Buddha in the Bodhi Tree

Rosfilm 400 · Canon AE-1 · Ayutthaya, Thailand 2025

One of my favorite images from Wat Mahatat in the ancient city Ayutthaya. It's only an hour away from Bangkok, and part of a larger network of temple sites (we visited as many as we could in one short afternoon). Our guide says no one's exactly sure how this happened, but two things: 1) it's likely that someone trying to steal and sell Buddha stone heads wasn't successful and had to leave it behind, where over time the tree consumed it; and 2) the holy bodhi tree is where the Buddha liked to sit under, and achieved enlightenment there. So serenely, he sits and encourages us all to stop and appreciate the moment.