| Jayavarman VII built the Bayon in the late 12th | | | | restored Hinduism as the state religion of the Hindu |
| century as his state temple. It is located at the | | | | Khmer Empire. He converted the Bayon to a Hindu |
| physical center of Angkor Thom, the nine square | | | | temple, and these bas-reliefs were added later to |
| kilometer or (three and a half square) mile city | | | | reflect this change. Some of these images are vague |
| complex, and is the focal point of the building boom | | | | beyond their connection to certain gods like Shiva |
| Jayavarman VII initiated after he defeated the | | | | and Vishnu, but of course classic stories like the |
| Chams to reclaim the Khmer Empire. As with his | | | | Churning of the Sea of Milk appear, too. In addition to |
| other constructions, the Bayon is a Mahayana | | | | adding the more strictly Hindu imagery, Jayavarman |
| Buddhist temple; its primary deity is Avalokitshvara, | | | | VIII took the main statue from the central tower's |
| the bodhisattva of compassion. Since the Bayon sits | | | | sanctuary, a 3.6 meter (or 12 foot) tall Buddha, and |
| in the center of Angkor Thom, his state capital, this | | | | smashed it, throwing the pieces down a well. The |
| monument makes the entire capital a temple | | | | statue was recovered and pieced back together |
| complex, with the walls of the city and the moat | | | | again in 1933. It now sits in a small pavilion on the |
| representing the outer mountain ranges and oceans | | | | road from the Victory Gate to the Elephant Terrace |
| of the mythical Hindu universe. In various ways the | | | | to the northeast of here. |
| relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism is seen | | | | The real draw of the Bayon, however, is the top |
| here. Just as the Victory Gate was part of a | | | | level. As in the other temples, the stairs lead up from |
| three-dimensional representation of the Churning of | | | | each of the four cardinal points to the top level, |
| the Sea of Milk, with Phinemeakas as the central | | | | where over four dozen towers hold giant faces |
| churning stick, the Bayon is a similar representation | | | | nearly 2 meters (or six feet) in height. Most of the |
| with the gates at the four cardinal points of Angkor | | | | faces are oriented to the cardinal points of each |
| Thom. The naga balustrade of one side of a gate | | | | tower, and with so many four-faced towers at |
| that symbolically extends to the Bayon, wraps | | | | different heights, you always have someone looking |
| around the temple, and then continues to the | | | | over your shoulder. It really is interesting to view the |
| opposite gate, where the opposing force holds the | | | | towers from different angles to see how the faces |
| other side of the snake. The Bayon sits in the center | | | | line up. |
| as another metaphorical Mt. Meru. This setup also | | | | The exact meaning of the faces is still under debate |
| makes the Bayon look a bit different, since its outer | | | | by scholars. One explanation is that the primary deity |
| walls are so far removed as to seem nonexistent. | | | | of the temple is Avalokiteshvara, also known as |
| From the outside, this gives the Bayon an open feel, | | | | Lokesvara, or the "lord who gazes down on the |
| but the interior of the temple is actually quite | | | | world" or "he who hears the cries of people who |
| cramped. The temple is organized on three levels, but | | | | need help". Avalokiteshvara is a bodhisattva or |
| the specific arrangement has led scholars to believe | | | | Buddha-to-be who listens to the prayers of people in |
| that the original plan was a flat temple along the lines | | | | need and has postponed his own enlightenment until |
| of Ta Prohm, which is located to the east. | | | | he has assisted all people in achieving nirvana. To help |
| While the bas-reliefs of the Hindu temples often deal | | | | all of these people and hear all their prayers, he |
| with the gods and their epic adventures, those in the | | | | would need many eyes and ears, which may explain |
| outer gallery of the Bayon deal more with historical | | | | the multiple faces. Others have argued that the face |
| events and everyday life. Part of the reason for this | | | | is that of Jayavarman VII himself. This is also realistic, |
| change in focus may be the differing views of the | | | | since Jayavarman VII considered himself a devaraja, |
| Hindu and Buddhist religions. The Hindu religion puts | | | | or god-king. George Coedes, a former director of the |
| much emphasis on matters of cosmic importance like | | | | École Française |
| the battle of gods to maintain good and evil. The | | | | d'extrème-orient, also known as the EFEO, |
| Buddhist religion emphasizes that enlightenment is | | | | saw these two interpretations as complementary |
| achievable by the actions of the individual. For an | | | | rather than mutually exclusive. Since Jayavarman VII |
| example of a Buddhist bas-relief, take a look at the | | | | considered himself a god-king, it makes sense that he |
| bas-reliefs of the southern gallery. Some of its | | | | would use himself as the prototype of |
| highlights are the bas-relief that details battles with | | | | Avalokiteshvara. The reason for the huge number of |
| the rival Cham Empire as well as everyday market | | | | faces remains a mystery. Some have tried to tie |
| scenes, fisherman, and even a cockfight. The inner | | | | some significance to the number of faces, but the |
| galleries primarily depict Hindu mythology again. These | | | | state of disrepair of the temple has made accurate |
| were added by Jayavarman VIII, a successor who | | | | counts difficult. |