Could Wat Pho be the location of Wat Pho Sam Ton from the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya?
In the epic 16th-century Siamese poem "Khun Chang Khun Phaen", we find a possible reference to the area of this temple.
"They marched to the mouth of the Bang Lang Canal and crossed over to the side with houses. Porters dropped the loads which had bounced up and down until the frames loosened. They untied the shoulder poles to take a rest. As soon as they had eaten some winged beans, Phlai Kaeo ordered the troops to march on to the start of the route they would travel. ‘Unharness the elephant and horses and wait for me at the sala of Wat Pa Fai.’ The troops saluted their chief and moved off immediately. Left alone, Phlai Kaeo looked around and saw the boat of Phim and his mother at mooring. He went down from the sala to meet them, and the three talked together on important matters. As he was going far away to war with consequences unknown, they would plant three bo trees and pray that if disaster struck any one of them, one of the bo trees would be disfigured in a similar way. They went off to look around for bo tree shoots, and dug them up, taking care not to wrench them sharply or snap the roots, and to keep a nice clump of soil. They loaded the shoots on the boat, crossed the river, and dragged the bows up the bank. They got down and carried the bo trees to a site marked by a big tree. They made offerings to the gods which resided in that spot, and then dug holes. Each planted one of the shoots and each made a wish. Thong Prasi made the first wish. ‘If I pass away and cannot survive, may this bo tree of mine die. If I’m sick, may the bo tree sicken in the same way. If I’m hale and hearty with no suffering, may this bo tree be bushy, lush, and cool for anyone to see.’ With these words, she lifted the bo tree and put it in the front hole. Next, Phlai prayed to the gods: ‘I’m going off to war. If I gain victory over the enemy, may this bo tree sprout profusely. If I die, may this bo tree die too. If I’m not sick, may this bo tree be healthy and flourish. If I have success in war, may it be beautifully green, lush, and bushy.’ With this wish, he lifted the bo tree along with its roots into the hole, pushed in some soil, and tamped it down. Phim’s tears spattered down. She raised her hands and paid respects to the gods of the place, and then collapsed, racked with sobs. She cradled the little bo tree in a daze. ‘Oh lords, gods of great power, with this bo tree of mine, I pray that if at home my body should die and spirit be snuffed out, may this bo tree likewise sicken and die. As long as I have life, may it not die, but grow happily to be so lush and shady that even the nectar of the gods bears no comparison. Should my body sicken, wilt, and waste away, may the leaves of the bo tree wither and look strange.’ With this wish, she planted the shoot, her face bathed in tears. They heaped earth around the three holes and poured water. Each took off their sabai, folded it, and gently wrapped around each of the trees. ‘We call on the gods, that the cloth tied on each bo tree is a mark that we three will be far away from one another. On return, may we succeed in meeting together again should any one of us die, may that person go happily to heaven above, to be born again in the next life. May we meet together with certainty for a hundred ages and one hundred thousand eras into the future until reaching nirvana.’ Having wrapped the three bo trees, they left the wishing place and boarded the boat which the servants poled out and paddled away.” [1]
Wat Pho Sam Ton was the community temple of old Pho Sam Ton village and situated on the right bank of the old Lopburi River, which is called today Khlong Ban Muang and its extension further south, Khlong Bang Khuat.
It stood also on the north bank of the loop of the old Lopburi River, on a stretch called Khlong Chang last century. The temple stood as thus on the crossroad of waterways.
History cannot tell us whether the village of Pho Sam Ton was called after the story or the story was named after the village.
Where precisely the old village was situated is unknown, but it likely should have been near this temple.
The monastery is in geographical coordinates: 14° 24' 18.96" N, 100° 32' 40.71" E.
References:
[1] Baker, Chris & Phongpaichit, Pasuk (2012). The Tale of Khun Chang Khun Phaen: Siam’s Great Folk Epic of Love and War.
