White Temple of Hell: The Strangest Buddhist Temple I Have Ever Seen

In Chang Rai, Thailand there is a particularly unique Buddhist temple unlike any other I have seen before.. 

It is a beautiful, elegant work of art. It is so white yet so dark! 

Me Outside the Temple

Demonic creatures and creepy displays are dotted around it. 

That's one hell of a no smoking sign!

not everything around it is scary looking however :)

Now lets take a picture tour of the actual temple!

First, here is the whole thing:

Take a closer look..

Now the view facing the front..

  

would look cooler without the tourists but it can't be helped

Weird creepy spiky stuff at the sides of the entrance.. 

The path: 

We arrive at the 2 horns,

Which also have creepy spiky stuff at the sides: 

The view looking back...

The view down below:

We have finished walking through some type of "hell" and have reached a checkpoint from which everything will look peaceful from now on! 

more conventional-looking Buddhist images are emerging:

I'm speculating that an intended message of this amazing artistic temple is that we must go through hell to get to heaven?? 

or maybe it is also about the complimentary of opposites? The main center seems even more peaceful because everything around it is scary. 

what do you think? :)  

The inside of the Temple was Amazing! but unfortunately no pictures were allowed in there :(  

(that usually doesn't stop me but this time I couldn't find any good spot out of eyesight, plus the atmosphere had become more "sacred")  

But look on the bright side, this means you must actually visit there to see it all :) 

Despite all the tourists and the sparkly, hellish, unconventional Buddhist art, Don't get the wrong idea. This is a real Temple with a Buddha statue in the center and with people inside legitimately bowing, meditating and carrying out religious/spiritual actions. 

 Now let me tell you what's really surprisingly cool about that same sacred space; The inside of the entrance wall of the Temple had a majestic painted image of Goku shooting a Kamehameha wave on it!  :o 

The view after exiting the temple.

Following the path from the side of the temple led to this:

Wishes?

Money! 

I guess they need a lot of donations for all the upkeep. Which they were doing a fantastic job at! :)
  
...now I feel bad that my first thought which popped up at the sight of many coins was an intrusive desire to steal :(  

Many someday I'll be enlightened enough to transcend my negative cravings :P