The Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya (Thailand) is a very touristy place. It rises more than a hundred meters above the ground, the Pattaya Sanctuary of Truth is a gigantic one-of-a-kind structure that pays homage to the ancient view of Earth, ancient knowledge and Eastern philosophy. However, it is not like the other temples in Thailand.
And it is that this impressive sanctuary is built entirely of elaborately carved teak wood. Approaching its walls, thresholds and pillars is a surprising experience, discovering how delicately and masterfully the heads of Buddha, sacred animals and hundreds of different motifs were carved.
The origins of the Sanctuary
The Sanctuary of Truth was born from the will of Lek Viriyaphant, also known as “Khun Lek”, an eccentric Thai millionaire who wanted through this unusual building to transmit to the world the rich architectural and cultural heritage of Thailand. Construction began on the building in 1981 but research and documentation work on traditional Thai architecture had started many years earlier.
The building was baptized as the Sanctuary of Truth and, although it is not finished, it is already one of the great tourist attractions in Pattaya. Artists and carvers continue to work there on a daily basis. It is estimated that the entire project will be completed by the year 2025, although Khun Lek will no longer be able to see it because he passed away a few years ago. Despite all this, the Thai patron left precise instructions to meticulously execute his original plan, which we hope will be respected.
So the Sanctuary of Truth is currently a work in progress, which does not free it from the siege of tourists, who gladly pay the 500 baht entrance fee (about € 14, a very expensive price for Thai standards) to see the carvers work up close.
The philosophy of the Sanctuary of Truth
As those who know the Sanctuary of Truth well explain, since the time of the Cold War and up to the present, the world has been under the influence of Western civilization that is accentuated by materialism and dedication to technology. Many natural areas have been degraded and men are moving away from their values and morality.
People have become selfish and only destroy their environment and the living beings on earth, as well as themselves. The Sanctuary of Truth was conceived from the goodness drawn from religion, philosophy and art. The sanctuary presents seven creators through the sculptures carved inside, they are: Heaven, Earth, Father, Mother, Moon, Sun and Stars.
In the upper part you can see the four towers of the sanctuary that are four elements that lead to the ideal world according to oriental philosophy that is presented in a wooden sculpture of a celestial body (Deva) that holds many flowers that represents the establishment of religion. A wooden sculpture of a celestial body with a child, a leader and an elderly person can also be found as the pillar of the world that represents the life that has been given to human beings. And a figure with a celestial body holding a book represents the continuation of philosophy forever. And another figure holding a dove symbolizes peace.
These are just some of the wood carved figures that represent the philosophy of this Sanctuary of Truth, where pride is left at the entrance and the idea is to enter with the goodness of the heart to be able to find the real values of life, where happiness is a path and the dark side of the heart should be forever buried among human beings .
The halls of the Sanctuary of Truth
True happiness is found in intrinsic spiritual pleasure. Ideals in people make life more meaningful, and that is why there is a determination for an ideal world, something desired by all men. Any belief, religion or philosophy can lead in different ways. But in order to reflect on the great questions of heaven and earth, one must live in peace. The Sanctuary consists of different rooms that are worth visiting and later visiting.
- The first room: The origin. This room symbolizes the Universe and the Earth. The universe created from orbits of solar systems and the Earth, Our planet is composed of four elements: earth, water, wind and fire. Moods with love, kindness, compassion, sympathy and equanimity are also represented.
- Second room: The Sun, the Moon and the Stars. It is the story of the three creators who give the shape of life. Thanks to the Sun day and night are made, the Moon causes change and the stars are everyone's circumstances. Humans distinguish ourselves from other creatures thanks to knowledge, writing, and morals.
- Third room: the pure love of parents. Live together, according to the customs of society in the whole of the family, the society, the nation and the world.
- Fourth room: love, kindness, sacrifice and sharing.
In addition to the rooms you can also find the center of the room that represents love, kindness and sacrifice. It represents the way to put an end to sadness, to know the path of suffering and pain in order to understand the authentic truth.
Without hesitating for a second, if you ever travel to this region of Thailand and want to discover the Sanctuary of Truth, admire its beauty and also be able to discover your inner self a little better, then do not hesitate to enter its website and buy the tickets to have them in your possession before starting your trip. Surely once you visit it you will never forget it.