Avukana Buddha statue
Avukana Buddha Statue | |
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Kekirawa, Sri Lanka | |
8°0′39.1″N 80°30′45.6″E / 8.010861°N 80.512667°E | |
Website | Official website |
The Avukana statue is a standing statue of the
Location and appearance
The Avukana statue is located in the village of Avukana (also spelled Aukana) near
The statue was set within a large image house or shrine, of which parts of the lower walls remain. The structure had a stone foundation with the upper portions made of brick. It was 23 metres (74 ft) long and 19 metres (63 ft) wide.[6]
Characteristics
The Avukana statue is considered to be one of the best examples of a standing statue of the Buddha from ancient Sri Lanka.
Dating
The Avukana statue is widely believed to have been constructed in the 5th century, but several opinions have been expressed from the time of
Legends
While the statue is often said to have been made at the behest of King Dhatusena, another theory is that it was done by an individual named Barana.[10] There is another nearby standing statue of the Buddha, quite similar to the Avukana statue, at Sasseruwa. According to legend, the two statues are the result of a competition between a stone sculpting guru (master) and a goal (pupil). The story goes that the master constructed the Avukana statue, while the pupil made the statue at Sasseruwa. The first to complete his statue had to notify the other by ringing a bell. The master managed to complete his statue first and won the competition. This is said to be why the Sasseruwa statue is unfinished. The Avukana statue is considered to be the better of the two, and the similarities between them have led historians to believe that the story is true.[11] However, that is a mere legend as the Sasseruwa statue was built nearly four hundred years before the Avukana Buddha image. Reswehera Rajamaha Vihara is an ancient temple that was built by King Devanampiyatissa (307-267 BC).
Current situation
Today, pilgrims visit the statue from all parts of the country and the Avukana statue has become a popular tourist attraction.
See also
- Buduruvagala
- Maligawila Buddha statue
- Samadhi statue
- Toluvila statue
- List of colossal sculptures in situ
References
- ^ a b Diganwela, T. (1997). කලා ඉතිහාසය [History of Art] (in Sinhala). Wasana Publishers. pp. 23–24.
- ISBN 978-81-206-1235-8.
- ^ ISBN 955-551-257-4.
- ^ a b Sarachchandra, B. S. (1977). අපේ සංස්කෘතික උරුමය [Cultural Heritage] (in Sinhala). Silva, V. P. pp. 121–122.
- ISBN 978-0-520-04320-6.
- ISBN 978-90-04-03992-6.
- ^ De Silva, D. G. B. (12 May 2001). "Misconceptions about Sri Lankan Buddha image". The Island. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
- ^ JSTOR 20067080.
- ^ Archaeological Survey of Ceylon, Annual Report 1952, Colombo: [Ceylon Govt., Archæological Dept.]: p. 33, cited in Dohanian 1965
- ^ a b Perera, Harshini (21 June 2009). "A new facelift to Avukana precincts". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
- ^ "A guru-gola battle for supremacy". Sunday Times. 6 June 2004. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
- ISBN 978-1-57607-004-8.
Further reading
von Schroeder, Ulrich (1990). Buddhist Sculptures of Sri Lanka. (752 p.; 1620 illustrations). Hong Kong: Visual Dharma Publications, Ltd.