"The Severed Hand of the Monk" - A chilling tale from the Nakhorn Si Thammarat Chedi.

Many individuals who have frequently visited Nakhon Si Thammarat province have likely paid their respects at the Phra Borommathat Chedi at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, seeking auspiciousness for themselves.

However, has anyone ever entered the cloister around the main stupa and noticed the strange things that are inside? Because if we observe carefully, the Buddha statues that are lined up in this cloister have something wrong with them.

Notably, the innermost sanctum houses the "Phra Si Ariya Metrai" statue. Approximately three wa away, we encounter an extraordinary Buddha statue that stands out from the others.

This Buddha statue is easily identifiable by the severed right wrist, leaving it with a missing hand. Even more distressing is the sight of the statue bound to the main pillar behind it.

Crucially, a sword was pinned above his head, piercing through from head to ground!

Why?

Who is responsible for this act against the Buddha statue?

Why?

This is a riddle that I will share with the readers, in case those who have the opportunity to visit Phra Maha That Temple will try to observe it. Or those who live in this province and come to the temple often may not have noticed it yet.

Where is the aforementioned temple located? Let's start with a simple explanation. Before entering the pagoda to pay respects to the relics, there is a separate door on the left side of the covered walkway. This path leads to the mystery of the aforementioned Buddha statue.

Upon entering the gate, we will encounter Buddha statues interspersed with elephant heads. As we continue walking along the left-hand path, pay close attention to the right-hand wall. At this point, upon cursory inspection, it appears that there are two identical Buddha statues.

Not at all....!!!

While seemingly identical, a subtle difference exists that often goes unnoticed. The right hand of this Buddha statue possesses an anomaly: an extra finger. Upon closer inspection, the left hand, which hangs loosely by the side, also reveals six fingers. This peculiarity cannot be attributed to a sculptor's error, as both hands exhibit the same six-fingered feature.

The first peculiarity that one can observe is the six fingers on the Buddha statue. According to the elders, the six fingers were intended to convey a moral lesson, the specific meaning of which the author no longer recalls.

From here, continue walking forward and enter the building. Turn right and follow the corridor until you reach the end. At this point, you will be unable to proceed further. It is important to note that many people who reach this point may not notice anything unusual.

We finally reached the last Buddha statue, which is a representation of the Phra Si Ariyamettai Triratna Buddha, enshrined on the inner wall. It is said that this Buddha statue has been built for over 1200 years since the construction of the Phra That in 1300 AD. The people of Nakhon Si Thammarat believe that if anyone comes to pay homage and pray to him, their wishes will be granted.

Should you have the opportunity to pay respects at the Phra That in Nakhon Si Thammarat, do not forget to walk inside the covered walkway of the wihan. There, you can pay respects to Luang Pho Thuad, a revered monk whose holiness has been confirmed by many.

Following the tale of Phra Si Ariya Mettai Trai, we delve into the enigmatic mystery that serves as the headline of this piece: the origin of the "Handless Buddha."

Have you ever noticed where the "One-Handed Monk" is located?

Before reaching the Phra Phuttha Si Ariya Mettai Trai Lok statue, observe the right-hand side. You will see a Buddha statue tied with a monk's robe to a wooden pillar behind it. The statue's wrists are missing, and what appears to be a "chatai" on its head is not actually one.

What emerged above his head, however, was the "hilt of a sword".

Who would dare to do such a thing to the Buddha statue?

It is believed that in the past, the aforementioned Buddha statue was actually alive and could walk around like a human being. It is said that this was due to the sacred power of the nearby Phra Si Ariyamettrai statue, which brought the Buddha statue to life and allowed it to escape from its location on a regular basis.

No one knows where the monk has gone.

One night, an old man who lived in the neighborhood heard a man talking to his daughter in his room. Suspecting that a man had snuck into his house, he went to stand guard at the stairs.

As time passed, someone finally arrived. However, when he saw who it was, he was so shocked that he almost fainted. The man who walked out of his daughter's room was no ordinary man.

However, he is a monk!

A man climbed into his daughter's room. It wasn't a big deal, because at best he would only get a son-in-law. But this was a real monk, and yet he came to do this. How could Uncle Tal endure it? The sword in his hand slashed out. Fortunately, the monk heard the sound and dodged in time, raising his arm to block the blade. The sharp blade that slashed down with great force cut off the wrist of the monk who raised his arm to block it, severing it and sending it flying to the ground before he fled.

The old man, still consumed by rage, followed the trail of blood that dripped along the path until he reached the Phra Maha That temple. There, he noticed that the bloodstains disappeared into the covered walkway surrounding the sanctuary. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the blood trail he had been following led to a specific Buddha statue, where it abruptly ended.

No matter where I look, there is no one. It is unlikely that anyone is hiding nearby.

The old man looked at the arm of the Buddha statue and was shocked. "Why is the arm of the Buddha statue missing?" he thought. He walked closer to take a look and found that the broken arm looked as if it had been recently cut off.

At this point, the old man's doubts were dispelled. He was convinced that the monk he had seen and followed must have been this very Buddha statue, which had come to life and secretly escaped to visit his daughter, the young woman.

The monk, despite observing the precepts, climbed into his daughter's house, committing a grave sin that could not be forgiven. The old man, determined to prevent the Buddha statue from coming to life again, bound it tightly to the main pillar.

The "sword" he was holding in his hand was driven into the Buddha's head until it pierced the ground below. It was as if he was both nailing and pinning it down. If the Buddha statue had come back to life, it wouldn't have known what to do. After the man finished the ceremony of nailing the Buddha, he went home as if nothing had happened.

Subsequently, no one dared to climb the man's house again. The broken-handed Buddha statue, pinned down by the sword, was thereafter known as the "Phra Chao Chu," or the "Playboy Buddha."

Oh, you missed out on some interesting legends during your visit to the Phra That Nakhon Si Thammarat! Don't worry, there's always next time. When you return, be sure to pay your respects to the statue of Phra Si Ariyametraya. And while you're there, keep an eye out for the "handless Buddha statue" of the notorious womanizer, Chom Chao Chue.

This will be passed down as a tale for future generations to hear.

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