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 ," 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 , 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 impor- tance 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. They reveal that the lake be created on the soil of Angkor? will last as long as the Kalpa (the - Why should the Prah Khan Fig. 6. Figure of Avalokitesvara cosmic period). It will be the last inscription mention Neak Pean only Bodhisattva added to the original reservoir to dry up. Also, possession in a rather guarded manner. It refers southern door of Neak Pean. of the water will assure its owner to it as "Rajyasri" (fortunate prosperity the highest degree of magical power of the monarchy) or even "the island (siddhi). It says that Emperor Asoka of one thousand linga," which means objective. The objective, which is the is the model of all the Buddhist kings one thousand phallic emblems of Siva. establishment or restoration of the and cakravartin. Everyday Emperor - Why, finally, is the centre good order, makes the greatness of Asoka received water drawn from occupied by a sanctury with a unique a kingdom. the lake by magical means. He used plan? One searches in vain through The whole reign of Jayavarman the water for his own personal use, the texts, concerning Lake Anavatapta, VII consisted of an effort to restore and for the use of his near kin. This and find no mention of it. the royal authority. This was to water was indispensable for the Answers to these questions are obliterate the effects of the victorious consecration of a cakravartin. found in the Buddhist sources and the raid of Champa in the town of Angkor In a perspective that associates Prah Khan inscription. in 1177. The king tried to assert his religion, politics and magic, the The latter text makes clear that own authority in an indisputable way. importance of this "transfer" of there is, this lofty island. It received He tried to guarantee the inviolability Anavatapta to the Angkorian soil can its charm from its ponds (literally, of the kingdom by assuring the supreme be understood. Like the Himalayas, from the water of its tirtha or sacred power of its kings. The effort to Kambujadesa became the favourite bathing places.) It washed the mud of restore royal authority surfaced in the abode of the gods to the end of sin from those who came in contact repetition of the establishment of the Kalpa. During all this time, the with it. It was used as a boat to cross Devaraja cult in 802 by Jayavarman Khmer kings were assured of becoming the ocean of existence. Full of the II. But this time, it was made in the cakravartin because they were the Buddhist ideal and perfectly justified Buddhist perspective. Jayavarman VII only ones who could use the water of for every king anxious for the dharma, knew how to become a cakravartin, the lake. Thus, the construction of this concern is sufficient to explain or a universal monarch. This role Neak Pean had two aims: to guarantee 10

long life to the kingdom and to assure - To the west was the statue of It is easy to identify the reclin- supreme power to its monarchs. a "reclining masculine divinity?' ing Vishnu to the west and the "thou- But if the presence of Anava- - To the north was a bloc sup- sand linga" to the north. Neither one tapta at the Angkorian site is now porting sculptures. It can be compared belongs to the waters of Anavatapta. fully comprehensible, it is still diffi- "to linga carved in the bed...of the Just like many others in Khmer cult to understand the name Rajyasri River on the Phnom epigraphy, it is a case of multiple and the allusion to a thousand linga. Kulen." (Fig. 8) symbolism. The symbols, instead of The name Rajyasri can be explained by the fact that the virtues of the lake could definitely assure the prosperity of the kingdom through the person of its kings. But what about the one thousand linga, which place us back in a Saivite atmosphere? Henri Marchal, was an architect who worked at Angkor for a long time, while he was clearing Neak Pean in 1922, he found a number of sculp- tures around the base of the moun- ment: - To the east was the group of the horse Balaha. This group has become very famous and is now often repro- duced in pictures. It represents the incarnation of Avalokitesvara for the Mahayanists. (Fig. 7) - To the south was a complex too dilapidated to identify. Fig. 7. Neak Pean and the horse Balaha.

cancelling each other out, actually reinforce one another. As P. Mus, another French scholar, has explained, the idea was to group all the ancient royal cults that had been destroyed by the victory of Champa around the Buddha. But the aim, we think, was more of a reactualization than a rehabilitation, in a new perspective. We should think here of the Buddha preaching to the Hindu gods at Phothisat Cave at Saraburi in Central . Here, in a definite Mahayanist perspective, assurance was given to the gods (including Siva and his consort Umadevi) that they could attain the state of Buddhahood Fig. 8. The thousand linga and the figures of Siva and Uma riding on the Bull (Karandavyuha Sutra). (Fig. 9) Nandin as well as Vishnu reclining on the Naga, carved on the bed on one of the For Jayavarman VII, the group- tributaries of the . ing of the royal cults was one more 11

Fig. 9. The Buddha preaching to Hindu divinities: Siva or Fig. 10. Khmer bronze statues preserved in the Arakan Temple, Brahma, Vishnu and flying gods. Photisat Cave, Saraburi, Mandalay, Burma, after they had been removed from Central Thailand. Dvaravati style. Eighth to the ninth century Combodia to Ayutthaya, Pegu, Arakan, Amarapura and A.D. Mandalay. Picture taken in 1936.

way of restoring and spreading the proximity to a double tirtha reserved tirtha of Angkor, the damage observed Khmer power to the whole of the for the purification of all creatures. at Neak Pean, and after taking away universe. To attain that aim, it was What can we say then about the the divinities and attributes of the necessary for the tirtha of the "town Nagara Jayasri (Prah Khan), rendered Angkorian kingship, he claimed real of the blissful victory?' or Nagara illustrious by the tirtha of Vishnu, supremacy. Jayasri, i.e. Prah Khan, to reunite the of Siva, and of the Buddha? Jayatataka, After 1431, the only surving sanctity of the tirtha of the former the sacred pond of Prah Khan, could works of Jayavarman VII were deserted sovereigns of Angkor, the Eastern only carry out its duty by receiving temples, the overthrown site of Neak Baray, which is Saivite, and the the thrice sacred waters of Neak Pean. Pean, and the mutilated fragments of Western Baray, which is Vaishnavite. The perfectly coherent work of a few statues, finally he carried to And this was done by associating Jayavarman VII aimed to assure Mandalay in Burma. (Fig. 10) them with the tirtha of the Buddha. universal power to Angkorian kings. The wisely conceived edifice, so This explanation comes from the At the same time, it aimed to assure expertly erected by Jayavarman VII Prah Khan inscription. The interpre- the supremacy of the kingdom for crumbled into ruin after 240 years. tation of the inscription was given by nothing less than the duration of The system materialized the power of G. Coedes, who unfortunately went our world. the cakravartin and associated the astray because the knowledge that However, the suzerainty imposed royal rites of with the could be gained from Neak Pean had upon the neighboring countries began practice of Buddhism. But just as escaped him. to crumble in 1220. The birth of the significantly, the entire edifice played The text of the Prah Khan kingdom of Ayutthaya, confronted a considerable role in the historical inscription should be read like this: It the power of Angkor with a new force. evolution of Southeast Asia. [•] begins with a comparison of Prayaga, The new kingdom desire the role - Translated from the French by of supreme successor. And this was the most venerated site in India. The M. C. Subhadradis Diskul and Virgina accomplished in 1431. To make the site is at the confluence of the Ganga M. Di Crocco. and the Yamuna (and of the invisible victory indisputable, Thai King Para- Sarasvati). It is the abode of all the maraja II seemed to have followed a gods striving to escape from the course comparable to that set by Glossary destruction of the world. Jayavarman VII. He proved that he Guha - A cave or a cell inside a sanctuary. Prayaga deserves to be approa- could ruin what was reputed as Tirtha - Sacred bathing places. ched with respect because of its indestructible. After destroying the - A landing stage.