasaya (2006–2013).
Input by: tmciolek, Jan 06, 2013

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 06 Jan 2013

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 2 km from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Chaiya monastic cluster, TH.

General location of the Chaiya monastic cluster, TH.
Lat 9.3833 Long 99.2333
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2010.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=9.3833+99.2333+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Chaiya%20monastic%20cluster,%20TH)&ll=9.3833,99.2333&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name


2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • Thailand: Changwat Surat Thani

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names

  • [missing data]

4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates


5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries

  • [missing data]

6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village

  • [missing data]

7. The settlement's alternative/historical names

  • [missing data]

8. The settlement's coordinates


9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition


10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • [missing data]

11. Date-early

  • [missing data]

12. Date-intermediate

  • MBM chrono-tag 0733-66p 0767-99c 0800-32c - tmciolek 29 Dec 2012
  • 0733-66p 0767-99c 0800-32c dated-x

13. Date-late

  • [missing data]

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • [missing data]

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • pilgrimage accounts, architecture, inscriptions, historical records

16. Additional notes

  • [missing data] (incl. details of the size of the monastic population)

17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

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