Gold Leaf Merit Making Thai Buddhism

Posted on January 31, 2010 by Mike

Gold leaf placed on reclining Buddha Image

Making merit is a goal of Thai Buddhists, one way they achieve this is by placing small pieces of gold leaf on Buddha statues. Small postage stamps size booklets containing squares of very thin gold leaf are on sale at all Thai temples.

Once purchased, the small squares of gold are added by the devotee. I have heard it said that the higher up the statue the better, but since many Thais are not very tall this may just be a rumour.

The reclining Buddha in this photograph is at Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, Ayutthaya, Thailand. You can clearly see the areas the gold leaf has been placed. To give some perspective to the photograph the wall in the foreground is about 5′ high.

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D 55mm Lens

Related posts:

  1. Gold Moth Thailand
  2. Reclining Buddha -Wat Yai Chai Mongkol Ayutthaya-Photo/Image
  3. Thai Monk Making Tea
  4. All That Glitters.
  5. Temple of the Reclining Buddha-Wat Pho-Bangkok Photos
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  • Martin in Bulgaria

    This is a painstaking work. I presume there is a degree of security with the workers as they are workign with gold.

  • rainfield61

    This is one of the different beliefs Thai people have.

  • The TEFL Don

    @Martyn the gold is added by the devotees. There is no security here!

    @rainfield true- the gold would soon disappear in the UK.

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