Wat Yanasangvararam, a Buddhist monastery under the royal patronage of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is situated in Huay Yai Sub-district, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province. Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, the 19th Supreme Patriarch of the Thai Sangha, initiated and oversaw the construction of this monastery which subsequently received the name of ‘Yanasangvararam’ after the ecclesiastic title of the Supreme Patriarch.Wat Yanasangvararam is situated in an area of 58.64 hectares. The monastery’s initial 16.07 hectares plot of land was donated by Dr. Kajorn and Khunying Nithiwadee Ontrakarn in 1976. Khunying Nithiwadee Ontrakarn and her family later donated another 16 hectares of land to the monastery. Additional lands in the surrounding areas were further acquired by members of the construction committee and devout followers of His Holiness Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara to expand the monastery to its current size. Also attached to the monastery are another 400 hectares plots of land in the monastery’s vicinity that belong to the royal-initiated and royal development projects.
It was His Holiness Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara’s goal to have Wat Yanasangvararam constructed as a Vipassana meditation training center close to Bangkok and to become the Buddhist monastery for the reign of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It was for the latter reason that great efforts and painstaking care were devoted to its construction to make sure that the monastery is absolutely magnificent, impeccable, elegant and complementary to the grandeur of the Thai monarchy. The monastery compound is divided into four sections.
Zone 1 – Buddhavas, the Buddha’s section, is the heart of the monastery where major religious structures, such as the Ubosoth Hall (main chapel or ordination hall), Phra Boromthat Chedi Maha Chakripipat Stupa, Phra Maha Mondop Phuttabat PhorPorRor SorKor, the SorWor KorWor Pavilion, the MorWorKor SorThor Pavilion, the Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Boromrajajonani Pavilion, Phra Pokklao Ariyakhet zone, the Ariyakarn, a replica of the Buddhagaya Chedi, Phra Sri Ariya Metteyya Vihara, and Phra Buddha Maha Vajira Uttamopas Satsada Buddha image at Khao Chi Chan Hill, are situated.
His Holiness Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara had the religious structures and buildings in the Buddhavas section built in honor of past Thai monarchs, including King Naresuan the Great, King Taksin the Great, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and all members of the Royal House of Chakri.
Zone 2 – Sanghavas, the Sangha’s section serves as the living quarters for monks and novices who spend the Buddhist Lent at Wat Yanasangvararam. These buildings can be seen on the right side of the road leading to Khao Chi Oan Hill, not far from the Chiwaka Komaraphat Hermitage and His Holiness Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara’s residence. Several monks’ living quarters were built higher on Khao Chi Oan Hill for pious monks who devote themselves to strict Buddhist asceticism and practices.
Zone 3 – Karavas, the laymen’s section, is the area of a Sala Rongtham (central merit-making pavilion), living quarters for laymen who come for Vipassana practices and observation of Buddhist precepts, and the Lord Virulhaka Maharaja Buddha Pandit Pavilion. This section lies on the left side of the road from the monastery’s entrance.
Zone 4 – The royal-initiated and the royal development projects section is where Wat Yanasangvararam’s Agriculture Training and Career Development Center, the Phuru YorSor Sor 80 School, and the Bang Lamung Wildlife Breeding Center, are situated.
