Wat Hat Yai Nai is a place you shouldn’t miss when visiting Hat Yai! Visitors love the old temple for its famous Sleeping Buddha Hatyai which stands as a huge reclining Buddha statue measures 35 meters long and stands 15 meters tall at 10 meters wide. The site’s beauty in this place will make you slow down to take it in. Many people especially tourists find their way to this special temple to visit and make spiritual dedications. It’s also a favorite spot for taking photos!
Wat Hat Yai Nai: The Legend of This Temple
There is a story that Wat Hat Yai Nai was built to be a spiritual center for the local people a long time ago. The temple’s main legend deals with its sacred Reclining Buddha statue called “Phra Buddha Mahattha Mongkhon.” Devotees believe the statue guards against threats and leads worshippers into peaceful harmony.
Many visitors honor a replica of the Buddha’s footprint which symbolically protects their temple. People think making a wish at Nai will lead them to an uninterrupted and joyful life. During ancient times distinguished monks trained Dhamma at this temple which has fostered robust faith ever since.
Our main attraction today takes people to view the private Heart of the Reclining Buddha which opens to visitors only once per year. You must climb to the second floor of the temple building behind the Buddha statue to view this destination. You can unlock the entrance to the Heart of the Reclining Buddha through this small door.
When you enter the Reclining Buddha you can view its central chamber with a heart-shaped hollow that resembles a human heart. It even has veins like a real heart! The temple accepts visitors just once a year to apply gold орerse the bathroom of the Reclining Buddha. This heart is seen as the heart of Buddhism. By placing gold on the Reclining Buddha’s heart you honor the Buddha’s heart in much the same way you would honor the Buddha himself. It’s very sacred and meaningful.
You will find a stunning copy of the Buddha’s footprint that takes a square form within the viharn walls. The facility sits nearby to the famous Reclining Buddha statue called Phra Phuttha Maha That Mongkhon. People see this copy of the Buddha as their most holy icon.