One of the island’s most elegant and perfect statues, the Aukana Buddha, to the west of the large Kala Wewa reservoir, has gained even greater significance to Buddhists since the destruction of the similar (but much larger) statues at Bamiyan in Afghanistan (toponymical research suggests that in ancient times Bamiyan, in the region where Mahayana Buddhism originated, was known as Vokkana or Avakana). Here is a magnificent, undamaged 12 meters tall free-standing statue of the Abhayamudra Buddha, showing superhuman qualities, carved out of a single rock. The Buddha’s right hand is raised towards the right shoulder with the palm spread, signifying a lack of fear, while the position of the left draws the worshiper to Buddha for release from earthly bonds.
It has been ascribed to King Dhatusena (AD 459 – 477) who was responsible for the building of several tanks, including the one here. When you walk down to the base, not the small lotus flower in between the Buddha’s feet. The carving is so perfectly symmetrical that when it rains the water drops from Buddha’s nose down to the center of the 10 cm lotus flower below.