The Four Faces of Phra Phrom

Devotees at our temple pay respects to the Four-Face Buddha, known in Thai as Phra Phrom. Each of the four faces is traditionally associated with one of the Brahmavihara, the four sublime abodes:

1. Metta — loving-kindness: the wish for all beings to be well.
2. Karuna — compassion: the wish for beings to be free from suffering.
3. Mudita — sympathetic joy: gladness at the happiness of others.
4. Upekkha — equanimity: a steady heart amid gain and loss.

When you walk around the shrine, you might pause at each face and silently bring one of these to mind. Over time the shrine becomes less a place to ask for things and more a place to remember who you wish to be.