Than Phra Chao Sutthothana Inscription (Phra Phutthabida)

Script

Post-Pallava

Date

13th-14th Buddhist century

Language

Sanskrit

Face/Line

1 face ; contains 2 lines of writing

Material

baked clay

Form

a sculpture of a person sitting with hands held to the chest in a gesture of Añjalī (paying respect)

Size

6.5 cm. width ; 4.5 cm. height

Found at

The Chatiya No. 11, Mueang U Thong, U Thong District, Suphan Buri Province

Exhibited

U Thong National Museum, U Thong Locality, U Thong District, Suphan Buri Province

Description

The inscription mentions the King Suddhodana, the father of the Lord Buddha. He belonged to the Śākayas clan and governed Kapilavastu city. His wife was Queen Sirimahāmāyā. Their son was Prince Siddhattha. The king tried all the possible ways to prevent his son from being so tired of the secular life in fear that he would decide to renounce the world, because the king wanted his son to become a great king in accordance with predictions. However, once the prince entered the monkhood and eventually became the Lord Buddha, the king was happy and saw the merit of becoming a monk, and allowed other princes in the Śākayas clan to follow suit to perpetuate the religion. The king himself attained to Sotāpattiphala after listening to sermons and then to Sakidāgāmiphala after listening to the sermons again. The King Suddhodana attained to Anagami after listening to the Mahādhammapāla Jātaka. Towards the end of his life, the king finally attained to Arahantship after listening to a discourse by the Lord Buddha.