A new spiritual highlight in Southern Vietnam at Ba Den mountain, Tay Ninh

The statue of Buddha Kanakamuni is located in the Udumbara garden, a meditation garden on the summit of Ba Den mountain, Tay Ninh. (Photo: VNA)

On December 29 (the 10th day of the 11th Lunar month of the Year of the Snake), the ceremony to enshrine the statue of Buddha Kanakamuni will officially take place at Ba Den mountain (Tay Ninh). This event offers another reason for visitors to journey to the highest peak in Southern Vietnam, sending their wishes for a prosperous and fortunate life.

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The enshrinement ceremony, presided over by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, is considered a significant cultural and spiritual event eagerly anticipated by Buddhists and residents of Southern Vietnam. The event marks a milestone as the summit of Ba Den mountain becomes one of the rare places in Vietnam to host the presence of Buddha Kanakamuni, a past Buddha and a symbol of enlightenment.

Buddha Kanakamuni, known as Koṇāgamana in Pāli, means “the golden one” or “the bringer of gold”. According to Buddhist scriptures, he was born in the city of Purity, the capital of King Purity (now the region of Nigali Sagar, Nepal). After renouncing worldly life and undergoing six months of asceticism, he attained enlightenment under the Udumbara tree.

Udumbara, the Sanskrit name for the fig tree, is both a familiar plant and a sacred symbol in Buddhism. It is said that the Udumbara flower blooms once every 3.000 years, heralding the appearance of a Buddha or a Universal Monarch. Thus, Udumbara is regarded as a “heavenly omen”, and in folklore, the fig tree symbolizes abundance, completeness, prosperity, and luck.

The statue of Buddha Kanakamuni is enshrined in the Udumbara Garden – a meditation garden on the “roof of Southern Vietnam”. The statue, standing 7,2 meters tall, is crafted from red bronze with a 24K gold-plated surface, created using high-pressure processing technology. The image of Buddha sitting cross-legged on a lotus pedestal amidst a golden lotus pond, with a compassionate face and gentle gaze, symbolizes tranquility and compassion for all beings.

From the highest point on the summit, the statue faces east, symbolizing a forward-looking future. Buddha's right hand forms the teaching mudra, a symbol of the preaching phase; the left hand holds a fig fruit, reminiscent of the enlightenment journey under the Udumbara tree.

The sacred space on the mountain summit. (Photo: VNA)

Surrounding the statue is the Udumbara waterfall, a circular structure with a diameter of 50 meters and a height of 12 meters, featuring 32 golden pillars representing the 32 auspicious marks of the Buddha.

Inspired by the Buddha's radiance spreading everywhere, the Udumbara Waterfall gleams with a brilliant golden hue against the sky on the sacred mountain summit. Water cascades from the waterfall into the golden lotus pond, creating a sacred, mystical space that spreads messages of prosperity and abundance.

At the center, the statue of Buddha Kanakamuni becomes a symbol of enlightenment, a place where people seek inner peace and send their wishes for a joyful, prosperous life.

Alongside the statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, representing the present, the statue of Bodhisattva Maitreya representing the future, and the statue of Buddha Kanakamuni, representing the past, the summit of Ba Den mountain forms a spiritual axis connecting the three times: Past - present - future.

Now, Ba Den mountain is not only a tourist destination but also a place for Buddhists and visitors to reflect on themselves, letting go of past or future worries, living fully in the present with mindfulness and a journey towards true happiness.

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