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Buduruwagala is located about 5 km from the Wellawaya on the
Thanamalwila road. The name Buduruwagala means “the rock with the statue of
Buddha” And this is exactly what it is. Seven figured are carved in this rock
with a massive 51 foot Buddha statue in the Abhaya Mudra gesture at the centre.
The rock it self has shape of a kneeling elephant with its head own. Although
there is no documented information about this site in the ancient scriptures,
Different historians have dated these statues from the 6th centuary to late
Anuradhapura period. (between 8 – 10 Century). These carvings are of the
Mahayana Buddhist style and belongs to the Pallawa- Sri Lankan art tradition
and similar to the statues at Dova Temple.
The tallest Buddha statue in the world was the Bamiyan Buddha
statues in Afghanistan until the destruction of this ancient monument by the
Taliban in March 2001. The Buduruwagala Buddha Statue is now considered the
tallest in the world.
The centre statue is flanked by
two statues which each about 40 foot in height. These two again flanked by two
figures, one female and the other male.
The centre figure on the left (as you stand in front) still
has most of the plaster and some paint which has been applied by the ancients.
This centre figure is thought to be of the figure of Avaloktheeshvara
Bodhisattva (the manifestation of all the Buddha’s’ compassion in the Mahayana
Buddhist teaching – In Theravada Buddhism Avaloktheeshvara is known as
Lokesvara). He is identified by the small image of the meditating Buddha in the
crown that he wares. This image can be clearly seen the carving. The bare
breasted female figure on the right to this is thought be Thara Devi, the
spritual consort of Avaloktheeshvara Bodhisattva. She is carved in a ‘thivanka’
position (bent in 3 places) and is wearing a tall head dress. The other is
thought to be their son Prince Sudana.
On the right is 3 similar figures. And the centre figure is
thought to be the Maithri Bodhisattva. He is the fifth Buddha for this eon. On
the left is the Vajirapani Bodhisattva ( Sanskrit Vajra : thunderbolt/diamond,
Pani : lit in the hand). He is one of the earliest bodhisattvas of Mahayana
Buddhism. He is generally represented with a diamond club in his hand)
