The Tradition of Building Large Statues

Historically, images of Maitreya Buddha feature prominently in Buddhist sacred art. Countless images of Maitreya Buddha have been found in present-day India, Pakistan and, until recently, in Afghanistan.

In the National Museum in New Delhi two fine examples can be seen: the standing Bodhisattva Maitreya from Gandhara and the standing Maitreya from Ahicchatra, in the style of the Mathura school of art (second century A.D.).

The famous Chinese pilgrims Fa-Hsien and Hsuan Tsang, from the fourth and seventh centuries respectively, described very large images of Maitreya in several places in India. They were in Ghazipur in Utter Pradesh, in Bodhgaya flanking the door of the Mahabodhi Stupa, and further south in the Chola country.

Both pilgrims reported a famous statue of Maitreya at the foot of a high mountain pass in Darel in northern Kashmir. Its creation was attributed to an arhat [someone who has attained personal liberation] who, through the exercise of his miraculous powers, sent a sculptor to Tushita Heaven to observe the features of the future Buddha. The sculptor returned and built an 80-foot high statue in sandalwood covered with gold plates. This statue was said to have been built 300 years after the passing of Shakyamuni Buddha.

In this century, the Buddhist communities of Tibet, Nepal and other Asian countries have built statues of Maitreya Buddha.

In Tibet, a Panchen Lama built an 80-foot high image of Maitreya Buddha cast in bronze at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, following which many replicas were built in temples throughout the country.

In Korea, 27 colossal open-air Maitreya statues have been constructed. Many images depict Maitreya Buddha behind Shakyamuni Buddha to show that he is Shakyamuni's successor.

In Nepal two large statues of Maitreya Buddha have been built in the holy centres of Swayambhunath and Bodhanath near Kathmandu.

In India, Ladakh has continued this tradition of building large statues of Maitreya Buddha at the monastic center of Thiksey and an even larger statue has been commissioned to be built in Himachal Pradesh.