Sayana Mudra Statue of Lord Buddha being built at Rammanda Pokuna Maha Viharaya at Kekirihenpitiya, Gokarella, Hiriyala The Sayana Mudra or sleeping posture of Lord Buddha depicts the last sleeping moment of Lord Buddha`s life in this earth, prior to the ‘Parinirwana’. It is important to note that this moment on displaying the fact that the Lord Buddha was able to end the cycle of ‘Sansara’ namely, the birth, the death, and rebirth, as he gained enlightenment in this life itself.
The reclining Buddha statue had become a major iconographic and statuary pattern of Buddhism. The standard feature of such Buddha statue is Lord Buddha lying in a light plank and his head resting on a cushion or relying on his right elbow supporting his head with his hand. The recline posture of Lord Buddha mostly known as ‘Maha Parinirwanasana’ is not supposed to induce a state of sadness, but it is to be taken as an object of encouragement, that all living human being has the potential to be awakened or enlighten and to end the ‘Sansara’, the cycle of rebirth. It also clearly states that though Siddhartha Gautama prince enlightens and attain the Lord Buddhaship, he also had to leave his physical appearance. Buddhist believe that this historical moment took place at Kushinagar in India when Lord Buddha was 80 years old. This particular pattern of posture in a Lord Buddha`s life seems to have originated at the same time as the other symbol and images of Lord Buddha.
‘Gandhara’ period of Buddhist art which has a Greek influence had been followed by many other regions to depict the pivotal movements of Buddhist life including that of the last movement before the ‘Maha Parinirwanaya’. The Sayana prathima or reclining Buddhist statue of Maha Parinirwanaya now been built out of solid granite rock, at Rammanda Pokuna Maha Viharaya by Indian artist has a feature of Lord Buddha lying in a right plank resting his head on a cushion. This statue is expected to be revered by both Buddhist and Non-Buddhist as the newest 21st century rock stone Maha Parinirwanasana statue in the whole of South Asia. The total development cost is excepted to be Rs. 60 million for which any philanthropist or a donor is entitled to contribute and participate in this ritual.