Samadhi Statue

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

The Samadhi Statue is a statue situated at Mahamevuna 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, also called Nirvana. 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. This statue is 8 feet in height and carved from granite.

References

• 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., 1st November 1992 – 26th September 1993]. Hong Kong: Visual Dharma Publications, Ltd. ISBN 962-7049-06-9

See also

• Ancient Constructions of Sri Lanka
• Atamasthana
• Buddhism
• Mahawamsa

External links

• Discover Sri Lanka - More information & images about Samadhi Statue
• This page incorporates content from Dr. Rohan Hettiarachchi's [1] used with permission of website owner.
• Samadhi Buddha Statue