纪录片《佛教世界的七大奇观》 泰国卧佛寺（1）（在线收听）

Once Buddhist ideas had flourished in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan monarchs sent emissaries to adjoining kingdoms in southeast Asia to carry the Buddhist message.

随着佛教思想在斯里兰卡的兴盛繁荣，斯里兰卡君王派遣特使向附近的东南亚国家传播佛教理念。

By the 11th century, Theravadin Buddhism was well established in Thailand and here in Bangkok, close on 90% of Thais are now Buddhist.

到11世纪时，小乘佛教已在泰国发展起来。现在的曼谷有将近90%泰国人是佛教徒。

The reason that Buddhism has thrived so vigorously and tenaciously here is because right from its very outset, it's had the support of the Thai kings.

佛教能够在泰国的发展如此蓬勃兴盛、经久不衰，是因为在它刚刚开始的时候就得到了泰国国王们的支持。

A king here can aspire to be a Buddha himself and there is one king who was actually a monk for 25 years before he came to the throne.

这里的国王可以有志于成佛，事实上，有位国王在登基之前曾出家为僧25年。

Every time the royal family builds a new palace for itself,

皇室每到修建新宫殿的时候，

it will also construct next door a monastery and a temple complex as a kind of outward sign of its righteousness and commitment to the Buddhist cause.

都会在宫殿旁修建一座修道院和佛殿群，以此来对外彰显其权位的正当性，及其向佛之心。

And here in Bangkok, the temple complex is certainly fit for a king.

而在曼谷，这里的寺庙建筑群无疑是为国王量身打造的。

This is Wat Pho, our next wonder of the Buddhist world.

这里是卧佛寺，我们要拜访的的下一处佛教圣地。

It's the largest and oldest temple complex in Bangkok.

这是曼谷最大最古老的寺庙建筑群。

It's home to more than 1,000 Buddha images.

超过1000尊佛像供奉在这里。

The complex includes a temple, a working monastery and a large courtyard with a forest of stupas, thick with exquisite hand-made lotus motifs.

建筑群包括一座佛殿、一处经堂、一个巨大的庭院，以及林立在庭院中的众多佛塔。佛塔上雕饰着精美华丽的手刻莲花图案。

And hidden within its own palatial hall...the golden reclining Buddha.

还有隐藏在宏伟大殿内的...黄金卧佛。