Phra Pidta is one of the most distinguished and recognisable images of the amulet family which features a monk sitting down in a half lotus position with his hands covering his eyes. There are various depictions of the image with some featuring up to six arms and others covered in yant tattoos. The piece signifies the closure of the six senses where ultimate focus and peace can be attained.
The literal translation of "Pidta" means closed eyes and is said to make one impervious to surrounding evil by blocking out external influences and distractions, enabling one to focus on the task in hand. Phra Pidta is very popular both in Thailand and around the world with many top Thai monks producing their own versions.
Phra Pidta studied directly under the Budda and was well known for his practices of deep Samadhi meditation allowing him to block out the outside world for extended periods of time. He was well known for putting his own life at risk to protect others through selfless acts and this heroism made his legend travel far and wide.
The Wat Nerachararam Temple in Cha-am features a statue of Phra Pidta which people travel to from around Thailand to pay homage to. Offerings are given and incense is usually lit as Phra Pidta followers pray for assistance in their lives.
During the 1970’s in Singapore it was deemed illegal to brandish the image of Phra Pidta which carried a negative connotation as the government felt that it was inspiring youth to commit crimes without fear of getting caught. Followers also believed they could get into fights without feeling pain thus inspiring criminal acts and violence. We must stress that we do not in any way attest to this information and it is simply written here as an interesting narrative.
The value of Phra Pidta amulets fluctuate due to a handful of factors such as the materials used, the monk who produced them and the rarity of the piece with some fetching upwards of two million Thai baht (64,000 USD), for example the ones made by LP Kron from Wat Bangsek.
Phra Pidta is said to protect the wearer from all external factors hence the reason they are worn by many who work within high-risk industries such as fighters, construction workers and soldiers and is said to bring fortune to the wearer.
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