A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」（w+Da2)) is a type of

Buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...

and Hindu temple in

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

East Shan State Shan State ( my, ရှမ်းပြည်နယ်, ; shn, မိူင်းတႆး, italics=no) also known by the endonyms Shanland, Muang Tai, and Tailong, is a state of Myanmar. Shan State borders China (Yunnan) to the north, Laos ( L ...

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in Southwest China, the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is ...

, the Southern Province of Sri Lanka and

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

. The word ''wat'' is a Thai word that was borrowed from

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

''vāṭa'' (

Devanāgarī Devanagari ( ; , , Sanskrit pronunciation: ), also called Nagari (),Kathleen Kuiper (2010), The Culture of India, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, , page 83 is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental writing system), based on the a ...

: वाट), meaning 'enclosure'. The term has varying meanings in each region, sometimes referring to a specific type of government-recognised or large temple, other times referring to any Buddhist or Hindu temple.

Overview

Strictly speaking, a ''wat'' is a

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

sacred precinct with vihara (quarters for

bhikkhu A ''bhikkhu'' (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, ''bhikṣu'') is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics ("nun", ''bhikkhunī'', Sanskrit ''bhikṣuṇī'') are members of the Sangha (Buddhist ...

s), a temple, an edifice housing a large image of Buddha and a facility for lessons. A site without a minimum of three resident ''bhikkhu''s cannot correctly be described as a wat although the term is frequently used more loosely, even for ruins of ancient temples. As a transitive or intransitive verb, ''

wat A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」（w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...

'' means to measure, to take measurements; compare ''

templum The vocabulary of ancient Roman religion was highly specialized. Its study affords important information about the religion, traditions and beliefs of the ancient Romans. This legacy is conspicuous in European cultural history in its influence on ...

'', from which ''

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

'' derives, having the same root as ''

template Template may refer to: Tools * Die (manufacturing), used to cut or shape material * Mold, in a molding process * Stencil, a pattern or overlay used in graphic arts (drawing, painting, etc.) and sewing to replicate letters, shapes or designs Co ...

''. In

, a ''wat'' is any place of worship. "''Wat''" generally refers to a Buddhist place of worship, but the precise term is ''vôtt pŭtthsasnéa'' () meaning "Buddhist pagoda". "

Angkor Wat Angkor Wat (; km, អង្គរវត្ត, "City/Capital of Temples") is a temple complex in Cambodia and is the largest religious monument in the world, on a site measuring . Originally constructed as a Hinduism, Hindu temple dedicated ...

" ( ) means 'city of temples'. In everyday language in Thailand, a "wat" is any place of worship except a

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

( th, สุเหร่า; ; or th, มัสยิด; ) or a

synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...

( th, สุเหร่ายิว; ). Thus, a ''wat chin'' () or ''san chao'' () is a Chinese temple (either

Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...

), ''wat khaek'' () or ''thewasathan'' () is a

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...

and ''bot khrit'' () or ''wat farang'' () is a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

church, though Thai () may be used descriptively as with mosques.

Types

According to Thai law, there are two types of Thai Buddhist temples: * Wats (วัด; ''wat'') are temples which have been endorsed by the state and have been granted '' wisungkhammasima'' (วิสุงคามสีมา), or the land for establishing central hall, by the king. These temples are divided into:ราชกิจจานุเบกษ�
ประกาศกระทรวงธรรมการ แผนกกรมสังฆการี เรื่อง จัดระเบียบพระอารามหลวง
เล่ม ๓๒, ตอน ๐ ก, ๓ ตุลาคม พ.ศ.๒๔๕๘, หน้า ๒๘๔ ** Royal temples ( th, พระอารามหลวง; ): established or patronised by the king or his family members. ** Public temples ( th, วัดราษฎร์; ): established by private citizens. Despite the term "private", private temples are open to the public and are sites of public religious activities. * ''Samnak song'' ( th, สำนักสงฆ์): are temples without state endorsement and ''wisungkhamasima''.

Structure

20171118 Pha That Luang in Vientiane 3176 DxO

Penang Malaysia Wat-Chaiya-Mangkalaram-Temple-01

A typical Buddhist wat consists of the following buildings: *

Bell tower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...

( km, ប៉មជួង, ; lo, ຫໍລະຄັງ; th, หอระฆัง) * Bot ( th, โบสถ์) or

ubosot The ordination hall is a Buddhist building specifically consecrated and designated for the performance of the Buddhist ordination ritual ('' upasampada'') and other ritual ceremonies, such as the recitation of the Patimokkha. The ordination hall ...

( lo, ອຸໂປສົດ; th, อุโบสถ; from

Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...

uposatha The Uposatha ( sa, Upavasatha) is a Buddhist day of observance, in existence from the Buddha's time (600 BCE), and still being kept today by Buddhist practitioners. The Buddha taught that the Uposatha day is for "the cleansing of the defiled mind ...

'') or ''sim'' ( lo, ສິມ): the holiest prayer room, also called the "ordination hall" as it is where new monks take their vows. Architecturally it is similar to the vihara. The main difference is the eight cornerstones placed around the bot to ward off evil. The bot is usually more decorated than the wihan. In Cambodia nowadays, this type of building is considered to be

Vihear A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」（w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...

. It was previously called ''Ubaosathakea'' or ''Rorng Ubaosoth'' ( km, ឧបោសថាគារ ឬ រោងឧបោសថ). * Chedei ( km, ចេតិយ) or Chedi ( th, เจดีย์; lo, ເຈດີ) from

: ''chaitya'', temple or ''that'' ( lo, ທາດ): It is also known as a ''

stupa A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation. In Buddhism, circumamb ...

''. Usually conical or bell-shaped buildings, but many Cambodian stupas are constructed in the style of temple shrine. They often contain relics of Buddha. The urns containing the ashes of the cremated dead are kept here and serve as memorials for those ancestors. * Chantakhara ( th, ชันตาฆร): a room in which fire and water are kept. * Drum tower ( km, រោងស្គរ; lo, ຫໍກອງ; th, หอกลอง) * Hong Song Nam ( th, ห้องสรงน้ำ): toilet. *

Ho trai A ho trai ( th, หอไตร) is the library of a Thai Buddhist temple. A ho trai can come in different shapes and sizes. For many centuries, the sacred Tipiṭaka scriptures had been written on palm leaves. To preserve the scriptures again ...

( km, ហោត្រ័យ; lo, ຫໍໄຕ; th, หอไตร): library where

Buddhist texts Buddhist texts are those religious texts which belong to the Buddhist tradition. The earliest Buddhist texts were not committed to writing until some centuries after the death of Gautama Buddha. The oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts a ...

are kept. * Kappapiya Kudi ( th, กัปปิยกุฎี) utility and storage room. * Kod ( km, កុដិ), Kut, Kutti, Kuti or Kati ( lo, ກຸຕິ, ກະຕິ; th, กุฏิ): the living quarters of monks separated from the sacred buildings. * Mondop ( km, មណ្ឌប; th, มณฑป; from Sanskrit: ''

Mandapa A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture. Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...

''): usually an open, square building with four arches and a pyramidal roof, used to worship religious texts or objects. * Pond ( km, ស្រះ - ''Srah''; lo, ສະນ້ໍາ ''Sa Nam''; th, สระน้ำ ''Sa Nam''): is rectangular in shape and sometimes decorated with lotus flowers, the emblematic flower of Buddhism. In addition, some wats illustrate the figure of

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...

being sheltered by a seven headed

naga Naga or NAGA may refer to: Mythology * Nāga, a serpentine deity or race in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions * Naga Kingdom, in the epic ''Mahabharata'' * Phaya Naga, mythical creatures believed to live in the Laotian stretch of the Mekong Riv ...

, named

Mucalinda Mucalinda, Muchalinda or Mucilinda is the name of a nāga, a snake-like being, who protected the Gautama Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment. It is said that six weeks after Gautama Buddha began meditating under the Bodhi Tree, t ...

( km, មុជ្ជលិន្ទ), in the middle of the pond. The pond itself is called Mucalinda Pond. * Sala ( km, សាលា; lo, ສາລາ; th, ศาลา; from the Sanskrit word (

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...

: śālā), cognate of

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...

शाल, meaning hall, large room or shed. A pavilion for relaxation and miscellaneous activities. In Cambodia, the sala also serves as the Buddhist educational center in a wat, but not every wat has one. It can be found outside the wat proper. ** Oupadthan Sala or Sala Bonn ( km, ឧបដ្ឋានសាលា ឬ សាលាបុណ្យ) or Sala Wat ( th, ศาลาวัด): a hall for people gathering together to make a donation or for ceremonies. ** Sala Baley or Sala Putthikakseksa ( km, សាលាបាលី ឬ សាលាពុទ្ធិកសិក្សា): literally means '

school' or 'Buddhist educational school', is the place to teach Buddhist

Dharma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...

and other subjects in both

and Khmer languages. Sala Baley is divided into three levels. They are: Buddhist elementary school ( km, ពុទ្ធិកបឋមសិក្សា ''Putthikakpathamaseksa''); Buddhist high school ( km, ពុទ្ធិកវិទ្យាល័យ - ''Putthikakvityealay''); and Buddhist university ( km, ពុទ្ធិកសកលវិទ្យាល័យ ''Putthikaksakalvityealay''). Beside Buddhist Dharma, Buddhist university includes subjects such as philosophy, science, information technology,

, and other foreign languages. These schools may be constructed outside the wat and laypersons are also permitted to study there. ** Sala Chhann ( km, សាលាឆាន់), Sala Bat ( th, ศาลาบาตร), or Ho Chan ( th, หอฉัน): cafeteria for monks. ** Sala Chhatean ( km, សាលាឆទាន), Sala Klang Yan ( th, ศาลากลางย่าน) or Sala Rong Tham ( lo, ສາລາໂຮງທໍາ; th, ศาลาโรงธรรม): is usually smaller than other halls and can be built outside the wat, especially along the roads or even in the center of villages. It is used to celebrate Buddhist events as well as for dining and relaxation. **

Sala Kan Parian Sala kan parian ( th, ศาลาการเปรียญ) is the highest form of a Thai temple '' sala'' (pavilion). This pavilion is traditionally built as a hall in which clerics can instruct lay people in Buddhist doctrine, and is sometim ...

( th, ศาลาการเปรียญ) or Ho Chaek ( lo, ຫໍແຈກ; th, หอแจก): study hall, ** Sala Song ( th, ศาลาสรง): the room where monks receive holy water blessings. ** Sala Thormmasaphear or Thormmasala ( km, សាលាធម្មសភា ឬ ធម្មសាលា), Sala Fang Tham ( th, ศาลาฟังธรรม):

assembly pavilion, however some assume this hall to be Sala Bonn. ** Sala Tha Nam ( th, ศาลาท่าน้ำ): pier pavilion. * Vihear ( km, វិហារ) or wihan ( lo, ວິຫານ; th, วิหาร) from Sanskrit: '' vihara'': a meeting and prayer room. * Wachak Kod ( km, វច្ចកុដិ) or Watcha Kudi ( th, วัจจกุฎี) or ''than'' ( lo, ຖານ; th, ถาน): toilet. Almost all Buddhist temples in Cambodia were built in Khmer architectural style. Most temples were finely decorated with a spiked tower (bosbok) ( km, បុស្បុក)(some temples have three or five spiked towers; some have none) on the rooftop along with

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedimen ...

heads, and chovear ( km, ជហ្វា) (a decorative ridge-piece that is placed at each topmost edge of the roof, just above the tip of each pediment). Below the edge of the roof and at the top of external columns,

garuda Garuda (Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garuda is a ...

kinnari A kinnara is a celestial musician, part human and part bird, who are musically paradigmatic lovers, in Hinduism and Buddhism. In these traditions, the ''kinnaras'' (male) and ''kinnaris'' (female counterpart) are two of the most beloved mytho ...

figures are depicted supporting the roof. There are a pair of guardian lions and one head or several (three, five, seven, or nine).

sculptures are beside each entrance of the temple. Inside the main temple ( vihara) and the multipurpose hall (lunch hall), mural paintings depict the life of

Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...

and his previous life. The roofs of Thai temples are often adorned with

chofa Chofa ( th, ช่อฟ้า, ; lit. sky tassel) is a Lao and Thai architectural decorative ornament that adorns the top at the end of wat and palace roofs in most Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. It r ...

Examples

Some well-known wats include:

Cambodia

At the end of 2017, there were 4,872 wats with 69,199 Buddhist monks supporting

Buddhism in Cambodia Buddhism in Cambodia or Khmer Buddhism ( km, ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនានៅកម្ពុជា) has existed since at least the 5th century. In its earliest form it was a type of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Today, the predominant fo ...

. By 2019, it was illustrated that 97.1 percent of the Cambodian population was Buddhist, making Cambodia to be one of the most predominant Buddhist nations in the world. *

Siem Reap Siem Reap ( km, សៀមរាប, ) is the second-largest city of Cambodia, as well as the capital and largest city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. Siem Reap has French colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old F ...

* Wat Preah Keo,

Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...

* Wat Botum Vattey,

Wat Moha Montrey Wat Moha Montrey ( km, វត្តមហាមន្ត្រី; "Grand Minister Pagoda") is a wat located on Sihanouk Boulevard in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Built in 1970, it was used by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979 as a storage house fo ...

* Wat Ounalaom,

Wat Phnom Wat Phnom ( km, វត្តភ្នំ, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; "Mountain Pagoda") is a Buddhist temple ( wat), a pagoda, that symbolizes the name of Phnom Penh, and a historical site that is part of the Khmer national identity. Wat Phnom has a t ...

Wat Bakan Wat Bakan ( km, វត្តបាកាន, ) is a pagoda in Trapeang chorng commune, Bakan District of Pursat Province in Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, ...

Pursat Pursat ( ; km, ពោធិ៍សាត់, ) is the capital of Pursat Province, Cambodia. Its name derived from a type of tree. It lies on the Pursat River. The city is famous as the place of mythical 16th century ''neak ta'' of Khleang Moeu ...

Laos

Pha That Luang Pha That Luang ( lo, ທາດຫຼວງ or ພຣະທາດຫລວງ; 'Great Stupa') is a gold-covered large Buddhist stupa in the centre of the city of Vientiane, Laos. Since its initial establishment, suggested to be in the 3rd century ...

Vientiane Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...

Wat Xieng Thong Wat Xieng Thong ( lo, ວັດຊຽງທອງ; "Temple of the Golden City") is a Buddhist temple (vat or wat) on the northern tip of the peninsula of Luang Phrabang, Laos.Lall, Vikram. ''The Golden Lands: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, ...

Luang Prabang Luang Phabang, ( Lao: ຫລວງພະບາງ/ ຫຼວງພະບາງ) or ''Louangphabang'' (pronounced ), commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r) ...

Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham often simply Wat Mai or Wat May is a Buddhist temple or wat in Luang Prabang, Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິ ...

Wat Manorom Wat Manorom is a major Buddhist temple and monastery in Luang Prabang, Laos. There are several theories as to the date of its founding; it may have been founded in 1372 or 1375 by Samsenthai, but it may also date from the reign of Laasaenthai B ...

Malaysia

* Wat Buppharam,

Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...

Wat Chayamangkalaram Wat Chayamangkalaram ( th, วัดไชยมังคลาราม; ) (also called as the Chayamangkalaram Buddhist Temple) is a Thai temple in Pulau Tikus suburb of George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Situated in Kelawei Road, the temple ...

Wat Chetawan Wat Chetawan ( th, วัดเชตวัน; ) (also called as the Chetawan Buddhist Temple) is a Thai architecture, Thai temple in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. The temple is situated at Jalan Pantai, off Jalan Gasing in Petaling J ...

Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...

Wat Phothivihan th, วัดโพธิวิหาร , image = 001 Gateway Signboard (9143224672).jpg , caption = Front view of the temple , location = Tumpat , coordinates = , religious_affiliatio ...

Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in the ...

Despite having only 3.8 percent Buddhists in Kelantan, the northern Malaysian state of

has numerous Thai wats.

Singapore

* Wat Ananda *

Wat Palelai A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」（w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...

Thailand

Thailand had 39,883 wats. Three hundred-ten were royal wats, the remainder were private (public). There were 298,580 Thai Buddhist monks, 264,442 of the

Maha Nikaya The Mahā Nikāya (literal translation: "great order") is one of the two principal monastic orders, or fraternities, of modern Thai and Cambodian Buddhism. The term is used to refer to any Theravada monks not within the Dhammayuttika Nikaya, the o ...

order and 34,138 of the

Dhammayuttika Nikaya Dhammayuttika Nikāya (Pali; th, ธรรมยุติกนิกาย; ; km, ធម្មយុត្តិកនិកាយ, ), or Dhammayut Order ( th, คณะธรรมยุต) is an order of Theravada Buddhist ''bhikkhus'' (monk ...

order. There were 59,587 Buddhist novice monks. *

Wat Suthat Wat Suthat Thepwararam ( th, วัดสุทัศนเทพวราราม, ) is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a royal temple of the first grade, one of ten such temples in Bangkok (23 in Thailand). Construction was begun ...

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

Wat Benchamabophit Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram ( th, วัดเบญจมบพิตรดุสิตวนาราม; ) is a Buddhist temple (wat) in the Dusit District of Bangkok, Thailand. Also known as the marble temple, it is one of Bangkok's best ...

(The Marble Temple) *

Wat Ratchanatdaram Wat Ratchanatdaram ( th, วัดราชนัดดาราม, ) is a buddhist temple (wat) located at the intersection between Ratchadamnoen Klang and Maha Chai Road, in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok. Meaning ''Temple of the Royal Nie ...

Wat Phra Kaew Wat Phra Kaew ( th, วัดพระแก้ว, , ), commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and officially as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The complex co ...

Wat Arun Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan ( th, วัดอรุณราชวราราม ราชวรมหาวิหาร ) or Wat Arun (, "Temple of Dawn") is a Buddhist temple (''wat'') in Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Tha ...

Wat Bowonniwet Vihara Wat Pavaranivesh Vihara Ratchawarawihan ( th, วัดบวรนิเวศวิหารราชวรวิหาร; , ) is a major Buddhist temple (''wat'') in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand. Being the residence of Nyanasamvar ...

Wat Pho Wat Pho ( th, วัดโพธิ์, ), also spelled Wat Po, is a Buddhism, Buddhist temple complex in the Phra Nakhon, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is on Rattanakosin Island, directly south of the Grand Palace, Bangkok, Grand P ...

Wat Saket Wat Saket Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan ( th, วัดสระเกศราชวรมหาวิหาร, usually shortened to Wat Saket is a Buddhist temple (''wat'') in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district, Bangkok, Thailand. The temple dates ba ...

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Wat Phra That Doi Suthep ( th, วัดพระธาตุดอยสุเทพ, , ) is a Theravada Buddhist temple ( wat) in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. The temple is often referred to as " Doi Suthep" although this is actually the nam ...

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...

Wat Chiang Man Wat Chiang Man ( th, วัดเชียงมั่น, Northern Thai − sometimes also written as ''Wat Chiang Mun'') is a Buddhist temple (Thai language: ''Wat'') inside the old city (which is contained within the city walls and moat) of ...

, Chiang Mai *

Wat Chedi Luang Wat Chedi Luang ( th, วัดเจดีย์หลวง, lit. ''temple of the big stupa'' or ''temple of the royal stupa'') is a Buddhist temple in the historic centre of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The current temple grounds were originally made ...

, Chiang Mai *

Wat Phra Singh Wat Phra Singh (full name: Wat Phra Singh Woramahaviharn; th, วัดพระสิงห์วรมหาวิหาร; ;pronunciation; nod, ) is a Buddhist temple ( Thai language: Wat) in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. King Ananda ...

, Chiang Mai *

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang Wat Phra That Lampang Luang () is a Lanna-style Buddhist temple in Lampang in Lampang Province, Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the ...

Lampang Lampang, also called Nakhon Lampang ( th, นครลำปาง, ) to differentiate from Lampang province, is the third largest city in northern Thailand and capital of Lampang province and the Mueang Lampang district. Traditional names for La ...

Wat Phumin The city of Nan's most famous wat is renowned for its cruciform ubosot which was constructed in 1596 and restored during the reign of ''Chao Ananta Vora Ritthi Det'' (1867-1875). Exterior It is the only temple which was built as if it were on the ...

Nan, Thailand Nan ( th, น่าน, ) is a town in northern Thailand. It is north of Bangkok. It is in the centre of Nan Province which bears its name, and of which it is the former administrative capital. It covers ''tambon'' Nai Wiang and parts of ''tamb ...

Phra Pathommachedi Phra Pathommachedi or Phra Pathom Chedi ( th, พระปฐมเจดีย์) is a Buddhist stupa in Thailand. The stupa is located in the Wat Phra Pathommachedi Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan ( th, วัดพระปฐมเจดีย์� ...

Nakhon Pathom Nakhon Pathom ( th, นครปฐม, ) is a city (''thesaban nakhon'') in central Thailand, the former capital of Nakhon Pathom province. One of the most important landmarks is the giant Phra Pathommachedi. The city is also home to Thailand's ...

Wat Pah Nanachat Wat Pah Nanachat ( th, วัดป่านานาชาติ; ''Bung Wai International Forest Monastery'') is a Thai Theravada Buddhist monastery in northeast Thailand about 15 kilometres from the city of Ubon Rachathani. It was established ...

(Bung Wai International Forest Monastery), established in 1975 by

Ajahn Chah Chah Subhaddo ( th, ชา สุภัทโท, known in English as Ajahn Chah, occasionally with honorific titles ''Luang Por'' and ''Phra'') also known by his honorific name "Phra Bodhiñāṇathera" ( th, พระโพธิญาณเถ ...

as a training community for non-Thais and foreigners, the primary language of instruction is English.

Gallery

Cambodia

File:Angkor Wat.jpg,

2016 Phnom Penh, Pałac Królewski, Srebrna Pagoda (05).jpg,

Silver Pagoda The Silver Pagoda is located on the south side of the Royal Palace in Chey Chumneas, Phnom Penh. The official name is Wat Ubaosoth Ratanaram ( km, វត្តឧបោសថរតនារាម), also known as Wat Preah Keo Morakot (Khmer: វ ...

Image:Wat Peapahd.Battambang.2009.jpg, Vihear of Wat Peapet, Battambang,

Image:2016 Phnom Penh, Wat Botum (09).jpg, Vihear of Wat Botum Wattey, Phnom Penh,

Image:Phnom Penh Wat Unalom 01.jpg, Wat Ounalom Image:2016 Phnom Penh, Wat Langka (22).jpg, Wat Langka

Laos

Image:Wat Xieng Thong (Luang Prabang, Laos).JPG, Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang Image:SiSaket Temple.JPG, Wat Sisaket

Thailand

Image:Wat Phra That Chang Kham, bôt, chedi et viharn, Nan.jpg, Two wihans and a chedi at Wat Phra That Chang Kham, Nan Image:Wat Mahathard - panoramio.jpg, Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, Phitsanulok Image:Photo from Bangkok by Roman Kharkovski (20).jpg, Wat Phra Kaew Image:วัดราชนัดดารามวรวิหาร เขตพระนคร กรุงเทพมหานคร (27).JPG, Wat Ratchadatdaram Image:Phra That Doi Suthep 01.jpg, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai Image:Bangkok Wat Arun P1130161.JPG, Mondop and Chedi of Wat Arun Image:Wat Niwet Thamaprawat - panoramio (3).jpg, Wat Niwet Thammaprawat, Ayutthaya

Other countries

Image:Wat Buddhapadipa, Buddhist Temple 02.jpg,

Wat Buddhapadipa Wat Buddhapadipa or the Buddhapadipa Temple ( th, วัดพุทธปทีป; , ) is a Thai Buddhist temple ('' wat'') in Wimbledon, London. Building work on the temple and shrine started in 1979 and it was completed in 1982. The archi ...

in Wimbledon, London, UK Image:Buddharama Nukari.jpg, Interior of the Thai Buddhist wat in

Nukari Nukari (; sv, Nuckars) is a village located in the northeast part of Nurmijärvi municipality of Finland, near the border of Tuusula municipality. The nearest neighboring village is Jokela, about 4 kilometers. Next to Nukari is the national road ...

Nurmijärvi Nurmijärvi () is the most populated rural municipality of Finland, located north of the capital Helsinki. The neighboring municipalities of Nurmijärvi are Espoo, Vantaa, Tuusula, Hyvinkää and Vihti, and it is part of the Greater Helsinki. Th ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

Some Tai Khun monasteries in East Shan State, Myanmar are in wat-style
but may be called

kyaung A ''kyaung'' (, ) is a monastery ( vihara), comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Buddhist monks. Burmese ''kyaungs'' are sometimes also occupied by novice monks (samanera), lay attendants (''kappiya''), nuns (''thilashin''), and you ...

, while some may be called wat but in kyaung style.

Overview

Types

Structure

Examples

Cambodia

Laos

Malaysia

Singapore

Thailand

Gallery

Cambodia

Laos

Thailand

Other countries

See also

References