1. Religion & Spirituality

Big Buddhas: The Monywa Buddha

The Largest Reclining Buddha

This reclining Buddha of Burma (Myanmar) was built in 1991.
Burma Reclining Buddha

This great reclining Buddha of Monywa, Burma, is 300 feet (90 meters) long.

Javier D., Flickr.com, Creative Commons License

A reclining buddha, a frequent theme in Buddhist art, signifies the Buddha's parinirvana -- his death and entry into nirvana.

The reclining buddha of Monywa is hollow, and people can walk inside its 300-foot length and view 9,000 small images of the Buddha and his disciples.

The Monywa Buddha's status as the largest reclining buddha may soon end. Currently a stone reclining buddha is being carved in east China’s Jiangxi Province. This new buddha in China will be 1,365 feet (416 meters) long.

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