No See Evil Buddha

[Sylvester]

From what I can gather from the mangled sales-pitch, the Thai "sammabart" is a corruption of "sammapatti" (attainment). Specifically, the idea that a consecrator would have been on a long retreat in a "sammabart" (making a gift to such a monk highly meritorious) leads me to think that the salesman was thinking of Nirodha Sammapatti.

PS - the Thai predilection for equating Phra Pidta with Sangkachai (Sangkachai = Sang + Kaccayana, where "Sang" is a Skt honorific used commonly in SEAsia meaning "the Venerable") doesn't really have a firm ground. Besides which, if the Thais knew their Sarvastivadin Avadanas, they'll realise that the Ven Kaccayana did not uglify himself on account of the ladies - he did it to avoid another homoerotic episode such as Sorreya's lust for his golden skin.

[Ontheway]

Classical Phra Pidta year 254X, from Wat Pako, Songkhla. I got one piece of this small statue.

Phra Pidta (พระปิดตา), fat and big belly, with both hands on face, usually identified as Arahant Mahakaccayana Thera.

[Ontheway]

Thai southern part Phra Pidta image with golden hued body

Traditional Phra Pidta image (Malaysia style)

Traditional Phra Pidta image (Thailand style)


It is reasonable to think that this image is referring to Arahant Maha Kaccayana Thera. The image was created by Buddhists in the past as token of remembrance for Dhamma teaching of guarding sense faculties (hence covering the face), which is what Arahant Mahakaccayana Thera always do.

On this occasion Sakka, along with his celestial retinue, drew near to the holy assembly and prostrated himself before the Blessed One.

Since he did not see Mahākaccāna, he thought to himself: “It would be good indeed if the noble elder would arrive.” Just at that moment Kaccāna approached and took his seat. When Sakka beheld him, he grasped him firmly by the ankles, expressed his joy over the elder’s arrival, and honoured him with gifts of scents and flowers. Some of the younger monks were upset and complained that Sakka was being partial in his display of reverence, but the Buddha reproved them with the words: “Monks, those monks who, like my son Mahākaccāna, guard the doors of the senses are beloved both among devas and humans.”

He then pronounced the following stanza of the Dhammapada:

Even the devas hold him dear, Whose senses are subdued Like horses trained well by a charioteer, Whose pride is destroyed, And who is free from corruptions. (Dhp 94)

That Kaccāna was actually one who devoted close attention to the mastery of the sense faculties is borne out by his discourses, which (as we shall see below) often emphasize the need for guarding “the doors of the senses.”

- Great Disciples of the Buddha by Venerable Nyanaponika Thera and Hellmuth Hecker

[Ontheway]

[Ontheway]

One thing I learned that Phra Pidta also known as Bhakhawam in ancient Thai.

There is a research about this unique Buddhist statue.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... uZsCU11NOi

It is said that actually in ancient times of Mon society, these statues of fat monk were known as "Bhakhawam" or actually represent Arahant Gavampati Thera.

Even the old days of Thailand, Thai arjans made these small statues to be carried around the neck (for the purpose of remembering the Dhamma teaching, for escaping dangers, for general protection, spiritual powers, and soothing relationship with other people) and called them "Bhakhawambodi" (a voice corruption of Phra Gavampati).

So, what we called "See No Evil Buddha" is actually refers to Arahant Gavampati Thera.
The way of how statue made probably refers to Arahant Gavampati Thera's greatness and unaffected by all defilements. As we can see in his Theragatha:

yo iddhiyā sarabhuṃ aṭṭhapesi, so gavampati asito anejo; taṃ sabbasaṅgātigataṃ mahāmuniṃ, devā namassanti bhavassa pāragun"ti

His psychic power made the river Sarabhu stand still;
Gavampati is unbound and unperturbed.
The gods bow to that great sage, who has gone beyond all clinging,
and gone beyond rebirth.

Phra Bhakhawambodi aka Phra Pidta