Samadhi Statue

The Samadhi Buddha is a famous statue situated at Mahamevnāwa Park in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. The Buddha is depicted in the position of the Dhyana Mudra, the posture of meditation associated with his first Enlightenment. This statue is 7 feet 3 inches in height and carved from dolomite marble. It was found in 1886 at Mahamevnāwa Park. It is similar to the Toluvila statue from the same period. It is similar to Gupta period Buddha images, it is believed that originally the image was gilded and had inlaid eyes[1] made of precious gems.[2] It is likely that it was one of the four statues around a sacred Bodhi tree shrine. This is the only one that has survived largely intact.

Samadhi Buddha statue at Mahamevnāwa Park in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Whether the Buddha's Enlightenment was the experience technically called samadhi, or some other phenomenon, may depend upon the philosophical allegiance of the believer. In the Dhyana Mudra the Buddha sits cross-legged with his upturned palms placed one over the other on his lap. This position is universally known throughout the Buddhist world, and this statue is therefore one of the most typical pieces of Buddhist sculpture. It is not to be confused with the very similar "Earth-Touching Mudra," which depicts the simple action the Buddha took to fend off the illusions projected by Mara, who was desperate to prevent the Buddha from realizing that his, Mara's, projections, and with them the entire world, are an illusion.

The statue is dated to about 4th-6th century and is regarded as one of the finest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka.[3] A replica, carved out of white teak, was gifted to India's Prime Minister Modi on his state visit to Sri Lanka.[4]

It is said that Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister, contemplated using a photo of this statue while in Dehradun prison. After he became the Prime Minister of India, he visited Anuradhapura to see the actual statue.[5]

President Maithripala presented PM Narendra Modi the Samadhi Buddha replica. 2019
Boy with Samadhi Buddha, Anuradhapur, 1870

A 25-foot replica of the Anuradhapur Samadhi Buddha was created by a monk sculptor, the Venerable Embulawitiya Medhananda Thero, at the New Jersey Buddhist Vihara & Meditation Center (NJBV) in Franklin Township in New Jersey in USA.[6] It has been declared a Cultural Landmark by the Township Council.

Samadhi Buddha at Rambodagalla in Kurunegala

The Samadhi Buddha at Rambodagalla in Kurunegala was initiated in 2001, in response to the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas. Samadhi Buddha at Rambodagalla was carved in live rock by Indian craftsmen led by Muthu Muthiah Sathapathi. It is 67.5 feet tall and was completed in 13 years.[7] Its style was inspired by the Anuradhapura Samadhi Buddha.

See also

References
  1. Inlaid or gilded eyes were common in the classical Greek Period (see Charioteer of Delphi), and are still used by the Shvetambara Jains in India.
  2. The plaque at Samadhi Buddha Statue (Anuradhapura) 3 May 2013, 12:37:13
  3. Buddhist Statue in Anuradhapura, Lonely Planet
  4. PM Modi gets Samadhi Buddha Statue as gift, Time of India, Jun 9, 2019
  5. The Bodhi Tree Grows in L.A.: Tales of a Buddhist Monk in America, Bhante Walpola Piyananda, Shambhala Publications, 2008 p. 52
  6. Franklin Township: Samadhi Buddha Statue Declared Cultural Landmark by Township Council Proclamation, MALIK A. LYONS, February 18, 2017
  7. A masterpiece of compassion, Sunday Observer, 19 May, 2019
  • von Schroeder, Ulrich. (1990). Buddhist Sculptures of Sri Lanka. (752 p.; 1620 illustrations). Hong Kong: Visual Dharma Publications, Ltd. ISBN 962-7049-05-0
  • von Schroeder, Ulrich. (1992). The Golden Age of Sculpture in Sri Lanka - Masterpieces of Buddhist and Hindu Bronzes from Museums in Sri Lanka, [catalogue of the exhibition held at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, D. C., 1 November 1992 – 26 September 1993]. Hong Kong: Visual Dharma Publications, Ltd. ISBN 962-7049-06-9

See also
  • This page incorporates content from Dr. Rohan Hettiarachchi's used with permission of website owner.
  • Samadhi Buddha Statue

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