The distinctive Buddhist statues at the thousand-year-old temple.
(Baonghean.vn) - Ba But Pagoda in Lam Son commune, Do Luong district, is known as one of the famous ancient pagodas in Nghe An province. It preserves a diverse and unique collection of statues, including a twelve-armed Buddha statue.
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| According to legend, Ba But Pagoda (its official name is Tien Tich Tu) was built during the Ly Dynasty to worship Buddha, and especially to worship Ba But – the woman who helped King Uy Minh Ly Nhat Quang achieve sainthood. |
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| In the past, the temple grounds, spanning 10 acres, contained many structures; today, only two ancient buildings remain: the front hall and the rear hall. |
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| The temple still preserves a system of ancient statues (22 statues) made of wood, painted and gilded, diverse in type and size, and unique in structure and craftsmanship. It is known that during the war years, many statues from other temples in the area were also brought here to be worshipped. |
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| Among these ancient statues, the twelve-armed Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, also known as the "human head wearing a Buddha" statue, is the most unique and is worshipped in a prominent position in the temple. The statue is approximately 1.2 meters tall, consisting of a head wearing a floral crown, a body sculpted in a meditative posture on a lotus throne, and a fierce, humanoid demon head with two arms supporting the lotus throne. |
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| The statue of the 12-armed Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is considered one of the oldest statues in the temple, reflecting the temple's founding history, as well as the close relationship between Ba But Temple and Qua Son Temple, which worships Uy Minh Vuong Ly Nhat Quang in Boi Son commune. |
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| The statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara has 12 arms, with 8 (4 on each side) raised high, 2 crossed in front of the abdomen in a meditative posture, and 2 slightly closed at the sides, pointing. Compared to some other multi-armed ancient statues in temples in the province, the composition and structure of the 12-armed Avalokiteshvara statue at Ba But Temple are quite unique. |
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| Also on the main altar, right in front of the twelve-armed Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, is a statue of the infant Buddha standing on a lotus pedestal surrounded by a circle of nine dragons spouting water. This is also considered a beautiful and unique ancient statue of the temple. |
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| In addition, the temple also houses many ancient statues that possess the distinctive beauty of traditional Buddha statues, such as Buddhas meditating on lotus thrones, with curly hair, long ears, and full, benevolent faces… |
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| Ba But Pagoda is a gathering place for statues from many temples and pagodas in the surrounding area; therefore, the pagoda also houses statues of gods, saints, and founding masters. The statues of gods and saints are lifelike and realistic, with particular emphasis on the expressive demeanor of each figure. Some of the statues are carved in relief on a flat wooden surface. |
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| Having survived for over a thousand years and preserving a unique system of Buddhist statues, Ba But Pagoda is considered one of the oldest and most famous pagodas in Nghe An province – an attractive destination for Buddhists and tourists alike. |
