สำนักราชบัณฑิตยสภา

The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Volume II - 2010 Chirapat Prapandvidya 49 taken from the Guimet Museum in Paris.The inscription shows the syncretic nature of the religious beliefs of the region, where the inscription was located, as it mentions the erection of the image of Harihara , the combined form of Śiva and Viṣṇu, of the image of Viṣṇu and of the image of Sugata, that is, the Buddha. It is interesting to note that an inscription in Sanskrit written in the script of a somewhat earlier period (cir.seventh century CE) on a stone pedestal was discovered at Wat (monastery) Cantuek, Tambol Cantuek, Pāk Chong District, Nakhonrātchasima Province. It describes the erection of a Buddha image (tāthāgatī mūrti) by the daughter of the king of Dvāravatī (dvāravatīpati). She was probably a queen of a certain king. The inscription is edited and translated by Cha-Em Kaewkhai (1986 Lem 1: 145-6). However, it seems that his translation may be incorrect. This inscription indicates that Buddhism was present in the area of Nakhonrātchasima Province earlier. Figure 3 Harihara of the Phnom Da style of pre-Angkorian period, 7 th century, at the Guimet Museum, Paris.