“Thao Wessuwan – Vessavaṇa: Guardian King of the North of the Cātummahārājika”

Vessavaṇa Kuvera (Pāḷi; Sanskrit: Vaiśravaṇa Kubera; Thai: Thao Wessuwan Kuwen) is known as one of the Four Kings (Pāḷi: Cātummahārājāno; Sanskrit: Caturmahārājano) of the Cātummahārājika (Pāḷi; Sanskrit: Cāturmahārājikakāyika) Heaven. According to Buddhist cosmology this heavenly realm is the lowest heaven of the Desire Realm (Pāḷi: Kāmaloka; Sanskrit: Kāmadhātu), and it is located on the lower mountainside of Mount Neru (Pāḷi; Sanskrit: Meru).

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“Phra Rahu – Rāhu: Lord of the Asuras”

According to Vedic mythology the devas formed an alliance with the asuras to jointly churn the ocean in order to produce the elixir of immortality (Sanskrit: amṛta) and to share it among them. However, Viṣṇu mentioned to the devas that he would arrange something so that only the devas would be able to obtain the amṛta.

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“Ruesi – Ṛṣi Hermit Sage/Seer”

Traditionally, ruesi are ascetics who live in secluded places outside of society. They engage themselves in mystical forms of practice (such as the making magic potions and all sorts of healing medicines) which derive from the Indian Hindu type of individual ascetic, also known (in Sanskrit) as ṛṣi or yogi. As such, the ruesis stand in stark contrast with the Buddhist bhikkhus, who live in a monastic community and abide the monastic code of discipline (Pāḷi: vinaya).

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