n the Buddhist era 600, in Seang Hai province lived a 50-year-old Chinese man named Lim Seng. He was a sadly poor man. He went for a loan of 5 Nen from a merchant and hence lived as a servant with his lender. The poor man was required to clear an area of forest near the river for growing crops. In spring, Lim Seng always harvested the crops he grew and took them to his master. One day five nymphs from the Lord Indra castle flew into Lim Seng's garden. Finding lots of lovely blossoms, the nymphs played happily together. At that time, one of the nymphs, whose name was Tip Sodachan, picked up six flowers from Lim Seng's garden because they were very fragrant. The other nymphs were also walking in the garden, but did not pick up any flowers.
When they flew back to the world of devada, the honest angel told Lord Indra about Tip Sodachan's picking up the flowers without permission. Lord Indra asked her to prove it and blamed her with a punishment. "Go to the human world again and live with Lim Seng as his wife for six years," ordered Lord Indra. Tip Sodachan felt deeply embarrassed and desperate; however, she flew to Lim Seng at the human world and told him, ''I've picked up six flowers of yours without permission, so Lord Indra punishes me to be your wife for six years." ''I'm very poor," Lim Seng replied. "I can not accept you as my wife because my master is very stingy. He gives me food for only one person." Tip Sodachan said, "Never mind, I'm going to help you and teach you the art skills that people have never learnt. But if you p.isagree, how can I receive the punishment as ordered by Lord Indra?" "Please let me stay," she implored.
Lim Seng agreed to accept her to stay with him. He liked the angel very much because she was the most beautiful lady. No sooner, he fell in love with her. When staying with Lim Seng longer and longer and seeing his sorrow and honesty, Tip Sodachan felt pity on him. "How much money have you borrowed from your master?" she asked.
"Six Nen," he answered. "Go and borrow four more Nen, so that I can live with you as his servant. And with this we can get lots of benefits." Lim Seng went to borrow four Nen from his master and gave to Tip Sodachan. With these four Nen, she asked Lim Seng to buy her some silk. Lim Seng bought 20 niels of cocoons. Tip Sodachan spun the yarn and wove it into various fabrics embroidered with pictures of leaves, animals and many other drawings. She was good at weaving and the best weaver.
After many fabrics were specially woven, she told her. husband to take them to the master. The lender felt the fabrics, filled with genuine admiration. Powered by his happiness, the master gave Lim Seng 50
Nen and promised not to get back his loan. What was more, the master sent his people to learn the weaving skills from Lim Seng's wife.Tip Sosdachan bought many habs of cocoons to teach the servants of Lim Seng's master, who had to weave everyday. Soon Lim Seng became rich and had power and good relations with many other people. One year later, Tip Sodachan had a baby boy, who was a very mischievous child. When able to crawl, he could dig protective walls.
Moreover, he could do drawings on the ground, of animals and humans. He liked drawing on the ground and never stayed still for any second; thus, his mother named him Preah Pisnouka. At the age of five, it was time for his mother Tip Sodachan to leave, since she had lived with Lim Seng as his wife for six years, as punished by Lord Indra. So, as a souvenir for Lim Seng, she picked up six flowers, put them on the pillow and flew back to Lord Indra world.
At meal time, not seeing his wife join him, Lim Seng went into her room and saw only six flowers on the pillow, thus he immediately understood what they meant. Lim Sengwas weeping and wailing for
his young wife, who had abandoned him. Preah Pisnouka ran out of the house crying for his mother so loudly that his creaming could be heard high and low. At the same time, in the kingdom of Cambodia, King Prates Reachea was dead, leaving neither daughter nor son to succeed him. The royal family linked to Preah Thaong came to an end. Only Krong Hov and Kray Hov were found to have the royal family line, but the throne remained vacant.
Talking about a poor man who made his living by cutting wood, one day while he was working as usual, there was heavy rain. The man came to get shelter in Neak Ta shrine. Upon that occasion, Lord Indra, the king of Devada, transformed two cockerels -one black, the other white. The black roosted at the main column of the shrine; the white, on its roof. For a while, the white crowed. "Who dares to crow over my head? How sacred are you? " said the black, who could speak the human language. The white answered, "I have a great power. If a man eats my flesh, he will become a king." The black replied, "If a man eats my head, he will become a chief of monks; and if a woman eats my thigh, she will become a wife of a king. Also, if any person eats my breast, he will be crowned a king. So don't look down on my power."
Then the white rooster flew away, leaving the black rooster perching at the column. The old man walked quietly towards the black, slaughtering and carrying it home. Hearing the story about that rooster from the husband, his wife cooked the cockerel, arranged in the dish on the tray and was ready to eat. But the husband talked to his wife, "Soon ~ will be crowned the king, so let's take this special food to the river side. Take a bath, wipe our body, get dressed beautifully, and then enjoy it." The husband and wife took the food to the riverside and bathed happily. Coming up to the riverside, they did not see their food tray because it was moved by the whirlpool and disappeared.
On that day an elephant mahout, named as Tea, led his elephants into the lake for a swim. Seeing the food tray floating toward him, he lifted it up and showed to a monk, the chief of a pagoda. Understanding its benefit, the monk picked up the chicken head and ate. He gave the breast to Elephant mahout Tea and the thigh to his wife Vong, but said nothing about the food. Tea and Vong eventually returned home.
Talking about the bathing husband and wife, who tried to look for the food tray high and low, but did not find it, they thought that it must have been stolen by someone, so they severely scolded. A few days later, the officials of the country called for a meeting. They discussed and agreed: "Our kingdom had no ruling king, so let's leave the elephant with a howdah on his back. We shall pray to the devada to lead the elephant to kneel down before any person who was able to occupy the throne and the elephant lift him on its head and bring him to us, so that we can crown him the king." After the meeting, they led an elephant, beautifying it with lots of jewelry, and let it go on its way. The elephant then walked toward Tea and Vong kneeling down before them, lifted them onto its head and turned up to the Royal Palace. At that time, the royal officials traditionally proclaimed the husband and wife the king and queen. The elephant mahout Tea was named King Tevong Aschar. But Krong Hov and Kray Hov were not satisfied and refused to join hands with the new king; they ran away to Bakan district of Pursat province, where they built a temple.
While Lord Indra had observed that the queen of the new king had no child, he thought, ''I'll give Queen Vong a son and that son should have a very close family line with me, Lord Indra, to have the blood relation to the king of Cambodia ever after." One day when Queen Vong left the magnificent castle, Lord Indra flew off in the sky. Humans could not see anything of him, but the bright light gleaming in space. The villagers shouted out loudly, "A light's dropping! Alight's dropping!" Lord Indra dropped garland of flowers onto Queen Vong and returned to his world. Since then, the queen started to be pregnant and later delivered a baby boy who was named Preah Ketomealea, which means that the light of the garland.
Speaking about Preah Pisnouka, he looked for his mother high and low, but did not see her. The boy was profoundly sad. One day he asked his father, "Who's my mother?" His father replied, "Your mother's an angel, who had to live in the human world for only 6 years. Now she returned to the world of Devata and I don't know where it is." The boy said nothing, but always missed his mother. He decided to search for his mother even though he was forbidden by his father. Preah Pisnouka set out on his journey through the forests and across the fields. He picked up fruits for food and wore ragged clothes. Portw1ately, one day a group of angels visited the mountain where Preah Pisnouka
was, and one of them was Tip Sodachan. She was cutting flowers in the forest, tying them up in bundle. "Por years I've left the villages and never met any person," thought Preah Pisnouka, when seeing such beautiful ladies. "Gee! Where are they from? Or are they angels?" Then he ran and hid. When the angels were walking closer to him, the boy raised his both hands to pray. "If my mother was among them, may God make her unable to fly," invoked the boy. Soon he ran toward the place where the angels were playing. The angels, when seeing the human boy, were surprised at him, flying up to their world. Only Tip Sodachan was unable to leave. Preah Pisnouka ran to her, hugging close and tight. Tip Sodachan shouted out loud, "What a sin committed to me again! I've been released from the human world. Why am I being hugged by such a human?" "Mom! Mom!" shouted Preah Pisnouka. "I am your son. After you left home, I was weeping and wailing, looking for you high and low, but I didn't see you. Dad went into your room, but didn't see you. Only six flowers were left on the pillow, and so thought you must have left for the world of Devata.
Since then Dad was so sad, and I always missed you. When I grew up, I asked father to look for you adventurously. And I thought I would die of starvation. Now I have you, mom. I'd like you to live with us again." Recognizing her son and feeling pity on him, Tip Sodachan wept and wailed. "I haven't hated you and your dad and always missed you two, as well as the villagers. But as an angel, I was unable to live with you forever. Each day I was in front of Lord Indra, asking him to bless you and your father, and I also beg him to wish humans happiness. My dearest son! I can't live with you any longer, but I'll take you to my castle at the world of Devata. Tip Sodachan passed a scarf to Preah Pisnouka for a change of his ragged clothes and flew him across the sky and reached Lord Indra world. In Lord Indra world, Tip Sodachan took her son for a bath in a fragrant pool of Lord Indra garden, where its water could wash away his human scent. Then, she took her son into the castle, dressed him nicely, brought him food of heaven and then took him to show respect for Lord Indra. Preah Pisnouka felt absolutely marvelous at a room, while waiting to see Lord Indra. Preah Pisnouka was so interested in decoration of the room that he became trembling (inferiority to the power).
Upon his arrival at the room, Lord Indra asked Tip Sodachan, "Who's this human boy?" "He is my son. I had him when I was Lim Seng's wife." she replied. "Clever boy, stand up." said Lord Indra. Preah Pisnouka was conscious and kneeled down before the king of devata. Lord Indra took the boy to his castle and asked the boy a lot about the human world where the boy lived. Preah Pisnouka's answers very much satisfied Lord Indra. "My son's so smart that he can make drawings and sculptures, greatly admired by the humans. But he learns this skill without teacher; he is genuinely creative." Lord Indra said, "If so, take him to see the divinity of carpentry. Allow the boy to study a variety of skills before his return to the human world; since the boy is a human, he's not allowed to live here forever." Preah Pisnouka was sent to live with Divinity Carpenter to study art and construction. The boy tried to study sculpture and music at the castle of Divinity Carpenter, his instructor. The boy was very skillful. He was able to build a ship which could be driven on land, to sculpt silver and gold, to melt iron, and to mix water which, when it was poured over clay,
Could form marble. In brief, the boy knew everything that the divinity had taught. The Instructor motivated the boy, "The skills you've learnt from me are in existence for thousands of years, while my work remains for only one reign of the king. For example, if a king is crowned and genuinely wants me to build a castle for him, I can build it immediately, but on the day when the king dies, the castle also disappears. So I can see that you have more power than I do." The divinity carpenter told Lord
Indra this good result of the instruction. Lord Indra was very satisfied and recognized, "Preah Pisnouka will become an educator and instructor of the Buddhist believers." Then, Lord Indra ordered, "All who are human constructors, before starting to make a building, shall make an offering to Preah Pisnouka: a bottle of wine, one riel-note, four parts of banana tree with the betel leaves and arecas, 2-meter white cloth, a metal bowl of rice and a candle. If anyone made the construction without this offering, he was unable to open up their eyes but, if possible, couldn't see anything clearly (blepharitis)." At this point Lord Indra remembered Preah Ketomealea, so he £lew down to Cambodia.
At night people were greatly surprised by the bright light in the sky and asked each other, "What's happening in the sky at such a bright light?" Lord Indra arrived at the king's castle. A royal guard went to Tevong Aschar and said to the king, "There's an unknown creature from the world of devata like a human, but with blue complexion emitting a bright light, come into the castle." Tevong Aschar rushed into his castle and recognized Lord Indra. The king kneeled down to show respect for Lord Indra. "Your majesty, do you know my son?" asked Lord Indra. "I don't know, My Lord," the king answered. Lord Indra continued, "When Preah Ketomealea was born, was there anything happening?"
The king replied, "While a blue bright light was shining in the sky, there was suddenly a garland fall on my wife, and so she became pregnant. Now my son was an older boy." Lord Indra said, "He was my son, who came to be born here." Realizing this, the king ordered to bring Preah Ketomealea into the
castle. Lord Indra held the boy on his thighs and said: "In the previous life, I was names as Meak Meanob, who constructed roads, dams, schools and bridges. With this I was reborn to be Lord Indra. I missed Cambodia so much, and since then up to now, no genius has been born in this country, I'll help you all to have happiness and longevity. People nowadays don't live longer and it's hard to find
someone who lives to the age of 100 years. I'll take Preah Ketomealea to my castle and let him bathe in a pool whose water helps him live longer."
Lord Indra carried Preah Ketomealea, and then flew to the world of devata. In his garden was a pool, where Lord Indra bathed Preah Ketomealea seven times a day for seven days. Afterwards, Lord Indra took Preah Ketomealea to his castle and invited seven Divinity Brahmans to cast a spell and sprinkle magic water over Preah Ketomealea, so that he could live longer the age of 100 years. After the rituals, Lord Indra ordered to prepare a horse cart and drive Preah Ketomealea around his castle in order for Preah Ketomealea to see all of its decoration. After Preah Ketomealea saw every part of the castle, the driver took him to see the stable for oxen of heaven. "Do you like anything you have seen?" asked Lord Indra. "I was full of great admiration," Peah Ketomealea replied. "So I have you rule the Cambodian Empire." Lord Indra said. " If you are fond of any one of these castles you've seen and want to have it built in this empire, just make a pray in your mind, I'll immediately send a builder to put it up." At that time, Preah Ketomealea was only 12 and so he was very nervous of Lord Indra. "In my country, I should not have it built better than his, if I have the castle made better than or as great as those in his world, Lord Indra must be upset," thought Preah Ketomealea. "I want to have a temple similar to your ox stable," he then said to Lord Indar. "Is the stable attractive to you?" asked Lord Indra to comfort the boy. Lord Indra turned to Preah Pisnouka and said: "You' re a human, so you can' t live here forever. I' ll send you to Cambodia to build for my son a temple which is far more attractive than my stable.
When the construction completes, I'll go to preside the coronation of my son. " After Preah Pisnouka properly monitored the ox stable, Lord Indra ordered to prepare the horse cart and drive Preah Ketomealea and Preah Pisnouka to the human world in Cambodia. In the Buddhist era 620, Preah Pisnouka started his construction. He ordered to dig a ditch for dirt to make a hill. Then he stuck a variety of sculptures to the hill in all directions. Speaking about a son of a villager named Sovann, who was in the service of Preah Pisnouka. After Sovann understood his work and could carry out his duties, Preah Pisnouka sailed boat to sea to collect seashells for burning for shell limestone which was used to apply to the temple walls. Upon his return at Kampong Leng district's Samraong Sen village, the boat sank. Preah Pisnouka drained off the boat, but did not get back the seashells, thus nowadays lots of seashells are found buried in Samraong Sen village. For years, its residents had always picked them up and burnt for shell limestone, but the seashells had still been left in huge number up to now.
Later on, Preah Pisnouka went to sea for seashells, but, this time there were lots of junks loading massive quantity of seashells. Then, he was out looking for sesame seeds, but on his way home one junk was sunk in a storm at Kamnhan Island west of Daun Try. Preah Pisnouka threw away the seeds
in the sunken junk and made the sesame seeds solid becoming an island. That was why today the land on Kam Nhan Island is found black like sesame seeds without any other soil. As for the sesame seeds in the other two junks, Preah Pisnouka mixed them and laid on the finished earth temple. The earth immediately turned into marble. While constructing the temples, Preah Pisnouka did not need to erect scaffolding to put a column one by one as we do now, he used only soil to build a five-story temple and then applied the mixed paint-water to the whole soil temple then it became marble.
For that reason, neither beams nor columns are found at the archways of the temple roofs. When the construction was completed, Preah Pisnouka painted on the sculptures in various colors, making the temple as attractive as the ox stable of Lord Indra. Preah Ketomealea was very satisfied with the temple and expressed his deep admirations for Preah Pisnouka, and asked him to build many other temples with many sculptures. Lord Indra, accompanied by lots of Devatas, came to the human world,
crowned his son the king and named him Arithakpol Peahaknor (Preah Ketomealea) and called his country Cambodia as it is today.
Later on, Preah Ketomealea observed that one of the five towers was slightly bent, he told Preah Pisnouka to climb up and straighten the tower. "Your majesty, order a woman to simply knock on the
tower with a ripe gourd, then the tower will become straight," replied Preah Pisnouka. Hearing this, Preah Ketomealea was irritated and shouted at him, "Why did you say so? The tower is now made of
marble, how can a woman straighten it by only knocking with a ripe gourd?" Preah Pisnoska was also angry with the king, but, to show respect for him, asked a woman to knock on it, so the tower became straight. Sometime later, Preah Ketomealea gave Preah Pisnouka the iron of 3 habs to make a sword as a symbol of his great power. Preah Pisnouka melted the iron into enough amount to make a small sword, whose blade was far thinner than a leaf of rice and extremely sharp: If this sword was taken to cut a human body into two parts, the cut could not be seen, as if the body was not cut, and the person who was cut with the sword stayed alive unless he was pushed down. What was more, if a clay jar full of water was cut with this sword, the water could not leak out, unless it was pushed down, the water would drain out. Preah Pisnouka properly tempered the sword and then took it to Preah Ketomealea. Seeing the sword, Preah Ketomealea was absolutely furious and blamed Preah Pisnouka in rough words before the royal officials: "You must have used my iron for your own interest. This sword is too small for 3 habs of my iron."
Preah Pisnouka burst into anger. "I'll leave Cambodia and go to live in China," he shouted. Then, Preah Pisnouka stood up and walked out dragging the sword, its blade facing down the floor. After Preah Pisnouka left, the floor was cut in two parts by the sword. Seeing this, Preah Ketomealea ordered the official to chase Preah Pisnouka to bring back the sword, but Preah Pisnouka refused to give and later threw it away into the middle of TonIe Sab Lake. He got onto a junk, leaving for his father's homeland, China. This is Preah Pisnouka's story, which very few people have known, and on the base of this folktale, it is believed that Angkor Wat Temples were built by the divinity.
The End
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