Large Buddha to be unveiled Saturday in Franklin

 

The Samadhi Buddha statue was crafted by Embulawitiya Medhananda Thero, an artist and Buddhist monk who has created many Buddha statues in his native Sri Lanka. It was constructed from steel, brick and concrete, said Wije Kottahachchi, project director for the Buddha statue-development committee. The temple, which has about 200 members, was established in 2002 and located to its current site in 2004.

"The statue looks very beautiful," Kottahachchi said. "We think it's amazing."

The outdoor statue, which cost about $175,000, will sit in a landscaped garden on the 10-acre property. The Buddha is seated in a meditative position on a 5-foot high platform of lotus petals, surrounded by gardens and a pond. It was modeled after the original stone image of the Buddha statue built in the ancient capital city of Sri Lanka in the 4th century B.C.

Seated in front of the statue, members of the temple can meditate on the virtues of Buddha — love, compassion, tolerance, coexistence and nonviolence.

"This is a great opportunity to develop the premises into a meditation retreat in the future, since the land is available and the surroundings are serene," Kottahachchi said. "The statue will be a symbol of serenity, evoking peaceful thoughts in the minds and hearts of people who visit the site."

 

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