| Ta Prohm was originally called Rajavihara, which | | | | temples. The temple is dedicated to Prajnaparamita, |
| means Royal Temple. It was built by King Jayavarman | | | | which is not actually a deity per se, but rather a |
| VII in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He was the | | | | Mahayana scripture dedicated to the perfection of |
| most prolific builder of all the Angkor Kings, which is | | | | wisdom. The scriptures rest on two primary tenets. |
| quite a distinction when one considers the number of | | | | The first states that one should be a bodhisattva, or |
| temples erected during the Empire's golden age. The | | | | Buddha-to-be. A bodhisattva strives to attain total |
| majority of the sites on the Little Circuit were | | | | knowledge for the sake of all beings. The second |
| constructed during his reign. | | | | tenet is that there is no such thing as a bodhisattva. |
| Jayavarman VII's rose to power as one of the | | | | The true acceptance of these contradictory tenets is |
| Empire's greatest generals. Prior to his ascension to | | | | the perfection of wisdom. |
| the throne, Angkor was sacked by the Chams, | | | | A stele is a carved stone column that commemorates |
| another empire based in present day Vietnam and one | | | | important events. Discovery of a temple's stele is |
| of the primary rivals of the Khmer Empire. When the | | | | often integral to piecing together its true history. The |
| neighboring Chams overthrew the Empire and killed the | | | | stele found in Ta Prohm dates the construction of the |
| King, Jayavarman VII led the effort to recapture the | | | | temple to 1186 and claims that the temple was home |
| Empire. Jayavarman VII vanquished the Chams in 1181 | | | | to over 12,500 people, including 18 high priests and 650 |
| and made his claim to the throne. He ascended the | | | | dancers. More than 80,000 people lived outside the |
| throne after this successful campaign, preserving the | | | | temple grounds. Jayavarman VII established the temple |
| Khmer Empire while establishing his rule. Then, | | | | as a Mahayana monastery and university, which |
| Jayavarman VII boldly established Mahayana Buddhism | | | | further explains why the temple is dedicated to the |
| as the state religion. His first wife was a devoted | | | | Prajnaparamita, the scriptures of wisdom. The |
| Buddhist and is thought to have largely influenced his | | | | representation of the Prajnaparamita in the temple |
| decision. While it is cynical to question the religious | | | | was modeled after Jayavarman VII's mother, and the |
| convictions of Jayavarman VII, it should be noted that | | | | temple is also meant to honor her. Satellite temples on |
| his decision also had some significant political benefits | | | | the ground were dedicated to Jayavarman VII's guru |
| as well. His move to make Mahayana Buddhism the | | | | and his older brother, and another nearby temple, |
| state religion effectively removed power from the | | | | Preah Khan, honors his father. His father's image is |
| Hindu aristocracy, who were his primary rivals within | | | | used to represent Avalokitshvara, the primary deity of |
| the empire. It should be noted that he didn't outlaw | | | | that temple, who is the bodhisattva of compassion. |
| Hinduism, but his change reduced much of the power | | | | Though his building campaign undoubtedly required |
| afforded to his rivals through the Hindu caste system. | | | | much effort from his people to serve as laborers, his |
| One province in the south rebelled against this decision, | | | | focus as king was on his people. Most of his early |
| but the rebellion was quickly suppressed. Jayavarman | | | | constructions were hospitals, rest houses, and |
| VII effectively consolidated power and became the | | | | reservoirs. His later buildings were the ones dedicated |
| primary shaper of Angkor. | | | | to his family and himself. Led by his Buddhist faith, his |
| The relationships between Hinduism and the various | | | | goal as king was to relieve the suffering of his people. |
| sects of Buddhism are quite complicated. Hinduism is | | | | The primary archaeological organization that has been |
| the elder religion, and in fact, the Buddha began as a | | | | responsible for untangling the mysteries of the temples |
| Hindu. He saw the suffering caused by excess and | | | | of Angkor is the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, |
| searched for a solution. Initially he believed the suffering | | | | more commonly referred to as the EFEO. This French |
| could be relieved through an ascetic life of self-denial, | | | | institute is devoted to the study of Asian cultures. |
| but he later came to believe that such a life was a | | | | Founded in 1900. it conducted its first studies in Saigon. |
| dead end and that there was another way. In the | | | | Angkor Wat quickly became one of its focuses and |
| Buddhist philosophy, the end of suffering is not | | | | has remained so ever since, although with a |
| achieved by the denial of desires, but rather by the | | | | conspicuous gap. The organization began extensively |
| freedom from attachments that cause desire. To | | | | restoring temples in the early 20th century. Since most |
| achieve this freedom, he developed the Four Noble | | | | had been completely abandoned for hundreds of |
| Truths and established the Eightfold Path, which guides | | | | years at that point, restoration often meant wrestling |
| followers down what is called The Middle Way, as it | | | | the temples from the clutches of the jungle. But the |
| lies between hedonism and asceticism. Since | | | | condition of Ta Prohm was deemed too beautiful to |
| Buddhism's roots lie in Hinduism, many stories and | | | | change. It was decided that Ta Prohm would be left in |
| traditions are shared between the two. Since | | | | its current state, as a "concession for the general taste |
| Buddhism is rooted in Hindu beliefs, you will see a lot of | | | | for the picturesque." |
| similar imagery between temples dedicated to the | | | | Ironically, much restoration has been undertaken to |
| different faiths. | | | | preserve this appearance of neglect. In recent years, |
| Buddhism has split since the time of the Buddha, with | | | | the ongoing labor has become more intrusive. While a |
| the primary division being between Theravada and | | | | few spots are less picturesque as a result, the only |
| Mahayana Buddhism. Most of modern day Southeast | | | | other option is waiting for the walls to crumble, and |
| Asia including the people of Cambodia practice the | | | | possibly the grand trees to fall with them. The |
| form of Buddhism known as Theravada, which is | | | | architecture of the Khmers, while quite impressive, has |
| often translated as meaning "The Ancient Teaching" | | | | not stood the test of time as well as other comparable |
| and is the older of the two religions. King Jayavarman | | | | architectural traditions. Their buildings have fallen prey |
| VII was a proponent of Mahayana Buddhism, which | | | | to two main flaws. First, the Khmers sometimes did not |
| translates as "Great Vehicle". Tibetan Buddhism and | | | | stagger their blocks. Where the edges lined up, whole |
| Zen Buddhism are sects of Mahayana Buddhism that | | | | walls could be toppled by structural movements |
| are well known in the West. The proponents of | | | | caused by shifting sands or gigantic tree roots. Also, |
| Mahayana Buddhism see it as holding greater insights | | | | the Khmers never developed a true arch. They used a |
| into the Buddha's Dharma, or great truth. | | | | false-arch technique known as corbelling. Large stones |
| As Ta Prohm was built during a time when Mahayana | | | | were stacked reaching successively inwards until they |
| Buddhism was the state religion, the primary deity of | | | | touched. This false arch was much heavier and not as |
| the temple is different than most other Angkor | | | | stable as a true arch and resulted in many collapses. |