Phra Somdej - Physical composition of Phra Somdej Wat Rakhang
The core materials of PhraSomdej are
5 types of magic powder:
* Pattamung powder – power in invulnerable.
* Ittijay powder – power in kindliness, grace popularity.
* Maharaj powder – power in superpower, honor, reputation and fame.
* Buddhakhun powder – power in accident avoidance.
* Trinisinghae powder – power in charming.
How to process 5 types of magic powder
Phra Somdej Wat Rakang was made from five kinds of sacred powders namely Pattamung, Ithije, Maharaj, Puttakun and Treenisinghae. The process starts with incantation of holy scriptures, writing sutras and holy symbols (yantra) with chalk on a slate board, erased and rewrote several hundred times over and over again. The dust gathered thus signifies the sacred powder of th ritual. This first collected powder is called Pattamung. Pattamung powder is then mixed with water to mold into a pencil shape, sun-dried and used in writing another chapter of sutras. The process of writing and erasing is repeated as many times as stipulated in the holy sutras. The dust gathered from the second rite is Ithije. The same process is performed until all five ingredients have been collected. The ingredients of five kinds are then mixed together and added to the buld substance which consisted of ground shells as main part, others included dried cooked rice powder, crushed banana, different kinds of pollen grains, differt kinds of sacred powders, holy water and Tung oil which acted as a cement substance.Then, all mixed ingredients were pressed in mould further.
2. Auspicious wood and sedges such as Sawat, Rakson, Kafakrak, Chaiyapruk, Nokkum, Nanglom, Sanaychankaow, Sanaychandaeng, Nangkwak, Phraputtachaoluang, Ruamjai betel, Two tails betel, lotus powder 5 and 108.
3. Magic clay such as Dinjedpong, Dinjedpha, Dinjedtha, Dinjedsra, Dinlakmuang, Dintakraichedi, Dintrakrairobbos, Dintrakraibaisema, Dinkrajaeprunghom.
4. Shell burnt and ground into powder including unburnt shell.
5. Sacred book made from ancient palm leaves damaged, burned, and ground into a powder.
6. Food and cooked rice, dried and ground, ripe bananas, jackfruit.
7. Sacred water.
8. Honey, molasses, Tung iew oil.
9. Dried worship flowers.
10. Charcoal powder made from broken wood moulding, incense stick and incense ash.
11. Powder obtained by grinding the clay amulets broken from Kru Kampangpetch.
12. Various filings statue powder(bronze, silver, gold), mythical metal.
13. Glass relics.
The physical composition guideline of Phra Somdej
1. Red Spots – May be seen in some cases and is assumed to be caused by broken of old brick.
2. White Spots on the surface may be caused by white shell powders.
3. White bulge in some areas both front, back and beside edge are assumed to be caused by glass relics (look shiny under lighting)
4. Green Spots – Assumed to be caused by fragment of green stone particle e.g., jade are believed in Chinese culture to be able to avoid dangers.
5. Black spots are assumed to be caused by burned incense sticks or burned holy scriptures and pollen powder.
6. Brown spots usually represent any one of the 108 types of the pollen flowers that are dried after many years passed.
7. Sacred sands have been known to be included as part of the ingredients during sacred ceremonies performed by Somdej Toh.
8. Gold dust is assumed to be old gold from the melting of an old golden Buddha image at Wat Rakang.
9. Some rounded tiny white bulge are assumed to be caused by the 5 main sacred powders; Pattamung, Ithije, Maharaj, Puttakun and Treenisinghae.
10. Oily skin characteristic which looks shiny under lighting due to too much mixture of Tung oil.
11. Some are covered with a layer of gold or black lacquer to preserve the sacred amulets. However, we may find that it was later removed because the possessor had wanted the surface to be revealed visible.
12. Cracked or broken surface skin layer due to aging process and weather condition.
13. Natural crack lines on the surfaces are assumed to be caused by drying process of the inner and out skin layers.
14. Majority may have visible signs of sunken appearance on some part which was largely due to the weather temperature, humidity and natural aging process.
