Reflection Pond

Japanese lilacs line the edge of the reflection pond.

A monk paddles a small boat in the middle of the newly constructed reflection pond.

A statue of the Buddha shielded by Mucalinda, a snake like being who shielded the Buddha from the elements after the Buddha's enlightenment.

The Mucalinda Reflection Pond

Ponds are typical features of Cambodian Buddhist temples.¹ The Watt already has a small one, near the driveway, but a much larger one was built near the back of the property. Construction on the pond started in May of 2015 and the pond was inaguarated in August of 2017. The pond's design was inspired by a similar pond that the Watt's Abbot, Ven. Iddhimuni Moeng Sang, saw during a trip to India.²

The footprint of the pond is nearly as big as the temple structure itself, and a statue of the Buddha shielded by Mucalinda sits on a pedestal as the centerpiece of the pond, at the end of a bridge over the water. Mucalinda is the name of the naga (a snake like being) who shielded the Buddha from the elements in the first period after the Buddha's enlightenment. There will be a bridge from the main part of the campus with Japanese lilac bushes lining the pond. It is a quiet and peaceful place to meditate, reflect, and pray.