The History of LP Ong Dam & LP Metta

Extracted from Ajarn Toon's webpage at:
http://www.luangporthoon.com/books/buddha16prophecies.pdf

History of the Black Buddha Image (Luang Por Ong Dam) and Kind Buddha Image (Luang Por Metta)

The Black Buddha Image has a lotus-shaped body, with the fingers pointing towards the earth. Thais call this “Pang Marn Wichai.” In this image the Lord Buddha sits in a meditative position.
The image is 60 inches wide from knee to knee, and 69 inches tall from top to bottom. The Black Buddha Image was created during the reign of king Dewapal (1353-1393 BE). In 1766 BE, the Muslim army invaded Makoth and destroyed all the Buddhist temples and Nalanda University, the home of the Black Buddha Image. For seven centuries the Black Buddha Image was buried in the ruins of the collapsed building. Finally, in 2458 BE the Black Buddha Image was discovered by Dr. Spooner, a student of Sir Cunningham. The archaeologist Sir Cunningham had read Pra Than Sam Jang’s text about Nalanda University, and he was determined to survey the site. He was able to lead his team to the location, and he found the center stupa at the heart of Nalanda University. He soon discovered the remains of other structures. Mr. A.M. Bradley and Dr. Spooner participated in the survey, and they found the Black Buddha Image and many other Buddha images. However the Black Buddha Image is the only image they found in perfect condition, with only a few cracks on the nose and finger.

In India the Black Buddha Image is a called Teliya Baba (Luang Por Nam Man) or Mota Baba (Luang Por Wan) because people apply oil to the body of the Buddha image, and this oil is also used on thin babies, in the belief that it will make the child fat and healthy. In Thai the Buddha image is called Black Buddha Image (Luang Por Ong Dam) as the image is made of black stone. Both Indians and Thais respect the Black Buddha Image very much.

To celebrate the 50th year of His Majesty King Bhumipol’s reign, Thai people are honored to build Buddha images to offer to the King as gifts of great value. The first of two Buddha images is copied from the Black Buddha Image in Nalanda University in Rajagriha, India. This is
Luang Por Ong Dam. The second is the Kind Buddha Image, known as Luang Por Metta, and is described below.

In 1993 a party of Thai pilgrims travelled to important Buddhist sites in India, and they were very impressed by the Black Buddha Image. They took a model of the image to make a copy in Thailand. Now 12 Buddha images have been constructed and these have been distributed to three sites: Udon Thani, Sakhon Nakhon, and Nongbua Lamphu provinces. The holy ceremony celebrating these Buddha images was held on the 3rd of October 1993. The Buddha Image Building Committee also published the history of the Black Buddha Image, as well as texts on the 32 Maha Burislaksana (The 32 Appearances of the Great Man), and on the 80 Adidtayanupayanchana of the Lord Buddha. These books are guides to the process of constructing Buddha images.

In 1994 Phra Kru Pawana Jitsunthon the abbot of Wat Aranyigavas in Ban Peu, Udon Thani, made a pilgrimage to India and visited Wat Thai Buddhakhaya (Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhigaya), the place where the Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. He paid respect to the 60 inch-wide Buddha image called “The Kind Buddha” and he brought a model of this Buddha image back to Thailand in order to make a copy.


The image enshrined in the Mahabodhi Temple was considered especially wonderous. Its height of more than 2 metres makes it the largest surviving seated Buddha image created using black stone, painted in gold by the pilgrims. The gilded image of the Buddha seated cross-legged, with one hand pointing to the earth, i.e. in the posture of the Bhumisparsa Mudra in which the Buddha sat when he attained enlightenment. This sculptural representation of the Buddha is unique with its calm facial expression and superb physical beauty. All the pilgrims from all over the world offer prayers at the feet of the large image of the Buddha installed in the ground floor of the Maha Vihara facing east. Its great size may indicate that it once served as the central image of the Mahabodhi Temple.

The Black Buddha Image (Luang Por Ong Dam) and the Kind Buddha Image (Luang Por Metta) were cast on Sunday July 17 1994 and would be reproduced into 108 images to be located throughout Thailand, even in neighboring countries such as the Laos PDR.