Great Buddha Statue

The Great Buddha Statue in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, is an 80-foot (25-metre) seated Buddha in meditation pose on a lotus, located near the Mahabodhi Temple. Completed in 1989 after seven years of construction by the Japanese Daijokyo Buddhist sect, it is built of sandstone and red granite. Inaugurated by the 14th Dalai Lama, it is one of the largest seated Buddha figures in India and a major pilgrimage landmark.

Visitors can expect a large open complex with the 80-foot seated Buddha as the central focus, set in landscaped gardens. The statue depicts the Buddha in dhyana mudra seated on a lotus. Visitors can walk around the base, view smaller stone figures of disciples around the statue, take photographs from the garden area, and experience a quiet, contemplative atmosphere near other monasteries in Bodh Gaya.

The statue was conceived and funded by the Japanese Daijokyo Buddhist organization under the guidance of monk Kenji Okha. Construction took seven years with 12,000 stonemasons and was completed in 1989. It was inaugurated and blessed by the 14th Dalai Lama. It was built to commemorate the enlightenment of Gautama Buddha at Bodh Gaya and to promote Buddhist pilgrimage.

The statue is a significant Buddhist pilgrimage and cultural landmark in Bodh Gaya, one of the four principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites. It represents the Buddha in meditation and symbolizes peace and enlightenment. It attracts pilgrims and visitors from Buddhist traditions worldwide and forms part of the sacred landscape around the Mahabodhi Temple UNESCO World Heritage Site.