Saraburi is State-of-the-Art

After I told the bus driver the name of the famous, ancient wat I was planning to visit in Saraburi Province, he told me to keep my eye out for a grand archway. Buddhist temples here generally announce themselves with an arch on the main road, even if they’re set way back and out of sight.

Soon I spotted the place. It was clear from the entrance that just because it was old didn’t mean the place was out of date. Not only was the temple’s name proclaimed in large letters, but also—if you look closely at the picture you’ll see it below—the address of its website appeared prominently.

Wat Phra Buddha Bat indeed felt modern and hip. It’s been rebuilt several times in the nearly 400 years since a hunter found a footprint in limestone that was thought to have been left by the Buddha himself. In the meantime it seems to have become a popular place for young men to enter the monkhood, which most Thai men do, even if only for a short period. The three-month Buddhist lent that began recently is a common time of year to undergo this rite of passage.

So the wat was packed with two or three hundred teenagers and 20-somethings. I showed up just before noon, as they were filing out of a huge meeting hall, having just finished their final meal of the day. Their alms bowls were already washed, and they had a short break before afternoon studies began. A few brave ones stopped to chat with me as I sat at a table with my journal.

This little glimpse of temple life was great fun for me. The castle-like structure that houses the footprint itself was impressive, but somehow less special than watching the comings and goings of Buddhism in the 21^st century.