SPAFA Digest 1990, Vol 11, No. 3

6 Left: Fig 1. The Neak Pean Sanctuary and the banyan tree. Photographed before 1935. from 1877, the date when Neak Pean was first mentioned in western writ- ings, to 1923, when the work of Henri Marchal, in cleaning the site, made it possible for us to understand its basic plan, at last. Louis Finot (at that time Director of the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme- Orient) and Victor Goloubew, an archaeologist and art historian who worked in the same institution seemed The Symbolism of Neak Pean And Its Importance For The Angkorian Monarchy by Jean Boisselier Neak Pean, with its dimen- a Banyan tree, crowning it majesti- to have brought to an end the quest to sions restricted to a human scale and cally. (Fig.l) In 1935 a tropical storm interpret the symbolism of Neak Pean, its composition characterized by an put an end to this romantic charm. which had lasted for almost half a apparent simplicity which is nonethe- This irresistible charm had aroused century. They proposed to recognize, less quite out of the ordinary, is, of the enthusiastic admiration of the in Neak Pean, an architectural adapta- all the works of Jayavarman VII orientalist Sylvain Levi. From that tion of Lake Anavatapta (in Pali (approx. 1181-1218), most likely to moment onward it was possible to Anotatta), the mythical lake near captivate the western mind. Indeed, begin those works which were to give the Himalayas. G. Coedes, an emi- for almost a century it has not ceased Neak Pean a beauty of a more classic nent epigraphist, had reviewed the to exert fascination on all who have kind. (Fig. 2) progress of that effort. He did this been able to visit it. The whole sanctuary had never in the chapter, "Architectural Added to the uniqueness of its ceased to stimulate as much curiosity Symbolism," of his still extremely plan is the added mysterious allure of as interest. Widely varying attempts valuable book, "Pour mieux com- a most surprising and harmonious to interpret the sanctuary's symbo- prendre Angkor," which appeared in association: that of a sanctuary and lism have been made in great number, 1949. In that chapter he emphasized 7 of modest size, constructed on a circular base in the middle of a square pond. The square pond abuts onto four smaller ones, one to a side. But this view of the sanctuary ignores the fact that this sanctuary was built in the middle of an enclosure that measures 350 metres on each side. This park of 12 hectares is bounded by a wall two metres high. Around the park there is an earthen path. This, in fact, constitutes the real Neak Pean. It is at the centre of what used to be the sacred pond of Prah Khan, which has long since dried up. It measured 3600 by 900 metres. Neak Pean is therefore only one part, albeit a prominent one, of the entire complex of Phra Khan, from which it cannot Fig. 2. Neak Pean taken from the air. be dissociated. (Fig.3) Back to Neak Pean itself. If, by that the text on the stela of the Prah so long ago, relied on the various the intention of the builders, one Khan at Angkor, which he had decip- "Guides to the Monuments of Angkor" could gain access to Neak Pean only hered in 1941, confirms the thesis of to see the small site with such beguil- by boat, its wall, which was guarded Finot and Goloubew. ing charm. It is a solitary sancturary by four elephants (only one is left) It is now an established fact that could only be crossed by four axial Neak Pean is the representation of sets of steps. The four open gaps on Lake Anavatapta. This lake is the the north and the south have a connec- source of all the sacred rivers of tion with the history of the monument. India and an important place in Inside the park, the composit- Buddhist cosmology. But this still ion is a complex of ponds. Some of leaves us wondering why Jayavarman them are connected to the central VII decided to transpose it to the site ones but others are free-standing. of Angkor. Among them, four small buildings in We should also look into the laterite can still be found, half buried significance of the sanctuary's struc- in the ground. They are very simple ture. As Zhou Daguan, the envoy of and have a very unusual composition. the Yuan Dynasty, would say, a century There are also many bases and pedes- later: it "was dedicated to the Buddha tals, probably the remains of the lightly surrounded by all kinds of divinites." constructed buildings. These build- We can surely find these answers in ings used to protect the 14 divinities the text of the stela of Prah Khan and mentioned in the Prah Khan inscription. in the Buddhist texts. Neak Pean has pavilions for It seems indispensable that ablutions, connected with the prin- Neak Pean is observed in an architec- cipal pond and the four smaller axial tural context. The drying up of huge ones. (Fig.4) The sanctuary in the ponds, the dominating surrounding middle is supported by a gigantic forest, and the local agriculture hardly lotus. The lotus is composed of 16 allow us to perceive the original petals. It is placed upon another meaning of the temple. Visitors of not Fig. 3. Plan of Neak Pean lotus. Surrounding the base of the 8 lotus are two naga, named the "colling Anavatapta is a lake. Its water divinities (both male and female,) naga". (Fig. 5) is forever fresh because it receives only monks and hermits, all came to bathe The modifications made to the reflected light. Because of that, the The Pratyeka Buddhas, monks and sanctuary even in the time of Jayavar- visitor cannot see the interior of the ascetics retired into the guha and the man VII, consist of the walling in the ponds, unless he has access to their caves. These places are obviously three secondary doors. These doors banks. This is also the meaning of the represented by the small buildings in have large images of Avalokitesvara. text of the Prah Khan: the water in laterite, just like the pedestals for They do not have any other purpose the ponds is illuminated only by the divinities. but to reinforce the original symbolism, light from the prasada (sanctuary) - Each lake is guarded by a naga. that is, a reflected light. But the texts inform that Lake Anava- These are the sites, different tapta had the privilege of being from one another. These were the protected by two naga guardians. places where the Buddhas, the Pratyeka Their names are Anavatapta and Buddhas (Buddhas who have attained Parnaka (Pannaka in Pali). The two enlightenment but do not preach), naga should be recognized as the the four kings of the directions, guardians of Neak Pean, and not Nanda and Upananda as Przyluski, another scholar, had proposed. Left: Fig. 4. Four rivers flow from Anava- Plan of the main sanctuary tapta, through four channels to the of Neak Pean. four cardinal points of the compass. The identification of these four rivers, to affirm the cosmic import of the composition, and to stress the importance of the cult of Avalokitesvara. An outside image can never indicate the nature of the main image of the sanctuary and that a deconsecration would be totally unthinkable. (Fig.6) L. Finot and V. Goloubew had only used the evidence of Hiuan- Tsang. They described the replica of Lake Anavatapta that they had seen. This was in the vicinity of Rajagriha in India. It was specially laid out in a hot spring with curative powers, both in the moral and physical aspects. Buddhist texts enable us to be much more specific about the analogies between Neak Pean and its fabulous model. Fig. 5. Prasat Neak Pean surrounded with two figures of naga. 9 supported by graphical evidence, has the manner in which this myth was figures in the Buddhist texts. It is also been proposed by the author ever made real. closely akin to its representation in since it was first studied. Surely not. Care for creatures is the Traiphum, or Buddhist cosmology. However, the high importance only one component of the major To perpetuate the kingdom, this same of the southern river - the Ganges - power was also given to his successors. has never been mentioned. This importance is attested only in the Pali It is more understandable why tradition. The Sanskrit texts (Vasu- Jayavarman VII, king in 1181, waited bandhu, Tchan-yue, etc.) describe for ten years to build the whole only the four great rivers. They are the complex of Prah Khan, wherein Neak Ganges, Sindhu, Vaksu and Sita... Pean is the most important place. In which are of more or less equal the year 1191, Vijaya, the capital of importance. The Buddhism of Jaya- Champa, was taken by the Khmers. varman VII is Sanskrit and Mahayanist It was a victorious operation which and the builders of Neak Pean were definitely obliterated the effects of the more faithful to the texts. Champa raid in 1177. It was then that Jayavarman VII could lay claim to the The wish to endow the Ang- title of cakravartin. And thus started korian kingdom with a replica of his efforts to enable his successors to Lake Anavatapta was completely enjoy the same title. fulfilled. But several questions are The Buddhist texts explains why now being raised: Lake Anavatapta and the virtue of its - Why should this replica of the I waters play a fundamental role in this most important lake in the Himalayas perspective.

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