The Avukana statue is a standing statue of the

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in ...

near Kekirawa in North Central

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

. The statue, which has a height of more than , was carved out of a large granite rock face during the 5th century. It depicts a variation of the

Abhaya mudra The Abhayamudrā "gesture of fearlessness" is a mudrā (gesture) that is the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Buddhism and other Indian religions. The right hand is held upright, a ...

, and the closely worn robe is elaborately carved. Constructed during the reign of

Dhatusena Dhatusena was a king of Sri Lanka who ruled from 455 to 473 AD. He was the first king of the Moriyan dynasty. In some records, he is also identified as Dasenkeli. Dhatusena reunited the country under his rule after twenty six years, defeating the ...

, it may have been made as a result of a competition between a master and a pupil. The Avukana statue is one of the best examples of a standing statue built in Sri Lanka. It is now a popular tourist attraction.

Location and appearance

The Avukana statue is located in the village of Avukana (also spelled ''Aukana'') near Kekirawa. It is close to the Kala Wewa reservoir, and faces it. It was carved out of a large granite rock face, but is not completely separated. A narrow strip of rock has been left at the back of the statue, connecting it to the rock face and supporting it. However, the pedestal on which the Buddha stands, which is carved in the form of a lotus flower, was carved separately and positioned under the statue. The statue alone is in height, and with the pedestal the total height of the Avukana statue reaches . The statue had been located within a large image house or shrine, of which parts of the walls still remain. The structure was made of brick and stone, and was long and wide.

Characteristics

The Avukana statue is considered to be one of the best examples of a standing statue of the Buddha from ancient Sri Lanka. The Avukana statue shows some influence of the Gandhara school of art, as well as the

Amaravati school The Amarāvati ''Stupa'', is a ruined Buddhist ''stūpa'' at the village of Amaravathi, Palnadu district, Andhra Pradesh, India, probably built in phases between the third century BCE and about 250 CE. It was enlarged and new sculptures replac ...

of India. The robe is worn tightly, clearly outlining the shape of the body, and its pleats are carved clearly and delicately. It is worn over the left shoulder, and the right shoulder is bare, as is the tradition in Buddha statues of Sri Lanka. The Buddha's body is straight, and the left hand clutches the robe at the left shoulder. The right hand is raised up to the right shoulder, with the palm facing left. This position is known as the ''Asisa mudra'', a variation of the Abhaya mudra.

Construction

The Avukana statue is widely believed to have been constructed in the 5th century during the reign of King

and under his orders. However, another theory is that it was done by an individual named Barana. 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 ''gola'' (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 similarities between them have led historians to believe that the story is actually true. However, that is a mere legend as the Sasseruwa stature was built nearly four hundred years prior to the Avukana Buddha image. Reswehera Rajamaha Vihara is an ancient temple which was built by the king Devanampiya Tissa (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. Although the site lacked many facilities, it has now been improved by the Department of Archaeology and the Civil Defence Force.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Avukana Buddha Statue Anuradhapura period Colossal Buddha statues 5th-century works Tourist attractions in North Central Province, Sri Lanka Buildings and structures in North Central Province, Sri Lanka Archaeological protected monuments in Anuradhapura District Unfinished sculptures