Neak Poen Temple (original name: Rajasree, referring to King Jayavarman VII)

 Location: 300 meters east of Preah Khan Temple by paved road
Entrance: Enter and exit through the north gate
Date: Second half of the 12th century and early 13th century CE
Reign: King Jayavarman VII
Dedicated to: Mahayana Buddhism and the Three Realms of Medicine
Style: Bayon
1. History of the Temple
Neak Poen Temple is located in the center of the “Jayatataka” baray, which is 900 meters wide and 3,500 meters long. The temple is built on the same axis as Preah Khan Temple. It was built on an artificial island measuring 350 m. on each side and has a staircase of rough stone and hand-carved designs. An earthen rampart measuring 340 m. on each side was built around the temple. Small elephant statues were found at each corner, but none now remain in place.
Neak Poen is a small temple with five ponds, four small ponds around it, and a large pond built in the middle. It offers a refreshing visit to tourists due to its unique features. It is believed to be a place dedicated to the Buddha who delayed his entry into Nirvana, known as the “Guru’s Drink.” According to George Sodes, Finot, and Victor Goloubew, “the large central pond represents the “Anavatthaka” pond, the sacred pond at Mount Meru, the center of the world.” This pond gave birth to the four great sacred rivers: "Ganges, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, Indus." All of these ponds are 25 meters in size on each side. At Neak Poen Temple, statues are set to represent these rivers. These statues represent the four elements: "water, earth, fire, and air" (water is represented by an elephant's head in the north, air is represented by a horse's head in the west, fire is represented by a lion's head in the south, and earth is represented by a human head in the east). The Anavattha pond is filled with hot water that springs from the ground and is highly revered in India for its healing powers. The main purpose of building this temple was to cleanse the sins or doubts of all the Brahmins and monks of that time.
2. Structure
The main pond is 70 meters in size on each side, has steps and is surrounded by four smaller ponds of equal size in a square shape. A small, round artificial island, built 15 meters high, has a foundation of seven sandstone steps, each 3.5 meters high, supporting a central tower with three tiers decorated with lotus flowers at the top. The central tower is open to the east, while the other three sides are closed by a statue of "Avalokitesvara" and small elephants on each side.
On the pillars of the tower are depictions of the life of the Buddha:
- Eastern pillar: Buddha cutting Kesha
- Western pillar: Buddha receiving protection from the dragon Mujalana
- Northern pillar: Buddha leaving the palace
- Southern pillar: Buddha meditating under a Bodhi tree
The central tower was once broken by a tree But it was struck by lightning in 1935, and then the central tower was rebuilt by Maurice Glaize in 1938, and Frenchman Henri Marchal cleaned the entire temple from 1922-1924, including the courtyard and the entire temple complex.
3. The central tower
Two dragon bodies (Nanda and Upananda) are carved into a circle around the island foundation, and the dragon's tails are intertwined in the west. This is the reason why this temple is called "Prasat Neak Poen". The main character in the main pond is a sculpture of a horse named "Pala" swimming towards the island, as well as a human figure riding the horse. This horse is the incarnation of Avalokiteshvara to save the merchant ship "Sihal" and his companions from danger. They were shipwrecked in Sri Lanka and were captured as food by the long-fanged Yakhini.
4. The Four Small Buildings
The four small buildings are places for bathing, cleansing the body of doubts and sins. They are to wash themselves with holy water that flows from a fountain connected to the main pond. The four fountains have different shapes:
- North: Elephant's head
- South: Lion's head
- East: Human's head
- West: Horse's head
The roofs of these four small buildings are curved and decorated with lotus patterns.
The northern pond is a pond for Brahmanism, where it is believed that the water from the elephant's head created the river Ganges for washing away sins.
The eastern pond is a pond that flows from the Brahmaputra River. It is believed that the water flowing from this human head helps increase the power, wisdom like the female Bodhisattva named "Wisdom Paramita" and gives purity to humans.
The southern pond represents the power of women, the power of the king of animals. When they want to gain power to fight successfully, they perform a ceremony at the southern pond, the pond that creates the river called "Indu". That is why they created the Indus River and this lion's head because this lion was born in the Triune Realm. The lion was born from the flames of the wrath of the The gods and goddesses merged to form a lion named "Dukya". Drinking water from the lion's head is believed to receive the power and blessings of the goddess "Dukya" who killed the buffalo-headed giant named "Mawiasura".
The western pond Drinking water from the horse's head is believed to receive the immortal power, the great power and strength of the Buddha, because this horse was born in the heavenly world, which Vishnu gave to the Buddha as a mount. The water of this western pond flows to form the "Yamna" river.