The Altar of Heaven Big Buddha is the largest outdoor bronze statue of sitting Buddha in the world. Towering atop Mount Muk Yue, at an altitude of 482m, the Big Buddha has become a major landmark of Hong Kong. Aside from being an outstanding building project, it is an excellent piece of work in the art of Buddhism statue-making, and a treasure piece in human heritage.
The Buddha statue is made with 202 bronze pieces (160 pieces for the body, 36 for the lotus flowers, and 6 for the clouds). Together with the lotus seat, the statue stands at 26.4m. Measured with the three-level base platform, the edifice towers at 34m, weighing 250 tonnes. The three-level design of the base platform is modelled on the marble stone base of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Altar of Heaven in Beijing. It had taken 12 years for the construction of this Buddha statue of grandeur and solemnity that symbolizes a steady and prosperous Hong Kong, a great and contented China and a world at peace.
The total area of the statue base platform measures 2,239m2. It comprises three levels: Hall of Merits on the lowest level, Hall of Realm of Reality on the middle, and the Memorial Hall on the upper. They are open for public visits. The three halls are connected with a spiral staircase, with a bronze Yoga-Bell overhanging in the centre. The Yoga-Bell is for Saving the Burning-Mouth Hungry Ghosts. On the outer wall are carved and inscribed Buddha statues, Buddha mudras and the names of benefactors and donators. Sutras are inscribed on the inner side of the wall. In major religious celebrations or ceremonies, the bell is computerized to jangle every 7 seconds, for 108 times, symbolizing the relief of 108 worries.
In the hall is a statue of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha carved in nanmu timber over five hundred years old. Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, known as Earth Store Bodhisattva, saves suffering beings in the hells with his overwhelming will of compassion. Also on display are four frescos painted by the Venerable Mapalagama Wipulasara Maha Thera of Sri Lanka, illustrating the birth of Buddha Sakyamuni, his attaining enlightenment, the delivery of his first sermon, and his achieving nirvana.
It is a hall for exhibition of Buddhism publications and paintings donated by authors and artists to the monastery. There is also a white olive wood print of the Painting Depicting the Buddha Preaching on the Avatamsaka Sutra. The drawing was outlined with brushes and coloured using raw minerals of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. It illustrates 160 Bodhisattvas in a session listening to the Buddha’s preaching, each with a different expression and posture. The work has taken seven years.
In the hall are kept two true body relics of the Buddha. They were a present from Muthiyangana Vihara of Sri Lanka, received and escorted back in October 1992 to the Po Lin Monastery by the Abbot and a delegation of venerable monks. The relics are of the size of rice grains. Their colour is ever changing, being rice-white and may vary to different eyes. The relics are the most precious holy Buddhist matters in the world.
Also inscribed at the third level are the names of the benefactors and donators towards the building of the Big Buddha.
Walking out of the base platform of the Big Buddha, and standing on the summit of Mount Muk Yue, you will have Po Lin Monastery in full view against the backdrop of the rolling landscape of Lantau Island and the majestic view of South China Sea. Around the Big Buddha stand six bronze statues, the Six Deities, making offering to the Buddha, in the form of flowers, scents, light, ointment, fruits and music, representing the six excellent practices, generosity, self-discipline, patience, effort, meditation and wisdom, which lead one to liberation.