Why are Asian countries so enamored with humongous Buddha statues, and why are they usually seated with hands posed in unique gestures? Tradition states that Buddha images must be high enough so that their feet are above the eye level of people in the room, to avoid any accidental soiling of the images. The elevation also serves to remind devotees to refrain from pride and ego. Buddha was also in a seated position upon attaining enlightenment, and the hand postures, called mudras, depict fearlessness, instruction, meditation, wish granting, and so on.

When the Taliban destroyed the Bamyan Great Buddhas in Afghanistan back in the 1990s, they destroyed an important piece of history. There are still some giant Buddha statues that exist elsewhere, so go visit them before intolerance finds a way to obliterate them, too.

Tian Tan Buddha - also know as the Big Buddha, it is the tallest copper seated Buddha in the world. Located near the Po Li Monastery in Lantau Island, Hong Kong, it stands 34 meters tall and weighs 250 tons. Its right hand is raised to remove affliction while the left hand rests on its lap as an act of giving dhana.

The Big Buddha can be reached by taxi or bus from Tung Chung Station along the MTR line. Po Lin Monastery and the Buddha are open to the public between 10:00am and 5:45pm. Access to the Buddha is free of charge.

Lingshan Grand Buddha - sculpted near the Xiangfu Temple in Wuxi, one of the oldest cities in China, between Nanjing and Shanghai. Made of tin and copper, it is the tallest Buddha statue in China at 88 meters, weighing nearly 700 tons.

To get there, simply take bus No.88 or 91 from Wuxi Railway Station. If you are traveling from Shanghai, take one of  the tourist shuttles either at the Hongkou Football Stadium (7:30 am on weekends) or at the Shanghai Stadium (8:20am on weekends).

Leshan Giant Buddha - the largest stone Buddha in the world at 71 meters high, located in Leshan City in the Sichuan Province of China. It lies in the confluence of Min, Qingyi, and Dadu Rivers. More than a millennium ago, a monk initiated the work on The Giant Buddha as an attempt to ward off evil among the fisher folk who assemble in the confluence. The construction took 90 years to finish and is a testament to pre-modern building techniques and artistry.

To get to to the Giant Buddha, go to Leshan by train, then get off at Emei Station. This station is 10 kilometers away from the gate of Mt. Emei, and 31 kilometers (about 19 miles) away from Leshan City.

Phuket Big Buddha - known officially as Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri Buddha, it is still under construction in Phuket, Thailand. When finished, it will be 45 meters high and covered with jade that is imported from Myanmar. Buddha is portrayed in a pang marnvichai meditation posture, on a podium shaped like a lotus flower, facing east towards Chalong Bay.

Reclining Buddha - located in Wat Pho, the largest Buddhist temple in Thailand. The image, which represents the passage of Buddha into Nirvana, stands 15 meters tall and 46 meters wide. The entrance to Wat Pho lies in Chetuphon Road. It’s open every day, with opening hours are from 8:00am to 5:00pm, with a break from 12:00nn to 1:00pm.

Kamakura Great Buddha - located in the grounds of Kotokuin Temple, it is the second largest Buddha in Japan at 13.35 meters. It used to be housed inside a large temple hall centuries ago, but after a devastating tsunami, the Buddha was left standing in the open. The Great Buddha, also called the Daibutsu, is located just 5 minutes away from the Enoden Railway Hase Station, the third station from Kamakura main station. The Enoden is a streetcar-like train that connects Kamakura with Enoshima and Fujisawa. Its terminal station in Kamakura is located just west of JR Kamakura Station.

Great Buddha of Nara – both the Buddha statue and its temple, the Todai-ji, was built in the 8th century to establish the ancient city of Nara as the center of Japanese Buddhism. The Todai-ji is currently the largest wooden structure on Earth, and houses the world’s largest bronze Buddha at 57 meters wide, 50 meters deep, and 48 meters tall. The Great Buddha’s left hand is affixed in the Abhaya Mudra position, conveying fearlessness and reassurance, while the right hand depicts the Varadra Mudra, a gesture of giving blessings.

The Great Buddha and Todai-ji is located inside Nara Park. From Kyoto, take a Miyakoji rapid train to JR Nara Station, then take a JR West train to the station which is 15-20 minutes away from Nara Park.

Posted in Asia, Attractions, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand

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